Short tale

   First sorry that there was not a post last week. There was not a lot to say and I was otherwise occupied! So, to catch up.
   On the animal front quite a bit has been going on. We lost two chickens to what we believe was a fox. All that was left was a pile of feathers. This means we are four hens down! As you can realise egg production has fallen right off. Lucky to get two eggs a day! As it happens I was arranging to get some Ixworth hens. Large utility birds with the intention of replacing  our older generics. I have managed to get six birds but at least one is a cockerel and probably a second is too. If there are two then one will go to the pot I am afraid. These Ixworths are true to their breed so we are going to try to bred them next spring. Good layers and also a good meat bird. The coqs can be over four kilos in weight. The two acquired chicks are now integrated into the flock but I fear they are bantam size birds. Our Perdue cockerels will love them no doubt. Man! All the plans of mice and men. All quiet on the sheep front.
   In the poly tunnel all is quiet. Still picking some tomatoes and Chrystal Apple cucumbers but they are coming to an end. Lettuce and beetroot is growing well. Jalapeno peppers are still being produced and I am leaving them to go red. In the outside garden the rain has helped to buck everything up and the grass is growing, darn it! I am picking large juicy Noire Crimee (Crimea) tomatoes and the leeks and cabbage are looking like they will do something. Courgettes are pretty much ended and it is will soon be time to pick the butternut and buttercup squash. There are some poor excuses for a cauliflower and the sweet peppers have been a complete disaster.

Well, it got through the drought!

   So here we are once more at the start of October. The wood for the winter has been delivered and stacked and we have even had a fire or two in the cooler evenings. Days are short and there is, as always, more to do than time to do it.