Update

November 2nd....

Finally the lovely, warm weather is receding and the wet begins...we have had a fantastic summer/autumn so no complaints. I am looking forward to some real cold weather not only to test the renovations but also to kill off some of the less desirables...one in particular being the Asian hornet, similiar in size to the 'native' one here yet much more aggresive. I found a couple cleaning up one of my hives this week, I think the hive had already been robbed by another colony yet these hornets have the ability to do alot of damage in small numbers...

Time to manure the raised beds and cover them with straw before the real winter arrives, ditto with the polytunnel although I shall need to plan out the beds in there in readiness for the new year. Also am looking to collect as much dead leaf as possible to put in a clamp for next year.

We now have three black sheep, brothers born this year and left entire so not wanted but their owner...we shall keep one and hopefully exchange the other two for young ewes, thus starting the flock! Home killing of sheep is still permitted here so this will be a great way of ensuring we have our own meat...in addition to our meat birds that will be ready for Christmas I think.

We have had a variety of harvestable foods yet it is obvious to us that it will take sometime and a lot of work to get the soils replenished and techinques right to reduce the slugs, catepillars etc! Amazingly, the rasberries are still going (only just) which gives some indication of just how warm it has been here. However, the wet weather that is due to arrive will mean that I can focus on the many indoor jobs that await...

Kids are back to school in the morning having had a 10 holiday (it felt they had only just gone back!?) so hopefully I can have this kitchen finished (before Christmas (2011 that is)). Sadly, no such progress can be reported on my ability to speak French, maybe I shall discover some latent gift soon...(sounding alittle like a Tui ad)...

R