The English Paysanne

A moment from the week at La Singlarie That time of year again, the cattle are just discovering the extended hanger and hay ready for the winter routine of morning and evening feeding.

The weather has turned a wee bit chilly here, with water frozen of a morning and the grass almost eaten down it was time to bring the cattle back from their summer grazing at La Contie to home. Led into the trailer with  a bucket of food it was a bit of a tight squeeze as Mona, the eldest and top of the pecking order would not budge over to make room for the last female. Once in and  doors secure they had the scenic route along the back roads. Eager to get out they were no trouble entering the field to go and meet their mates, who heard farmer J and came running up to see what was going on. Not the brightest of the bunch hello's were said between the fence before the cattle that had stayed here moved into the small field to be reunited. Lots of mini tussles, running and horn locking they have now settled down as the herd hierarchy will over a couple of days be resolved, hopefully just in time for when they start coming in morning and evening for hay but the

A moment from the week at La Singlarie  It's been six months since Sorrel arrived, she's slowly eating her way through the house.

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Sorrel flour bombing - again!

Under construction Bad photos I know Connor, but the sun was in the wrong place and dad wouldn't move the bonfire! Richard, chief stirrer and me French man on the left likes kittens Tempete charming everyone, just as well Anita didn't have a bag or he would of been kitten napped. We had our annual bonfire night celebrations on Friday with the weather unbelievably warm and dry we decided to hold celebrations in the new (re erected after the wind) poly tunnel before farm machinery will  be stored there. Tables and benches borrowed from the Marie made it much easier to put up rather than moving furniture around in the gites. With the spare gas cooker coming out of hiding a make shift kitchen was placed there too for reheating food. With the most people to date a sit down meal of chestnut soup, bangers, mash and onion gravy and apple & peach crumble with custard was served. This could not of been done without my sous chef and chief peeler, A

A moment from the week at La Singlarie When the wind blows the small poly tunnel gets wrecked.

The plastic for the relocated poly tunnel has been put on. With a bit of thinking needed as to how to secure it as there is no earth for it to be dug into instead farmer J came up with half cut diesel containers filled with concrete (which I helped make this time) were put in place for each metal pole to sit in with the plastic being placed underneath. Being in two large sheets it was a bit of  challenge to cover the frame, last time we had six people this time just the two of us, thankfully it wasn't windy otherwise it would of been a nightmare. The floor has been swept and is waiting a power wash with finishing touches to be made. It has and still is extremely windy here today already the small tunnel for the pigs food and straw has lost its covering blowing off in the wind. There was no point in trying to put it back, far too windy anyway so straw and food bins have been covered as its due to be raining in the early hours which hopefully will calm the wind down.