Autumn creeps on

    Autumn is here. The length of daylight is very noticeably shorter. The chickens are being let out later in the morning and being brought in earlier in the evening. Egg laying has dropped, not unusual with less daylight and some are moulting. Average per day egg laying down to 1.4.

   In the garden the first water melon has been picked and tried and found to be ripe and delicious! There are eight more only slightly smaller than this one. Despite everything the water melons have done very well.

Blackwater Mountain water melon

    Carrots pulled, haricot vert, tomatoes and the first two chilli peppers picked. A scotch bonnet and a hot stuff. My grandson enjoyed the scotch bonnet which I think was not fully ripe. The spaghetti squash has been cut and stored. Of course the grass was mowed! Some forking and weeding done and I now thinking where to sow over winter broad beans. 

    With the onset of autumn it is time to make pickle onions.

Pickle factory 

Peeled and salted shallots

Two of the four jars of pickled onions

     Another sign of autumn with the delivery of wood for the wood burner. Two cords delivered onto my driveway and stacked by yours truly the same day.