Laguepie plant fair

Thankfully it wasn't raining today, although quiet chilly we made a quick visit to the plant fair at Laguepie before having lunch with friends. I was on a mission, the veggie patch is in a state nearly ready for planting, some seeds are in - broad beans, peas, mange tout, onion sets and potatoes. Normally I am semi prepared by now, seeds are growing in the propagator and poly tunnel but this year is a different story. I am late, late, late thus nothing has been propergated and only a few squashes and kale seeds have been sown in pots (yesterday).

This is partly due to wet weather and finding other things that have desperately needed doing this year. Sprucing up the gites and helping farmer J around the farm, things have just taken longer to do.

So this year I'm not stressing that I haven't grown from seed, I've simply brought veggie plants to fill in the gaps.

Chillies, tomatoes, Peppers, rainbow chard, courgettes butternut squash, thyme and coriander. Forgot the aubergines !

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Happy cattle

For five months the cattle have been eating hay twice a day but today was their time to go back to pasture, they were more than ready. With two loads in the trailer going to La Contie the rest, the naughty but nice ones stayed at La Singlarie. Calves are on green grass for the first time following the herds around. Now for Spring time jobs to get started - so much free time for farmer J. Fencing, tidying around the farm, getting machines ready for hay cutting, getting the gites gardens ready for Summer and a new bathroom to fit, his feet won't be touching the ground.

Rabbit proof fence

In the hope of not loosing anymore greenery in the veggie patch today was spent today taking down an old fence which was put up around eight years ago. As it had a few holes in it this could be where the rabbits are getting through. On the other side of the fence a chicken run was constructed were table chickens grew to a really good weight until we got a batch that had been, what we think were contagious with Mareks disease. Subsequently we stopped using it for chickens putting a litter of pigs in the area to get them use to electric fencing (which they did). It has been left empty for around 18months now with Gorgon and the girls have made break trough's through it last year gaining access into the veggie patch but now there's a lot of weeds. On the other side of the veggie patch is another old holey fence which has now got the recycled one that was taken down put in front of it, new posts and a trench dug to lower the wire in, earthed up and stones put on top

Parisot lake

As it is a holiday today here in France (Bastille Day) we took the afternoon off an popped over to Parisot lake for a walk with Sorrel. It has all changed, since the lake was emptied and cleaned up this year you can now swim in it, as well as inflatable toys to play on, a life guard, bikes to hire, a new fenced in play area for small people and a total spruce up. But there is a price we were charged! 3 euros an adult, which I guess is OK if you are using the facilities but Sorrel didn't fancy a dip. The cafe is still open but that would of been too much for Sorrel to cope with being so close to people and music so we opted for a bench to sit on in the shade before walking around the lake. Sorrel opted for being Billy no mates and laying by herself, if be it for a short period of time before bikes and people went by. We are now waiting for the free firework celebrations over the chateau tonight - if we can stay up that late.😃

The English Paysanne

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