Dripping with Damsons

It's been a long, hard weekend.  I've been on the farm alone, well that's if you dont count the 25 pigs, 43 chickens, 2 dogs and 2 cats.  Lovely Hubby was needed by his Mum for the weekend, so he flew from Luton on Friday morning.   Next time I will be able to go with him, because we won't have the pigs and the farm will be easier taken care of in our absence, but this time it was necessary for me to stay at home.

I got all the usual chores done, including some of the weekend ones that we usually do together, but added to this workload was the need for being on constant fox-watch mode.  Every time the dogs sprang into action I hurried out to see what the commotion was, and every time the chickens started crowing and shouting to each other I was there, like a tightly coiled spring I was ready for action all weekend. 

When I left the farm yesterday for the Farmers Market I left washing flapping on the line and the radio blaring out full blast hanging from the top of the shed.  I was on tenterhooks all morning and couldn't wait to get back to the farm, although at the same time I was dreading what I might find. 

The fox did visit over the weekend but the dogs saw it off and I don't think it's been back since.  I know when it's been around because Rosy, the little Jack Russell has an immediate reaction, the hackles on her back are instantly up and she can follow the trail for miles, she's been a wonderful little guard all weekend.  The chickens have a lot to thank her for.

The pressure is beginning to take it's toll and I feel absolutely drained today.  Everyone's fed and watered, one of the veggie beds is emptied, weeded and covered (no more crops going in that one) and now I am sat with a coffee, waiting LHs imminent arrival back on the farm.  I think that's me for the day, I think a day's reading, rather than weeding sounds like a good idea.



And the almost 4 kilos of Damsons that I picked yesterday......well they're nestling in the freezer waiting for me to get round to a rather large batch of Damson Gin for Christmas, it's a good idea to freeze them for a couple of weeks anyway, it saves you having to prick all those little fruits.

Here's to a quiet day.

Sue xx