The English Paysanne

Franklin is now much better, with his wounds healing nicely. Being able to put weight on his paw means he has been caught a few times this week sniffing out anything that may of been left on the work surfaces. Maude didn't come back, fearing the worst I think Mr Fox has been around so Mabel is now own her own wondering around. Caught on camera resting with our old duck I'm hoping they will pair up and be friends. I managed to get in the veggie patch which has major weeding issues, the weather has been dry and mild still so Jerusalem artichokes were dug up. It has been windy here on two fronts this week the weather one with incedible winds and the digestion type with so many fartichokes being eaten. I'm hoping I got them all but cant be confident that next year there will be more. Gorgons happy, he loves artichokes and I found a recipe from Mark Diacono book a Year at Otter farm which had artichokes as a magic ingredient, along with brand...

After living with, caring for, feeding and breeding an array of animals here at La Singlarie it has been a steep learning curve. The cycle of life with births and deaths, trips to and visits from the vets it has never been a dull moment a few memories that come to mind of positive and negative things are: * Don't trust the inherited German Shepherd (she came with the farm) with three pet guinea pigs that have been placed high up in their cage. Two days after we moved in we found out Bella was a prolific ratter and mole catcher and couldn't tell the difference between vermin and pets. * When buying 6 bantam hens (for sitting on eggs) and a cockerel check that it was you have not 6 cockerels and 1 hen and don't let them out of the box in daylight in a field - they will run. * Don't buy bantam's when you want eggs, unless you want small eggs and don't buy cockerels they are vicious little blighters and there is no meat on them. * When you take a old, cance...

Ten years ago the Stickler family left the UK travelling over the channel in convoy with one puppy, three guinea pigs and three rats. A truck load of stuff and a Fiat Brava (still going) crammed full for a new life in south west France.  We fell in love with the view and a small village, Najac in the Aveyron. No rush hours, no more stress and no more keeping up with the Jone's. A time to connect with the land and a slower pace of life. We brought a working farm with potential to have a couple of gites. We were not intentionally wanting a farm but a bit of land was on our wish list to have a few animals and a veggie garden. Farmer J still had his business in the UK where he flew back to during the week and spent weekends converting the milking barn into gites. With a corner of the barn falling down, a septic tank that left its position in the ground to roll down the hill an eccentric architect and a lot of stone moving the gites were built. Farmer J w...