No two days are the same here, we like a bit of variety, most of which comes in the form of jobs around the farm. Half of the chickens went off this morning, cereal was milled, a bit of veggie collecting and helping farmer J with erecting an electric fence for the cows and collecting oven ready chickens - all in a days work.
Just before animal feeding time friends had come to collect their chickens (oven ready ones) and towards the end of our coffees a car pulled up with four french men asking if they could film in front of our barn. While they were getting ready our friends left ready for us to feed the animals.
One of the guys explains that his father was born in the house (no longer there) next to the barn, a film was being made to commemorate the 1st World war. After a discussion farmer J was asked if he would take part by chatting to the son. I got my Zanussi* to snap a few shoots and somehow also got roped in too. Cue filming - he walks up to our gate where we are standing, introduces himself and gives an explanation of the history of the farm and asks how we got here with a brief chat with farmer J's low down of what we are farming here he wishes us well and off he goes. Something like that but with a few takes.
So if you happen to see a DVD about the 1st world war set in Najac with a couple of Essex Anglais, one with a speaking part and one grinning without having time to do her hair, put a bit of lippy on or change into her best clothes it's us, the Sticklers -how bonkers is that.
It was a interesting account of how this French guys family lived in all the surrounding houses on this side of the hill, the farm dates back to 1488 when it was known as mas de Bess. Two sons were killed of while fighting leaving their mother and sister. His grandfather comes along to work on the farm where locals advise the mother it is not good for a lone man to stay with two ladies. He has to marry the woman or her daughter, picking the daughter the french guys dad was born in the house.
Of course we will be buying the DVD when it comes out. I am know thinking I should of gone to sign up for an extra.**
* Farmer J calls my Samsung tablet a Zanussi, which I use to write my blog and take photos to post on it.
** Filming starts in Saint Antonin, near here this month for this film . An advert was put out for extras, many ex pats filled in their application forms, not sure if it was the lure of fame or the said 200 € per day.
Wow - can I have your autograph?! Seriously, that must have been a really interesting encounter and great to learn about the history of your farm.
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