Setting out and gathering up

Major accomplishment in the last few days - we have ploughed our first field and we have to say - ploughing rocks.

It is incredibly satisfying to look back down a perfect straight furrow and see the turf of the meadow being turned neatly over.  Gradually the meadow makes way to cultivated land as man and machine go to work on the covering of the soil in the simplest most natural act. 

Our neighbour Didier came over to help set out the first ridge and furrow and to help get the depth right - if you go too deep the tractor wheels spin and too shallow is just pointless as the turf won't be buried.  Didier was itching to have a go so eventually Al had to concede the controls and he did a few runs up and down and then Bee finished it off yesterday.  A group effort you might say.

The tractor has performed impeccably and has totally won us over.  The plough blades were sharpened with an angle grinder prior to starting and now the previously rusty mould-boards have been replaced with bright steel which have received a covering of grease to keep them that way. 

Over the next few months the frost will get into the clod and turfs and kill off much of the grass and weeds and we will then help nature by harrowing the new plot in every way possible - with discs, spring tines and spikes which will gradually break the clods down into a fine seed bed to receive our young plants and seeds in the spring.

Also since the last post we have made steps forward on the fruit tree and soft fruit bush "investments" we had planned.  Most of the fruit trees already planted here are cherries, pears and plums with couple of peach trees and we needed to broaden the choice considerably.  The apples we have are not in great condition so new stock were the first to go in and so far we have planted 4 apple trees (two Granny Smith and two Gala) in the chicken run (apparently they co-habit well as the chickens enjoy eating many of the creepy crawlies that are attracted to apples), goji berries, rhubarb, strawberries and raspberries, one male and one female kiwi fruit (only 5 years to fruition!),  two black currant, one red currant and one white currant bush and a thorn less gooseberry variety.

An apricot tree is about to be planted today alongside the fig tree that Graham (Als Dad) planted in September.  We have plans to add lots more including olives, grapes and cider apples but this will happen when budget and time allows.   

We are also watching our chickens carefully at the moment as the chicks are now old enough to start showing distinguishing cockerel/hen features - when we know how many cocks we have we can start planning our weekly menu........