Thursday 14 April 2011

Next Stop

Lower Shaw farm was WONDERFUL, and we've made some fabulous new friends. We were very sad to have to move on after only a week, but we're settled in to our new home.
We're in South Devon, working with the chap who started Riverford Organic Farm.
He's called John, and Dad to the grown up kids who run the various Riverford businesses.His wife's recipe is used in the shops Chocolate Brownie- and it is devine.
He's 85, and, well, if I'm half as active as he is at that age, I'll be happy. He's on his own now, and has a huuuge greenhouse, polytunnel, orchard and a few other fields as well. As well as plans for another polytunnel, the Forest Garden is underway, and an anaerobic digester....

The girls and I have been weeding, moving tree trimmings from the orchard, and have some more to keep us busy. Big One made sure to catch John so she could feed the chickens ( only 2 here) and find the egg :-)

DH has finally been able to use the chainsaw, felling his first tree and chopping it up today. Yesterday he was cutting down a fence ready for some work on the tanks for the spring which should happen tomorrow.

We've not done so much, mainly because on our first day of work we were all ready, went to the house and got told- no, you HAVE to go to the beach- the weather for the rest of the week isn't great, so get going! DH was a bit grumpy about that, but soon cheered up on the nearly empty beach.
John knows so much about farming, has had discussions with DH in detail about his PV and wind power set up, and generally is a really interesting guy.
He even took us all out for lunch ( to  Riverford cafe, of course!) which was really lovely.
I hope to get the girls busy with the camera to have photos of around here, and need to get looking at all the pics from Lower Shaw Farm...
Well, the chainsaw noises from the woodshed have stopped, and the girls have wandered off. I'd better get the picnic blanket tidied away so we can go in and have supper. Shared meals are agreeing with us!

4 comments:

  1. Wow, I'm so looking forward to picking both your brains in June! ;-) xx

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  2. Sounds like you're having a great time!

    Kay :)

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  3. Depends how much we can remember, lol Gill- but yes Kay we're having a lovely time!

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  4. sounding fabulous :) we're pretty close to you and the people here have strong links with Riverford.

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