The English Paysanne

We have two peach trees outside the back of our house, seeded 12 years ago from the previous farmer throwing his peach stones, they were only tiny when we moved in and now over the years they have grown into fruit producing trees. We had a bumper crop this year, they may be smaller and some a little bit gnarly in places but the they taste amazing. We are nearly peached out now,with just a few left on one tree waiting to ripen .The pigs who have had the many windfalls have enjoyed them too. Our largest black sow skillfully eats the peaches leaving the stones in her bucket, the other you hear crunching the stones to get to the seed. So peaches have been roasted and frozen for the winter months, jam made and curried peach chutney to go with a curry or two (or maybe 22) I used this this recipe which is rather tasty .(apart if your Miss F and you have to extract all the raisins first).

With  farmer J not back until Monday afternoon the morning was spent hosting a Neal Yard party, such lovely smells and products its hard to choose what is needed. Face masks and hand massages were enjoyed along with coffee and cake.  The last of last years logs have now been stacked under cover ready for next year with space now made for logs to be chopped and stacked in their place. Figs have now started to ripen as they don't last long once picked but seem to freeze well a grand picking session will have to be done as well as making jam, enjoying them fresh with granola and yogurt and baking them with cinnamon. Along with figs blackberries have started to be picked for the freezer, wine and steeping in whisky, a time consuming job completed on dog walks (although its a bit of a fight with Franklin as to who picks them first), animal care and jobs to be done. As well as blackberries sloes and rose hips need to be collected, not sure what is the...

 With mixed weather of sun and rain mornings have looked like this, normally Autumnal weather leaves beautiful mists in the valley but this year it has been the coolest and wettest summer since we moved here nearly ten years ago.  Wednesday morning when feeding the pigs we only had six in a enclosure when there should be seven, overnight we lost one. Normally there is evidence of an escape - digging under the electric fence, the fence out of its hooks, hoof prints and earth dug up as they forage but there was no signs at all. It's just vanished. To find a black small pig where we are surrounded by woods is a bit like searching for a needle in a hay stack, we are hoping its still near, neighbours heard pig noises yesterday evening so it may find its way back. Empty enclosures have been left open with food and bread ( the bread has gone?). Sandy our sow went missing for four days when we first got her after being scared of the other two sows she came to us with return...