Warm, Wet and Windy.

With Christmas well behind us now and daylight hours beginning to lengthen it is time to get back outside and see what we can reasonably do when the weather conditions allow.    Warm, wet and windy sums it up, in that order.  Thankfully we have no fear of being flooded out; we are at the top of a hill, but I do keep a wary eye on the willow trees around the pond.  I keep expecting some of them to give way.  They have not been pollarded for many years and, in fact, I had already arranged for just that to be done early in the New Year.  It will change the view enormously but it really must be done.

Filling the bird feeders is a regular job at this time of year.  I could set my clock by the time the birds feed, which is useful when I want to look out for any newcomers.  House sparrows and many other small birds leave the farmland in winter and go  for garden bird feeders where fat products are particularly valuable.  I provide suet balls, which are less costly than peanuts and do not attract squirrels.  Having said that it is entertaining to watch the squirrels running around in the leafless trees and jumping from branch to branch.

If you are a traditionalist it will soon be time to take down the Christmas decorations; twelfth night; is it January 5th or 6th?  The discussion comes up every year;  perhaps you could give me your opinions   The village has looked particularly attractive this year, with a Christmas tree, kindly donated by parishioners, Suzanne and David Green and surrounded by "pretend" parcels made up by children and villagers.  The Cross Keys also did its bit with a Christmas tree and a splendid pudding adorning the steps.  The Christmas dinner, attended by a number of village ladies was very enjoyable as will be the New Years Eve party, scheduled for tonight.

    

  

   

Christmas is Coming.

A lot of rain recently has made outdoor activity rather unnattractive.  Happily the programme of local events has provided a pleasant alternative.  The Bookcase put on an unusual seasonal talk, starting with a potted history of the Christmas Tree, and its introduction to the festive scene in Britain.  Not surprisingly, as it was a feature of German festivities, it appeared in the royal household, at the time of Queen Victoria.  From there it was quickly adopted by the general public and has remained, ever since, an essential ingredient of our Christmas decorations.  The remainder of the afternoon was given over to showing pictures of unusual baubles, mainly glass, but some in other fabrics, collected by the speaker, Peter Smith, over a period of years.                                                 
  

     

Initially most of these baubles were to be found in the USA but as their popularity and variety increased they became more readily available in this country.  Techniques for their production developed.

With a collection of over 200 to choose from Christmas in the Smith household must be a daunting undertaking every year.      

Writing about Christmas decorations reminds me that our holly trees, which were thick with berries a few weeks ago, have now shed most of them, making a carpet on the ground beneath.  This happens nearly every year and I should really like to know why.  It may be the few windy days we have had; it certainly is not lack of water.  Oddly enough the birds do not seem interested in them.  The blackbirds prefer the fallen apples and have now been joined by flocks of fieldfares.  A sparrowhawk is to be seen regularly hovering over the long grass in the paddock before swooping down on some small mammal; what amazing eyesight they must have.  Another welcome sighting has been the barn owl, flying low along the hedge in the same paddock.  The tussocky.grass provides a good supply of voles which are a favourite source of food for the barn owl.    

  

Jerusalem - Without the Jam.

Fish and chips was the order of the day (and you can't get more British than that)  on the occasion of the Epperstone Womens Institute birthday party celebrating 95 years in existence.  Entertainment was provided by The Stormy Weather Boys, who had everyone joining in lustily with the choruses of their sea shanties.  The evening raised a welcome £300 for the charity, Maggies, the cancer support unit at Nottingham City Hospital and also, hopefully, attracted a few new members.

The social whirl continues with the Epperstone Ladies Luncheon to be held at the Cross Keys next month; but more of that later.

Rain and strong winds have been the feature of the weather during the past two weeks.  Amazingly, little damage occurred on the farm though some of the willow trees round the pond are looking a bit the worse for wear.  Not for nothing are they called Crack Willow.  They are in desperate need of pollarding; this is something I shall have to look into with some urgency.  The same wind has fetched the last remaining leaves off the trees, conveniently blowing them into heaps and thus making them much easier to collect.  Nevertheless, I shall have to take care that some of the longer lying heaps are not hiding any hibernating mammals such as hedgehogs, of which, I am pleased to say, we have had many sightings during the summer.  There has been a catastrophic decline in the hedgehog population, estimated at 1.5 million in 1995 and now reduced to probably under a million.  If you want to know more about these creatures the website www.hedgehogstreet.org is full of interesting information and well worth a read.

Writing as a tourist, I found myself in Plymouth recently and was delighted to find that there is an excellently presented exhibition centred on the Pilgrim Fathers  Their origens, of course, are centred on the village of Scrooby, in North Nottinghamshire so the exhibition made a good follow-up to what we already have in the county. If you want to brush up on the history of these brave people you can find much detail on www.pilgrimfathersorigens.org then make it the object of a day out.

  


  

A Warning.

 It has been an amazing year for fruit, both  cultivated and hedgerow.  Those of you who enjoy a glass of sloe gin will find the fruits in plenty and can use the long, dark evenings to make a warming winter tipple.  It is not necessary, as some would have it, to wait until the first frost before picking your sloes, nor is it beneficial to put them in the deep freezer unless you want to store them to be dealt with at a more convenient time. It should be remembered, however, that blackthorn, which produces the sloe, has very sharp thorns and a prick or a scratch from these can rapidly turn septic, so take care when picking the fruit.

   
Epperstone social life gathers momentum as the evenings get longer.  A Wine Tasting event, organised by the Sports and Leisure Club, was sold to capacity and raised welcome funds for the Club. A large crowd enjoyed Bonfire Night and fireworks at the Cross Keys.
Members of the Womens Institute are looking forward to a party celebrating ninety-five years since the formation of the Branch; not a bad achievement.

Things have slowed down a bit on the farm now that we are well into November.  The weather remains incredibly mild (I am tempting fate again) so it is no hardship to start on the list of outdoor jobs waiting to be done.  With daylight hours being shorter most of these jobs will be started in the morning and that, at the moment, means leaf sweeping.  I probably say the same thing every year but I don't think I have ever seen so many leaves on the ground.  That may be because there has also been very little wind so the leaves have remained where they have fallen instead of being blown into drifts.  It has also been quite wet so a good time to plant out the wallflowers, which will have a lovely scent when they flower in the spring.  Once again the orchard has yielded more fruit than we can possibly eat but the birds will be happy to feed on the surplus.

Culture In The Country.

As the hours of daylight shorten there is an incentive to become a little more sociable.  That is not difficult within the area.  The Bookcase,

in Lowdham, launches a programme of events in November which includes, this year, a talk on beekeeping and all its aspects, an increasingly popular subject.  There will also be the opportunity to meet Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, who will be celebrating the publication of her latest book, The Snow Garden.  Those who enjoyed War Horse will be able, once again, to spend an evening in Southwell Minster with master-storyteller and bestselling author, Michael Morpurgo.

Shorter days also affect the outdoor routine.  My small flock of free-range hens goes to roost earlier so they are spending more hours shut in. This in turn means that the henhouse must be cleaned at shorter intervals.  The alternative is to get up earlier to let them out at
daylight -  not really a very attractive idea!  I am sometimes asked if egg production drops in the winter, but the answer is that hybrid birds tend to lay all year round, though in slightly reduced numbers.  It is the pure-bred, so-called rare breed birds, that lay very few eggs or stop laying until the spring.

The trees are beginning to lose their leaves;  the colours have been really vivid this autumn. A good strong wind is needed to blow them into heaps which will mean less work when it comes to raking them up and moving them.  If you can store them they make wonderful leaf mould to subsequently return to the garden.  A word of warning - hedgehogs normally go into hibernation in October, though with the mild temperatures we have experienced lately it is possible that they are still around.  Nevertheless be aware that a pile of leaves may be hiding one of these increasingly rare little creatures and any disturbance reduces their ability to survive the winter.  Equally, if you are lighting an autumn bonfire check first that it has not been chosen as the winter home for local wildlife.

Thankfully our fields are all drilled up for the winter.  It is always a worrying decision to make; shall we drill or shall we hold back a little longer?  Too early and the crop risks being too advanced and at risk of disease or weather damage; too late and our heavy land may become too wet to support the passage of machinery.  Well, now it is done and, believe it or not, we could do with some rain to get things going.  No wonder people say that farmers are never satisfied.

       
           

Goings On in Autumn

With the cereal harvest well and truly behind us the village has celebrated in customary fashion.  Harvest supper, always a popular event, took place in the village hall. Villagers enjoy an excellent meal of boiled ham, vegetable bake and potatoes served with a very special plum sauce; vegetarians are catered for then it is head for the desert table where the choice is spectacular and limited only by the amount one can get on the plate.  A very enjoyable social evening.  This was followed on Sunday by the Harvest Festival Service in the beautifully decorated  Holy Cross Church.

  It has always been customary to take offerings of food to this Service for subsequent distribution to the less well-off and whilst fresh fruit and vegetables make an attractive display it is now deemed more practical to take items which can be stored and taken to the local food bank which the church supports.

Since writing about field mushrooms i have been on the lookout for blewits, a species of edible fungi much sought-after and, I believe, most frequently found in the Midlands.  Certainly they are to be found for sale on local market stalls.  However, they should be treated with caution when eaten for the first time as they can cause an allergic reaction in some people.

We are fortunate in having a bookshop in the neighbouring village whose proprietor puts on many events during the year. The Autumn/Winter programme has just appeared; it contains talks which will appeal to a wide range of interests. The talk on beekeeping is sure to be popular and that entertaining duo "Cook and Book" is back.

While there is no shortage of things to do and see in Nottinghamshire it is sometimes worth looking a little further, which is why Sunday found me visiting the village of Eyam, in Derbyshire.  Incidentally,the pronunciation of the name is open to debate, being pronounced "Eem", one syllable rather than Ee-am, two syllables - rather like our local town, is it "Suthell"or "South-well?  Be that as it may, it is best known as "the plague village" the story of which is well-documented and presented in the museum in the village with an excellent video, pictures and showcases. The museum has also mounted a new exhibition, running until 2018, entitled Eyam 1914-1918, and this too makes fascinating viewing.

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The Mystery of the Mushroom.

Autumn can be such a joy.  This year is an example.  Days of sunshine with mild temperatures and no wind make outdoor work a pleasure.  We might be tempted to take it for granted were it not for the visitors who frequently comment on the peaceful situation, the space around us, the pace of life.  Of course, it is not quite the same when it is also our workplace!  Nevertheless, we are indeed extremely fortunate to live here, to be able to appreciate all the benefits of our surroundings and to share it all with our guests.

Talking of benefits, the mushroom season has arrived.  They are very unpredictable, popping up where mushrooms have never been seen in years and failing to appear where they can normally be counted on to provide a supply.  It is essential to be able to identify edible species as there are many inedible and even poisonous ones.  Of the 3,500 different species in Britain 7 or 8 are deadly, 25 or 30 are poisonous, of the remainder about 30 are good to eat.  With this in mind it is possible to join a fungi identification walk of which several take place at this time of year.  There are many ways which, added together, enable identification of the fungi.   Having said that I still err on the side of caution and only cut field and horse mushrooms.

The weather was kind for the Southwell Ploughing Match which took place last weekend.  It is one of the social highlights of the farming year and this year was no exception.  The site was excellent, attendance was good and the access and parking was well managed.  There are competitive classes for livestock, produce, crafts and much more; it is an excellent showcase for local and regional businesses.

Birds which have been absent from the garden feeder for several weeks have returned and appear to be stocking up for winter.  A little flock of Long-tailed Tits has paid several visits and the goldfinches are regulars now.  Further away something prompted me to look up and I spotted  four buzzards circling and planing high above the farm; a majestic sight.  How can they see a potential dinner from such a great distance?

 
  

   

The Week's Top Tip

Have you ever lost a garden tool?  It's all too easy when you are trying to do too many jobs in too little time.  I solved the problem (almost} by wrapping a ring of brightly coloured electrician's insulation tape round the handle of my tools.  Yellow shows up really well when you have popped down a tool then moved on to another job, or covered it in a pile of prunings.  Try it!

Daylight hours are getting shorter, borders to be tidied, though not too much, mild weather is keeping the grass growing though I am hoping it will soon be the last cut. The "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" as the poet (remind me which one) said, is well and truly upon us. There is fruit to pick and preserve by various methods.  Fig and date chutney is one of my specialities; no problem with the figs but I have buy in the dates.

  Apple and walnut chutney will be next  You might like the recipe, though it is an old one and I still make it in pounds and ounces.

Apple and Walnut Chutney

1 pint cider vinegar, 1 lb light muscovado sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 inch fresh root ginger finely chopped, 1 tbsp coriander seeds crushed, 1 tsp ground allspice, 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds, 3-4 green chillies de-seeded and chopped, 2 lbs Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped, 1 lemon thinly sliced but not peeled, seeds removed, slices quartered,.8 oz onions chopped, 8 oz sultanas, 2 lb eating apples cored and chopped, 8 oz walnuts chopped.
Method:
Put vinegar, sugar, salt, ginger, spices and chillies into pan, heat gently till sugar has dissolved then bring to a rolling boil.  Add Bramley apples, lemon, onion and sultanas.  Simmer for 30 minues. Add eating apples and walnuts. Simmer for at least another
45 minutes, till thick, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Pot and seal in the usual way and leave for at least 2 weeks before using.

Farming:  the expression "keeping a weather eye open" becomes truly meaningful.  A little rain will make  blackgrass, a major problem, grow, so spraying will be effective.  However, a breakdown and a four day wait for the required replacement part makes us all anxious.  Job done; oilseed rape is drilled; will the weather allow us to rip up with the spring tines, rotate to obtain a seed bed then get the wheat drilled?  Timing is critical.  We have heavy land and if it gets too wet it is impossible to get the machinery onto it.  As I said, the weather has the last word.





  





   

Garden Drama

There was a small drama this week when we found a young hedgehog entangled in a badminton net in the garden.  The first step was to cut the net and remove the animal, still entangled, before we could begin to free him.  Good light, fine scissors plus spineproof garden gloves were required.  As you can imagine, every time the little animal felt a movement he did what hedgehogs do, i.e. he curled up tightly.  Happily, with patience, we were able to remove every strand of netting and place him back in the garden in a sheltered spot.  We were not sure if the shock would be too much for him but hedgehogs are clearly made of sterner stuff.  A visit to the release site later in the day revealed that he had uncurled and was foraging actively under the hedge.  A story with a happy ending.

Still in the garden, we have had a tremendous crop of cobnuts.  Usually the squirrels get most of them but this year even they have been overwhelmed.  Now I am looking for recipes using green cobnuts; if anyone has any suggestions do pass them on.  I have not been so fortunate with the walnuts; when the squirrels don't get them the crows do; they take them long before they are ready to take off the tree.

Incidentally, you may know cobnuts as hazelnuts, dried and sold in the shell or ready-shelled or perhaps as Kent cobs, much sought-after in the green state.  They are not to be confused with filberts, which are oval in shape and the husk completely covers the nut.  These are less popular than cobnuts as the husk is more difficult to remove than the half husk on the rounder nut.
    
We have been lucky, weatherwise, on the farm.  The oilseed rape yielded well, considering the poor start to the season.  There was even debate as to whether or not it would be better to plough it up and re-drill.  Fortunately it was decided to leave it in and hope for the best; a right decision as it turned out.  The wheat yielded well with a low moisture content, which saved us drying costs.  We only had to use the dryer for a short time to cool the grain for storage.  The straw has been baled and cleared, allowing light cultivation of the fields prior to preparation for the next crop,  We still have field beans to harvest. This will be interesting as we have not grown them before.  I will report on the result next time.   

  

Another Drama

Well, that is the harvest finished though not without it's little drama.  When the combine stopped unexpectedly the operator climbed down to see what had happened and found smoke pouring from the back.  Faulty wiring had caused a fire which, fortunately, he was able to extinguish with the onboard fire extinguisher before it became a major incident.  Another combine was brought in and the job finished before the forecast rain took over.  The yield from the beans appears passable, though not as good as hoped.  Beans can be an expensive crop to grow; blackfly was a big problem this year and required spraying twice.  Obviously the bees must be kept off when this is carried out but, wisely, they don't go back in after that.  It is our intention next year to site the hives temporarily in the field where the crop is growing so that the bees can spend less time and energy flying and more time pollinating.

We have not seen many kestrels lately.  Voles form part of their diet and as these have been in short supply also this year perhaps that is the reason.  On the other hand there has been no shortage of field mice so who knows?   No shortage of wood pigeons.  All they need is grain, and water to make pigeon "milk" to feed to their young.  With plenty of grain about and water seldom a problem they can breed until October or November.

With summer finished and holidays over village social life picks up again.  First off is a Fashion Show, to be held in Epperstone Village Hall on Wednesday, September 23rd  Entry includes a glass of wine, doubtless an incentive to relax, enjoy the show and purchase high street brands at rock bottom prices.  We can also look forward to the renowned Nottingham Goose Fair, taking place at the end of the month, from September 30th to Ocober 4th on the Forest recreation ground. Though the origins of the fair are historic you will find the present-day attractions very up-to-date, and probably the only goose in sight is to be found on the large Mansfield Road/Gregory Boulevard  traffic island . 

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A Quick Catch-up.

A break in the dry weather provided a not unwelcome respite from harvesting this week. There was sufficient rain for us to carry out light cultivations on the fields already combined.  This encourages weed seeds to chit (germinate).  They can then be dealt with and a clean seed bed prepared  for the next crop.  At the same time we want dry conditions so that we can bale the straw and clear the fields so that the above-mentioned cultivations can be carried out.  Contradictory, you will say.  It's a case of "you can't please all of the people all of the time". 

Talking of rain, the water-level in the pond is now quite low.  This signals that we must make the most of the opportunity to clear a year's debris, raking out as much as possible and burning it.  The pond is surrounded by crack willow which, as you can guess from the name, sheds twigs and small branches every time there is a bit of wind.  I was quite pleased, though, to see that the waterhens had built a nest, a rough-looking structure of twigs, rising well out of the water.  I shall leave that untouched.

 I've no doubt I shall hear the green woodpecker while I am working there.  I was delighted to see a pair of them in the orchard the other morning, feeding on the ground.  Until now it has been a case of heard but not seen; they are very shy birds and flew off the minute I appeared.

If you have some holiday time left and decide to spend it in Nottinghamshire there is still time to visit the exhibition at the Nottingham Contemporary where The Treasures of Chatsworth continues until September.  Sixty-two items which include silverware, porcelain, furniture and pictures have been selected by the artist, Pablo Bernstein and are displayed in conjunction with his own work; a truly original presentation.

Nottinghamshire has, in fact, much to offer in terms of visitor attractions and entertainment.  National Trust properties include the Workhouse, in the delightful Minster town of Southwell. The recently opened Civil War Centre and Museum in Newark is attracting a steady stream of visitors.  If it is the countryside that you seek there is Sherwood Forest, of course, and many walks and cycle trails.  Then, when you need to recover you will find a wealth of excellent restaurants, pubs and tea rooms serving local specialities.  The city boasts two theatres, the Theatre Royal and Nottingham Playhouse; the shopping in Nottingham is legendary, and again there is a wide range of eateries to choose from when you need a break.

 

Harvest, Garden and Holiday time.

After the usual stop-go start to the harvest we have finished combining the oilseed rape, which has yielded better than expected.  Now we have moved into the wheat.  The weather during the last three months seems to have suited our keuper marl clay soil - around 70 millimetres in May, less in June with a lot of sunshine but one night of heavy rain, dry in the first two weeks of July then one week of small amounts daily.  We are seeing the results in ears of corn with plump grain, but, as I have said before, until it is safely in the store we will not be making any predictions.  The weather always has the last word.

Not so on the domestic front:  blackcurrants, redcurrants, loganberries are now finished, turned into jam or stored in the deep freezer for winter puddings or jam making when I have more time.  The birds got most of the cherry crop, which was huge this year.  As soon as I start to pick them it is the signal for the birds to clear the tree.  I do not really mind as I still have jelly made last year but next year I shall have to be quicker off the mark.

 It is a daily job keeping the bird feeders stocked up.  The woodpecker is a regular feeder on the peanuts and I frequently hear his call in the garden.  Young starlings, their greyish plumage differentiating them from the adult bird, are also coming to the feeders; they are probably from the second brood of the season.

I have had no success so far trying to take photos of  butterflies on the buddleia although they are there in spectacular numbers.  Also spectacular is the number of field mice that the cats bring to my door.  They catch voles as well, which I am sorry about, as they are the principle food of barn owls and apparently in short supply.  Their most impressive trophy this year was a stoat; I wish they did not feel the need to show me their catches but they are not to be deterred.

Visitors to The Mews have had no lack of choice when deciding how to spend the day out.
 Reg Taylor's Garden Centre near Southwell is once again holding an exhibition of contemporary and traditional sculpture in the Swan Sanctuary, a lovely place to walk at any time.  Held every two years it is on until the end of August and is one I shall definitely visit.  I would also recommend the recently-opened Civil War Centre in Newark which is attracting many visitors.  Visit and participate in the events for the family taking place daily during the summer holidays.  There is, in fact, such a wide range of things to see and do in this area that perhaps one day I will draw up a programme and take a holiday myself.

"Make Hay While the Sun Shines"

"Make hay while the sun shines" takes on a whole new meaning.  I thought only farming was affected by the weather, but clearly I was wrong.  I cannot stay at my desk, writing up my blog ,when the great outdoors is calling me to do the thousand and one jobs that require attention in the garden.  Hence my spasmodic delivery of a regular blog.  However, on a dull, damp day here I am again.

Birds first.  We are told that house sparrows are on the decline.  That is certainly not  true here where little flocks of them  empty the fat-ball feeder on a daily basis.  Though thought of as a dull bird, seen at close hand their plumage is really quite pretty.  Although many people do not put out bird food in the summer months it is advisable is to feed them all year round.  Many birds are raising chicks and access to an easy food supply saves them time and energy.  Chilly, wet weather takes its toll; dry weather means many plants die before setting seed and worms go too deep for the birds to dig out.  Its a hard life.

Talking of plants dying, I found the leaves of one of my favourites eaten off to the central rib.  Closer investigation revealed masses of large, green caterpillars with bands of yellow and black spots munching their way through the plant.  Intrigued, I Googled it (naturally) and identified it as the Mullein moth caterpillar, whose favourite food is verbascum and buddleia.  As I use virtually no chemicals in the garden I shall have to look out for it earlier next year and deal with it the old-fashioned way, with finger and thumb - messy but effective.

Contrary to popular belief, life in the country is not always quiet.  One sunny evening, recently, a footpath walker came to the door to say that he had seen a riderless horse trotting down the lane. He was concerned that there might be an injured rider somewhere and asked if we could help.  Naturally we all turned out.  The horse was caught before it reached the main road.  Now to find the rider.  Using that piece of equipment, the mobile phone, invaluable in a remote situation, plus a knowledge of the local bridlepaths, plus the assistance of police and emergency services, the rider was located, injured but not too seriously, and taken to hospital.  Happily it was a case of all's well that ends well.

Trade at the recently reopened Cross Keys is brisk.  Villagers and the wider public are flocking in to try out the menus, both bar and restaurant.  The innovative ideas include a Pony Park - western style, hitch up and pop in for a bag of crisps and a drink!  If you work from home you can also have a coffee and a wi-fi connection; very civilised.

In my next blog I hope to be reporting on the oilseed rape harvest.  The crop looks promising at the moment but, to mix metaphors, we learned long ago not to count our chickens before they are hatched.

A Good Time Was Had By All.

Another week of mixed weather, bright sunshine, dark storm clouds, heavy showers, high winds followed by periods of total calm have all combined to make outdoor tasks more than a little difficult.  Having said that, there is no shortage of occupations to choose from, and I am reminded of the jingle, "whether the weather be cool, or whether the weather be hot, we'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not".

I have seen several brown hares this week, of varying sizes, indicating that the buzzards are not entirely successful in wiping them out.  Another first for the year was a huge blue dragonfly.  I will go round the ponds and see if there are more.  They are quite a spectacular sight as they hover over the water, reminding one of helicopters on a mission.  A welcome return to the bird feeder was the spotted woodpecker, identified as a juvenile by the red crown.  A closer inspection might have revealed that this was a middle spotted woodpecker as male, female and juvenile all have the red crown but without the black moustache stripe of the greater bird; I shall have to look more carefully.

The good news from the village is that The Cross Keys has reopened.  A large crowd of residents attended the opening night.  Fortunately the weather was pleasant, enabling the crowd to enjoy drinking and chatting outside as well as in the bars, while small children played in the garden and on the sunken trampoline.  It was a very sociable occasion and lovely to see a lively centre to the village again.
 

Work and Play

A heavy rainfall a week ago softened the ground a little and gave me a good opportunity to dig out clumps of ragwort which had appeared in the paddock.  Livestock will not eat it in its green state but if it gets into grass cut for hay the animals do not recognise it and they suffer fatal poisoning.  It is essential to remove it before it flowers and sets seed.  The seed, like that of the dandelion, is attached to a fluffy umbrella which enables  it to be dispersed in the wind over a wide area, making the problem worse year on year. 

The elder bushes have carried a spectacular amount of blossom this year, reminding me that elderflower cordial is not difficult to make and is a  pleasant drink when mixed with still or sparkling water.  My recipe requires about 20 to 25 flower heads, depending on the size of the heads, 1.5 kgs of granulated sugar, 1.5 litres of water, 2 lemons, 50grms of citric acid and 2 Camden tablets.  Bring sugar and water gently to the boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved then remove from heat and leave to cool.  Slice the lemons thinly. Place in large, plastic container  Add flowers, citric acid and Camden tablets.  Pour in the cool syrup, cover and leave overnight.  Next day strain the mixture through muslin and pour into sterilised bottles.  Stored in the fridge the cordial will keep for two or three months.  Have a go!

The current weather pattern, if one can call it that, seems to be favouring plant growth.  The hedges are full of dog roses, white clover abounds in the field margins and the field beans have grown so fast that we have had to employ a contractor to spray them, our own equipment being unsuitable for such a thick, tall crop.  Beans need a long growing season and are not harvested until September so it is essential to keep the plant healthy until that time.  Of course, our honeybees are shut in their hives when spraying is taking place, but that has not been a problem.  In fact, at the weekend a huge swarm appeared outside the front door, subsequently settling on a tree very close to the house, practically asking to be captured.  Difficult to be sure if they came from one of our hives or not, but they were very docile and are now safely re-housed and working normally.

 The Lowdham Book Festival, mentioned in a previous blog, put on, in its varied programme, an interesting and enjoyable talk by the writer, Eve Makis, with her latest book, The Spice Box Letters, a novel based on Armenian history.  Entertainment was also provided by a group of dancers in elaborate traditional Armenian dress, made, incidentally, by one of the group?  How often would you see that?  Clearly there is no limit to the range of cultural interests catered for in the area.  

Village Life - a hive of activity.

Nottinghamshire's answer to the Hay Festival, Lowdham Book Festival, opened on Friday.  The programme is varied and spread over a number of venues, so it may be safe to say "something for everyone".  Details can be found  on www.lowdhambookfestival.co.uk

The Epperstone Summer Festival is safely behind us.  Though not blessed with sunshine the general feeling was one of thankfulness; it could have been worse.  The previous day was one of non-stop rain and that would have been disastrous.

Impossible to please everyone but  twenty-seven millimetres of rain one night following eight dry and windy days certainly benefited the crops.  The field beans are in flower now,  providing a feast for the bees and filling the air with their delicate perfume on a warm day.

An unusual sight this week - two roe deer were spotted trotting along the edge of the West Brockwood dumble, unusual in the fact that roe deer tend to be nocturnal in their habits so are seldom seen. 

Sadly, the song thrush who has been enchanting  us with his melodious song for the last few weeks was found dead beneath a window; he must have flown into it and knocked himself out.  I shall miss him singing his twice-repeated song from the top of the hawthorn tree.  As the poet wrote -
"That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
  Lest you should think he never could recapture
  The first fine careless rapture" 

  

"Did I tell you?"

Herby Hedgehog (or one of his relatives) is still with us.  How do I know?  Well, I haven't seen him, of course.  Hedgehogs are nocturnal and I am not.  However,I had been blaming the cats for what I found on the lawn.  I thoiught it was a bit unusual though, then had a sudden idea.  A little research,
(I've got a good book for that) revealed that what I was finding was, in fact, hedgehog "poo".  They say you learn something new every day - I just did.

Another first for me.  Looking out of the window,quite early the other day, I saw a large bird planing and circling over The Hoe (22.7 acres) and rapidly approaching the house.  It flew low and close over the garden so that I could distinguish, in addition to it being as large as, or possibly larger than, a buzzard, its deeply forked tail.  Leafing through yet another of my books I was able to confirm that what I had just seen was a red kite.  As they are partial migrants and this is not typical kite country I think I was lucky to spot this one.  I have since been told that they have been seen more frequently round here; is this another sign of the changing weather pattern?

And finally, still on birds, a heron has spotted the large, fairly recently established, pond in the Stackyard Close.  It is well-stocked with fish so perhaps he will be a regular visitor.  We shall have to see.

A Bit About Honey and a Date for Your Diary.

The saga continues with bees and honey.  It is as well to remember that honey from the oilseed rape needs to be extracted before it sets in the comb.  That means keeping a close eye on it and removing the frames before they are capped, that is, before the bees have sealed the cells with wax.  The test is to give a frame a gentle shake and if the honey remains in the cells it is ready for extraction.  Too early and the honey ferments, too late and you will have to cut out the comb and warm it gently in an appropriate container  until the wax rises and the honey remains beneath it.  When cool again the wax sets into a block and can be removed  and at last you can get at the honey.  It sounds messy and it is and obviously makes more work for the beekeeper and also for the bees who then have to build more comb  onto the foundation (thin sheets of wax imprinted with shape of comb and attached to the frames).

Unfortunately, we were really busy last week and although we achieved a timely extraction we were unable to run off the honey into jars immediately.  The result was that the honey started to granulate in the ripener and we now have to warm it slightly to make it runny again in order to fill the jars. Oh well, they say you learn by your mistakes so that is one we will not make again. 

Some really good news for Epperstone this week - The Cross Keys pub, which has been closed since the autumn, is to re-open shortly with new tenants.  Contractors are scheduled to start on June 8th  to carry out some work with a view to opening early in July.  In the meantime Des and Trish have been beavering away clearing and planting up the garden and outdoor seating areas until such time as they can open the doors for business.  Although there is no shortage of excellent hostelries in the area a village without a pub  does seem somewhat lacking.  The Cross Keys, being in the centre of the village, was much missed during its closure so we are looking forward to seeing it up and running once again.

The next item on the village agenda is the Open Garden Festival, taking place on Sunday,
June 14th.  In addition to the many gardens which will be open for visiting there will be a number of stalls, cream teas, Granny's Attic, a fun Family Dog Show, the inevitable raffle and, new this year, an exhibition of paintings by local artists.  Definitely an occasion not to be missed.

  

All about Bees

The bees have been busy this week and so has the beekeeper.  It seems that there are more bees than beekeepers in the area.  There have been so many phone calls requesting us to collect a swarm that we have run out of equipment and had to turn down the request.  In fact it is not always necessary or even advisable to collect swarms from an unknown source.  Sometimes they have settled in places where they are inconveniencing nobody and can perfectly well be left to do their own thing.  Sometimes, if  they are completely inaccessible but causing a problem, the only solution is to kill them off but that is a last resort and something that nobody likes to have to do.  There are risks as well.  The bees may not be one hundred per cent healthy and can carry disease into the apiary. There is also the risk that it may be a strain of bee that is naturally aggressive and therefore not easy to handle.  A bee that is docile makes life a lot pleasanter for the apiarist. 

That said, we have had a good week.  A strong colony has been split and shared with another local beekeeper and the removal of queen cells from one of our colonies will have prevented losing some of our own bees.  When a swarm leaves the hive it also takes with it supplies in the form of honey to use while it sets up elsewhere.  This is normal (and sensible!) but obviously reduces the amount of honey available to harvest for sale or personal use.....which leads me to say that, at the weekend, we were able to extract 40lbs of honey.

For me this is what it is all about.  There is nothing to beat the scent of freshly extracted honey; it is an annual source of pleasure.  More about that next week.

Events in May

Very strong winds on several days this week blew the blossom off the fruit trees and ornamentals into the courtyard.  It looked like confetti, as though we had had a wedding here.

My plea for rain was obviously heard.  The ground has had a good soaking and the vegetable seeds sown last week have already germinated.

Village attention this week focuses on Footpath Sunday, which will be celebrated this year on May 10th.  Tradition dictates that the footpaths within the parish are walked at least once every year in order for them to remain open.  Of course, under present legislation once a footpath has been registered it is almost impossible to get it closed or diverted and there are strict rules in place which require that specific widths are adhered to and the condition under foot restored if cultivations have taken place.  Nevertheless it is a good opportunity for excercise combined with socialising and is popular with parishioners as well as visitors from outside the parish.

 In many parishes these walks are arranged to take place on Rogation Sunday, when, either before the walks start or during the walks, the crops are blessed.  It is one of the occasions when agriculture and the Church are closely linked.

In the case of Epperstone groups of walkers return to the Village Hall and enjoy a delicious tea, prepared by the Women's Institute. 

A Glimpse of the Garden

Well, we had our little bit of rain.  It washed away the dust  and got everything, including the weeds, growing fast.  I managed a stint in the vegetable plot where I planted potatoes, beetroot and peas.  The garden robin sees me coming and waits eagerly for easy pickings.  He is now so unafraid that he frequently lands on my foot; in fact it is I who am afraid in case I tread on him.

The garden is particularly colourful at present, mainly due to the wallflowers which also fill the air with perfume.  Emerging growth on the roses is a dark red which will change to green as the leaves unfold.  The clematis montana is coming into leaf and bud now.  That is a good thing because a blackbird has elected to nest in it but is not sufficiently well-hidden and is easily disturbed. When I have to pass it I take care to look away as this convinces her that she is unseen.

Sunny days and long, light evenings are the attraction for the many walkers who use the public footpath that passes the farm.  Some will simply walk from the village and back, but the more energetic will make it a circular walk, taking an hour or more.  Further afield, on May 9th, Sherwood Forest Country Park is the place to go for the Tree Council's Walk in the Woods when you can join a guided walk, wander through the woods and learn more about the place and its special trees.

On a final note - MORE RAIN- I am sorry, but we do need it; the ground is incredibly dry.

 

Here and There

Sunshine continues to dictate my daily programme. A field walk was definitely indicated, with the excuse that I wanted to see how our crop of spring-sown field beans was coming on in the Eastwood. This is a first time crop for us and has been sown in order to comply with the current obligation to sow a third crop as part of the greening scheme. The beans are coming through well, though, dare I say it, a little rain would be welcome to speed up growth. Rapid growth helps to reduce damage from insects and also from pigeons. Sometimes it is hard to decide what affects farming to the greatest extent - weather, prices or politics. As we can’t change any of them we just have to get on with it.

By now the hedges are awash with blossom, much of it blackthorn which bodes well for those who like to pick sloes in the autumn to make sloe gin. The blossom appears before the leaves so it makes a spectacular show. However, handle it with care as a thorn in the finger can lead to a very nasty septic infection. The wild cherry on the edge of the dumble is at its best now while the ground is carpeted with bluebells, celandines and wood anemones where I also saw several species of bumble bee, a peacock, a large tortoiseshell and an orange tipped white butterfly. As a general observation I was reminded of the old saying, “Ash before oak, we’re in for a soak, oak before ash, we’re in for a splash”. From what I have seen this should be a “splash” year. We shall just have to wait and see.

I gave myself a day off earlier this week. If gardens are your thing, I would warmly recommend Trentham Gardens, near Stoke-on-Trent, for a day out. The gardens are extensive, well laid out and with brief information panels in the various flower beds and points of interest. I hope to visit again at different times of the year. I should also mention that, for those whose interest in plants is limited the range and quality of shops in the retail centre provide a pleasant alternative attraction.
In my own garden the friendly robin was quick to spot me planting potatoes and wasted no time pouncing on the worms I dug up. I felt a bit sorry about the worms; after all, they are a sign that the soil is healthy. I suppose that, with the dry weather they have gone a bit deeper and are harder to find, but Robin was clearly hungry, so I could not really begrudge him his gourmet dinner.

Food Miles

The season for wild garlic is upon us.  Not only does this plant make a delicious (and fashionable) soup, but it is an indication of the antiquity of the woodland in which it grows.  Here on the farm I pick it in the dumble which, at this time of year, is carpeted in bluebells, celandines and wood anemones.  Now, if you don’t live in Nottinghamshire you may not know that a dumble is a strip of woodland with steep-sided banks and a stream running through the middle.  One of my favourite walks bounders the north of the 40-acre - whose correct name, by the way, is West Brockwood – but fields are often referred to by their acreage rather than by their historic names, as is the case here.  If I am lucky the wild cherry will also be in blossom; that is a sight I look forward to every year.

In Epperstone plans continue apace for the SummerFestival to be held on June 14th.  New this year will be an exhibition, Paintings at Pantiles, displaying the work of local and village resident artists.  In fact, the village is not short of artistic talent.  A tapestry depicting the parish hangs in the foyer of the village hall.  This was produced by a group of village ladies, masterminded by a talented and very competent resident, as yet another souvenir of the Millennium.  The detail is faultless, and provides an interesting historical record of the dwellings in place at the time.

How about this for food miles?  Another sunny day and I could no longer resist collecting a bagful of the above wild garlic, so here is the soup recipe.

Wild Garlic Soup   

50g butter, 1 onion thinly slice, 1 potato peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes, 250g wild garlic leaves, 1 litre chicken stock, 150ml double cream.

Method

Melt the butter in a large pan.  Add the onion and fry till soft but not coloured.  Add the potato and chicken stock, cover pan and simmer till potatoes are cooked.  Add the garlic leaves and stir for 1 minute until wilted.  Use a stick blender to blend the soup until smooth then pass it through a fine sieve (that is the hardest bit).  Reheat, stir in the cream and enjoy.  I did.

16/4/15

More signs of spring plus some Food News

The swallows have arrived.  I could not believe my eyes but I was right.  Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t it rather early for them?  I would have expected them late April or early May round here.  Do they know something we do not know?
A few days of sunshine and warm weather make such a difference.  The hedges are greening up and providing cover for the birds preparing their nests. The water is warming up, too.  When I went down to the fishpond the other evening I heard such a noise I thought it was ducks quacking.  However, when I got there I could see a lot of movement in the water and long streamers of spawn from an influx of toads at the water’s edge.  Interestingly they started in the shallow water on the west side and are working their way round, clockwise.  I wonder if they do that so that when the eggs hatch all the tadpoles are spread over a larger feeding area.  Next I shall be looking for the clumps of spawn that the frogs produce.  Somehow the novelty of spring never seems to wear off.

Talking of spring, delicate investigation of the leaf mound revealed that Herbie Hedgehog has come out of hibernation.  I imagine he made off in the night; I am glad he survived the winter.

Whilst possibly not the epicentre of all things foodie the East Midlands is host to many food fairs and competitions.  Next up is the British Pie Awards event taking place in Melton Mowbray on Wednesday, April 22^nd.  Although this event is not, as yet, designed to receive the public there has been so much interest in it that I am told a Pie Festival is on the cards for next year when “try before you buy” will be the order of the day.  I am also proud to say that one of the knowledgeable judges, Diane Hickling, like myself, is a Farm Stay UK member and member of the Sherwood Forest group so I shall be expecting a first- hand update on this in due course.

Next up will be the Melton Mowbray Artisan Cheese Fair, in May, but more of this later.

Mostly local

After a relatively dry March wet and windy seemed to be the order of the day.  Pear blossom in bud littered the ground and a hawthorn tree fell victim to the high wind.  The water level in the pond is quite high, but the water temperature needs to rise a little before we find frog and toad spawn.  The same goes for Herbie, the hedgehog, hibernating (you’ve guessed it) in the herb garden.  I hope he is not tempted out too soon but I really want to know if he has survived the winter.

Judging by the noise in the evening the owl population is thriving.  I follow the sound and look for them but, like the pantomime character, it is always a case of “he’s behind you”, and I have not yet spotted one.  A family member has been more fortunate, though, and regularly sees a barn owl.  I shall have to be more enterprising and vary the evening dog-walk in the hope of seeing it too.

Bourne Wood, on the edge of Epperstone Playing Field is looking good after a tidy-up by members of the Woodborough Scout group.  Some of the dead trees have been replaced by new plantings,

an area has been extended to include a group of willows and bat boxes and nest boxes have been put up. Bourne Wood was originally planted to celebrate the Millenium in the year 2000 and was composed of trees to represent each child in the village.  It also includes trees planted in memory of village residents and special events.

I have just seen the results of the Farmland Bird Count published last week.  Nine hundred and fifty people took part and one hundred and twenty seven species were recorded.  An increased number  of species was spotted including several on the red (i.e. endangered species) list. 

Closer to home: Harry, the self-propelled lawnmower, has gone out on loan, due to the impending absence of his owner.  He will be much missed but as he  will now have a field companion he will be happy.

7/4/15

       

Easter Week

Evensong on Palm Sunday in Holy Cross Church, Epperstone was enhanced by poetry, bible readings anthems sung by the choir and scenes performed by parishioners from the parishes of Epperstone, Woodborough and Calverton.  As considerable effort had gone into the production it was rewarding to see that it attracted a sizeable congregation.

Thinking ahead to Good Friday I thought you might like my recipe for Hot Cross Buns.  The history of these buns goes back a very long way, possibly to the sacred bread, or “boun”, offered to the gods.  Reputed never to go mouldy it was the tradition to keep one bun each year as a protection against evil.  Well, I have one from last year but as I kept it in the deepfreezer I am not sure if that counts! Anyway, here is the recipe, which I make up every year, making sufficient for my family and any guests who may be staying in The Mews on Good Friday. 

Hot Cross Buns  -  makes 12 buns  

250 grms plain flour, 250grms strong plain flour, 15grms fresh yeast, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1teaspoon cinnamon or mixed spice, 200mls tepid milk, 60grms butter, 60grms castor sugar, 30grms candied peel, 120grms currants or sultanas, 1 large egg, 1tablespoon sugar for glazing, 1 tablespoon of milk.

Method  

Mix together flours, salt and spice.  Rub in the butter, add fruit, peel and sugar.  Mix together beaten egg, milk and yeast, pour into flour, mix and knead to a soft dough.  Cover and leave to rise until double in size.  Knead again lightly, cut into 12 pieces, shape into bun.  Cut a cross into the top, place on a greased baking sheet to rise for 10 minutes.  Dissolve sugar in milk for the glaze, brush over buns, and bake in hot oven for 15 minutes.  (190C or 170C fan oven).

Good luck.  Let me know how you get on!

A Little More History

Though the Field book I spoke of last week dates from 1855 the date on the barn reads 1849.  This was the threshing barn, with large double doors opposite each other, and raised stone sills.  The cereals were spread on the floor, then beaten to separate the grain from the chaff, a process called winnowing. The wind blowing through the doors removed the chaff, leaving the clean grain to be collected; a laborious process, now happily replaced by the combine harvester.

 
Recently I saw lapwings, wheeling and calling over a field drilled with sugarbeet.  They have a distinctive cry which gives them their other name, peewhit.  They come every year, though this is not typical lapwing country, so why do they come and where do they go when they leave us?

A sad discovery in the apiary earlier this month; one colony of bees has not survived the winter; not really a surprise as it did not look very strong in the autumn. The second hive looks strong and will, hopefully, provide a crop of honey this year.  The hives are named after varieties of fruit trees in the orchard; we have Bramley and Lord Derby apples (and hives); several varieties of pear will supply names if we need them.

31/3/2015

Now and Then

Another lovely, sunny day; the view from The Mews, as I made up the beds for the next guests, was a delight.  As always, nature is quick to react; the hedges are taking on a hint of green and the primroses on the banks of the ditches seem to be more prolific than ever this year.

Last week a flock of golden plovers settled in the Eastwood, a field being prepared for a crop of spring beans.  They feed on the insects, slugs and worms found in the newly turned soil.  Later they joined a flock of hundreds which flew over the farm, possibly starting migration.

All the fields on the farm are named; we have a field book dating from 1855 where all the fields are listed and the crop rotation recorded.  Crops, many of which are no longer grown due to changed farming practices include tares, dills, mangle-wurzels as well as cereal crops and acres of pasture, fascinating reading.

Life in the country is not all about mud and wellies; we have our cultural interests, too.  We are fortunate to have that rarity, an independent bookseller, in the next village.  They organise the Lowdham Book Festival which this year takes place from June 19^th to June 28^th.  I am waiting for the programme to come out and shall certainly be buying tickets for some of the events.