The English Paysanne

Having a daily check and de-tick of myself and Sorrel has got to the point where we are both fed up with these parasites. Far worse this year than any probably as it has been so wet.On me they are so tiny with the tick remover having a hard time to remove them (or it could be my eyesight) and the itching they cause once they have been removed, I have red bites all over. Sorrel wears one of these , which seems to work on fleas and maybe if there wasn't so many ticks but sadly it is not 100% the same for her  herb mix added each evening. It may repel the fleas but sadly those ticks keep coming even the advantix doesn't work. There is one last product to try but its a bit smelly - neem oil. I will try it and see. So to get away from these pests were, me and farmer J are flying off to the UK tomorrow. Sadly Sorrel hasn't got a passport and as she can only take around 20 mins in the car before throwing up her jet setting days are a long way off. She will be spending

A moment from the week at La Singlrie It's that time of year again.

A moment from the week at La Singlarie It's been mainly wet here this week, were starting to get webbed feet.

While Master C and Miss F were here over the weekend we took the opportunity for their help in moving the two ewes, Gorgon and Thumberlina to the field where the donkeys had been. What with all the rain we have had lately the grass grow super quick. The only problem was Miss Fatty did not want to move from her safe field (if only she knew she was moving to new lush grass). It took farmer J and Master C to try moving her after pushing from me and Master C had failed and she fell to the floor not moving an inch. There try also failed so they were both lead through the field in another direction. Of course once in the new field there was no looking back. Gorgon on the other hand was a breeze to move, as long as you have food he will follow, you just need to make sure you have enough food!

A moment from the week at La Singlarie A weekend of celebreating my birthday.

It' my birthday today, although I am not as old as the Queen I will be making the celebrations last  over the weekend starting today.

Potatoes A sad looking patch Hunting for carrots The weather has now gone from one extreme to the other from rain, rain and a bit more rain to hot, sunny and hotter. Time to access the veggie patch after I planted everything in one hit and then it got very damp and soggy. Well the potatoes are growing well, although they are going to be a lot later this year, kind of Earlie's for late ones and late ones maybe ready for Christmas dinner ( if they survive the bugs, rabbits and moles). The weeds have and still are growing really well, this morning was spent finding the carrots and parsnips, which I have with no help from Sorrel, who after a quick sniff lazed under the shade of the apple tree (which by the looks of it hasn't got hardly any apples on it?) The poor herb seeds sowed don't look to good or the french and runner beans, think a hungry mouse have nibbled on them so I will have to resow (once I have weeded -again)

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Another steer went off on Wednesday. After spending 3 years with them it doesn't get any easier when they leave.

After living at La Singalrie for 11 years at last the donkeys have a job to do. Not sure their up to it but there being given a permanent summer job of eating down the top section of one of our hay fields. For a few years now a clover like weed has started to grow and take over patches of our hay fields and other fields around, It seems to like the wet humid conditions, however the hay cutter doesnt like it so cutting isnt an option. The cows ate it last year and will do again in a different field. The year before that we pulled up clumps and clumps of it filling the tractor bucket time and time again moving it out of the field to compost. This was hard work so were hoping that Vanille and Bambo are going to help by eating it before it seeds. They left the security of the hanger today after an electric fence had been put up to stop them entering the rest of the field to be cut for hay, which by the shock I got from it today when testing to see if  it worked should keep them