The English Paysanne

Our old mulard duck passed away this morning, the last of the three small ducklings I brought when we first came to La Singlarie. I had asked for small ducks, which they were when I first got them but some how with my then bad French I hadn't made it clear in translation that I wanted ducklings that would stay small. Over the past few days he was needing to be retrieved from the fields he had been wandering in during the day, tired and unsteady on his feet. This morning he didn't wander far from the barn door and passed away this afternoon to the land where ducks go. At the grand old age of eleven he had a wonderful life patrolling the surrounding farm land with his mates, too big to fly he would parade the chicken field flapping his wings never once entering the pond but constantly dirtying the donkeys water bucket when cleaning his beak. Fly away Monsieur Duck.

It's been so hot here the elderly chickens we have had decided enough was enough and couldn't possibly lay another egg in such a heat wave, we lost the last grey chicken that i had brought a few years ago (because they looked a bit different, however were not brilliant layers - lesson there looks over utility do not work if you want eggs). Anyway back to loss of chicken for she must of thought it must be nice to be a duck in this hot weather,able to go for a dip, which she must of done and then found out why chickens don't go for dips for although there is a ramp for the ducks to use she obviously didn't use it and probably flapped a bit before giving up the fight where I found her floating in the pond at feeding time. It has cooled down this week but still no eggs, I've even had to buy a box, the first in a long, long time. Although there is a chicken who has sneaked a few under her wings and is now a broody old broiler who gets very cross as  I go near her. If ...

A moment from the week at La Singlarie finally!

When I brought our ducks in May last year there was an idea to put a pond in for them. It took a while thinking about it and in the mean time the ducks wandered the farm finding their own water sources be it a puddle, stream or other animals water troughs. A deal was struck when farmer J spotted an ideal pond base at our friends yard down the road, the top of a Renault traffic was swapped for a couple of home made cakes and eggs. Complete with light fittings (under water lighting for night swimming?) it was loaded on the trailer to bring back here. While another neighbour was digging up the road for new pipes to be fitted  he was asked to dig out a hole for the roof to fit in, this time payment was pork. Once dug and roof put in place soil was put back around the sides and large plastic sheeting reused to make it water tight before filling up. The lights were removed before hand, apparently the ducks would not be doing any midnight swimming so n...

We have had a unwanted visitor to the farm, not the guests in the gite but a duck rustler of the four legged kind (we think). We lost one of the white Pekings who didn't return yesterday evening. I went out searching thinking it may of got run over (we don't have many passing cars but the ducks do  seem to be attracted to the road) but there was no sign. Not down by the hanger or in the field where they hang out. Usually if its a fox there are the tell tell signs of feathers but not even a feather. It must of been a strong fox at that as those ducks are quiet big to carry. So for now ducks are confined to Gorgons field, holes in the fence blocked up and a plank of wood under the gate where they duck under. Farmer J and the dogs will have to be on weeing around the farm duty to disused Mr Fox from coming around for he is not welcome one bit. As the ducks are confined it may make them use the pond that was put in for them.

Here in our little part of South West France we seem to have a lot of moles, people spend vast amounts on trying to get rid of them- traps, bombs, poison and tubes that make a vibrating noise are a few. As we don't have an cricket pitch lawn and we live in the country we don't fret at yet another mole hill coming up through the grass. We did have an adopted German Shepherd, Bella left by the previous farmers who was an amazing moler with a quick snap they were gone. Milo and Franklin never got the hang of moling they were always too late but never less would proceed to dig up the mound left so not only did we have hills, (which the moles work hard making excellent finely tilled earth for potting plants) but large holes (which had to be filled in by the hills). But now we seem to have new molers of the feathered kind, probably not a nice way to go for the mole but at least they made a meal for a few fowl. Yesterday morning while clearing up around the farm I ...

There's a lot of legs on the farm here, some two legged who are finding it increasingly harder to push themselves up the pig hill and then working there way through thick mud, they slip and slide and sometimes get stuck but overall keep going. Sometimes the animals have problems with their legs too. At the moment the only female Perking duck has had a limp for a few days, she has tried to keep up with the gang as they cover a grand distance in their morning and afternoon trip around the farm. I cant see anything wrong, it may be a strain from over amorous male Pekings or the only male Khaki Campbell, who although smaller its a feisty little male with a strong sex drive. She has now realised, thankfully that it is better to rest for a few days in the hope it will recover. So she sits in the pigs hay as they sleep the sheep eat hay on the other of the field shelter, sometimes with the old mulard male who also may be finding lots of waddling a thing of the past. One of t...

Sadly Mabel didn't come into the barn last night, she had begun the same pattern as Maude waddeling off else where than the barn she should of been in with the other ducks and chickens, a safe barn where preditors cant get in. I had a few times caught her about to head out of Gorgons field and was able to usher her into the barn but not last night. She had already bedded down by the time the pigs were finished. There are so many places she could of hidden of which I couldnt find. So this morning she was not in Gorgons filed waiting to be fed as I walked up to the other pigs to feed. On the way back from pig feeding along the road by the barn the tale tale signs of black and white feathers could be seen, her opertunist attacker must of been around before we were. It's so annoying that she would'nt behave like the others taking themselves to bed in safety. I think she thought she was above the other ducks and chickens, not really mixing with them. So now we will ha...

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Even though Milo's blind there's still a bit of a hunting dog in him. Especially when Mabel seems to think the garden is her domain.

Mabel and Maude The khakis and Peking ducklings The old Mullard The noisy ones Mabel on her wall Watching the world go by Since their arrival here to replace our old mullards mate, a male mallard Maude (grey) and Mabel (black and white) haven't mixed as I would of liked. Maybe foie gras ducks they think they are a cut above the rest. The rabble of 4 khaki Campbell's and 3 Peking's maybe too much for them as these seven are continuously busy waddling round the farm making a noise and investigating everything. They spend their days sitting up on the wall outside the barn overseeing what is going on, occasionally they will fly over the field kind of crash landing and making an appearance when farmer J is milling cereal as do all chickens and ducks but most of the time they spend in a pair. All chickens and ducks find their own way of an evening back to the barn for a night of safety. Last night was no different, or so I thought. It was...

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Not content with mixing with the other ducks Maude and Mabel reach new heights.

A moment from the week at La Singlarie New students learning car mechanics.

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Peach thieves

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Those ducks are getting around.

Equals happy ducks. We now have a brace of ducks at La Singlarie once more. The young ducklings have now grown into noisy, greedy ducks who are big enough to not be buzzard or crow dinner (Mr Fox is another story but with so many rabbits I'm hoping he is a fat filled fox at the moment) so it was time for their final move to the big field enabling them to shimmy under the gate and go free ranging, (that's when they suss out they can get under the gate). Wheel barrowed in a large box in the evening with one side of their feathers trimmed, in the hope they will not fly away and put to bed in the large barn with the rest of the ducks and chickens. They were kept in for the day as well in the hope that they will know this is now their home and where they come in of an evening. Yesterday they were let out with everyone, a little weary of the sheep and pigs they are now finding life is OK, food and water on tap with grass to nibble on and three new duck frie...

 The beginning of the week we had farmer J's brother and our two nephews staying for a couple of nights while en route to the Pyrenees. We managed to put the youngest to work helping with the animals and weeding while his dad and brother relaxed and slept - a lot.  Maude and Mabel are in training for sitting on top of out gate posts.They are now taking them selves of to bed of an evening so no more hunt and herd the ducks. Casualties in the veggie patch, the rabbits have eaten the french beans now working their way through the borlotto beans I am sure there is a Italian recipe somewhere for rabbit and beans. The broccoli / cabbage (cant remember what it may be) is about the only survivor with nibbled leaves the flea beetles have settled making the poor leaves look like a miniature machine gun has hit it. I'm happy to of found a red strawberry before a fluffy bob tail, if I put chicken wire around the handful  that are growing I may save them for us ...