tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90118032009-02-21T14:10:49.550Zthe infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-30279613692489503782009-01-02T08:54:00.001Z2009-01-05T09:07:18.726Z

Happy New Year. I love New Year. I know it's still cold but I can't help seeing midnight on Dec 31/1 Jan as the apex of Winter's hill. Everything after it is downhill to Spring. And it's usually now that I belatedly start making decisions about what to add to the farm in the next few months.It helps that somethings are showing signs while everything might slow down down over Winter, it doesn't

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-24526785758131012592008-12-06T19:33:00.004Z2008-12-06T19:51:05.321Z

How magic. A film made here a year ago by the South West Climate Change Impacts Partnership is being shown at The United Nations Climate Change Conference, Poznań, Poland - COP 14 1-12 December 2008The conference is a big deal, the 14th since the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 - and for the film to be showing is a big deal too.

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-84822788253317412242008-11-28T19:20:00.001Z2008-12-06T19:31:08.457Z

The few dozen medlars whose flowers dodged the late frosts have been hanging in the bare trees like Christmas baubles. At last, the frosts have turned them softer and I've picked them for jam - the best there is

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-73836314698419502452008-11-19T20:31:00.001Z2008-11-20T15:22:31.050Z

Having been as thoroughly underwhelmed as it's possible to be by a climate change adapation conference earlier this year, I feel almost childish in the inspiration I've taken from this year's Soil Association conference. I feel genuinely lifted. I've been wanting to hear Vanada Shiva for a long time. She is one of those very few people who can talk about the truly heavy, weighty, driest of

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-79585305308501867462008-10-30T16:33:00.005Z2008-10-30T16:55:44.534Z

Now, as I've been recounting what's happened overnight to people, I know what they're thinking. Why plant a vineyard near to a river? Well, it might be near a river, but it is quite a few metres higher than the river, and although the river floods every year, quite spectacularly at times, it doesn't even come close to worrying the high mound of river gravels that is home to the delicious mix of

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-91657501933929155292008-09-29T07:55:00.003Z2008-10-24T08:07:29.848Z

They've sidestepped the frosts and a good first-year munching from the deer (who like the young shoots but not once the plant gets a little woodier as it grows) and the first handful of Japanese pepper is jarredFor the most part it's the leaves are used in Japanese cooking, the peppercorns are a fair bit pokier and the gentler, subtle leaves seem to suit classic Japanese food. But i love the

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-54760259257812550582008-09-14T17:45:00.004Z2008-09-14T17:58:31.450Z

Biodynamic wine makers always reckon that the best sound a vineyard can hear is the sound of the owner walking through the vines...in which case mine are going to be lining up quite a miserable harvest in years to comeIf this healthy looking bunch from a first year vine looks like an encouraging sign, think again - it's the product of being too busy writing to give the vines all the attention

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-4448313451253099042008-08-16T13:10:00.003Z2008-08-16T13:12:26.142Z

Four months in and the vines are up to my height - that's a stonking 1.5cm growth a day by my reckoning.....and no sign of diseaseI'm getting tempted to find some more land......

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-68061888049039839012008-07-25T12:15:00.001Z2008-07-25T12:18:11.301Z

The last and the largest of this year's peaches, heavy as a cricket ball

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-23086245843535596382008-07-16T17:54:00.002Z2008-07-16T17:58:39.069Z

Nice piece in this months Country Living Magazine....

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-44502059129217847952008-07-04T07:21:00.002Z2008-07-04T07:23:24.328Z

For any of you that fancy it, chance to take part in a food blogging event organised to raise awareness of conditions in the broiler chicken industry - http://amerrierworld.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/let-them-eat-chicken/

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-14187661860374485872008-07-03T18:32:00.006Z2008-07-04T06:39:34.516Z

The perfect antidote to the flaccid thinking of that conference a fortnight back, Michael Pollan on why what we all do, how we all live, makes a difference. And maybe makes the difference.Like George Monbiot he's one of those people so shockingly bright, yet so beautifully communicative, that it almost makes me want to stop thinking, never mind writing. If you haven't had a look at Pollan's

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-2189382150956666572008-06-23T17:51:00.003Z2008-06-23T18:36:45.520Z

Last week I went to a conference that couldn't have looked more promising. Focusing on climate change and the potential for new crops this was at last some visioning, some attention to climate change adaptation rather than just mitigation. Big cheeses from DEFRA, the NFU, the UK Climate Impacts Programme, the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Marks and Spencer and more lined up to speak.

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-11935596875622601312008-06-10T12:53:00.005Z2008-06-11T13:38:53.992Z

"There is an inverse relationship between the size of farms and the amount of crops they produce per hectare. The smaller they are, the greater the yield" Monbiot on the button as ever and it seems like maybe we are too (which makes a nice change)....on our 17 acres we are currently growing small to medium (minimum 40 trees) crops of....

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-76922344481230940772008-06-01T12:42:00.003Z2008-06-01T12:49:50.892Z

After a few weeks head down getting the vineyard set up, I seem to have need some time away from writing about itAlmost time to squeeze out another blog, but until then, maybe I can get away with posting me talking on farming today last week rather than writing?

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-90106511085645929822008-05-22T12:39:00.002Z2008-06-01T12:47:14.017Z

...is what my daughter calls thembetter known as edible honeysuckle, sweet and sharp in perfect proportion

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-54660377582691667672008-05-11T20:56:00.003Z2008-05-11T21:06:37.756Z

This is an asparagus beetleThis is its friendsThis is its eggsThis is what happens to asparagus beetles that mess with my asparagus

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-11187581356030403642008-05-09T20:54:00.006Z2008-05-10T14:16:34.909Z

Dad was never one to overdo the affirmations. He wasn't the most active of men, but one thing he rarely tired of was telling me that I didn't have the sense I was born with. Maybe he was right. For the last three months I've watched as olive tree after olive tree turned yellow, dried out and lost leaves. I searched through books, took pictures and googled into the small hours. No-one had the

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-20068259651089809432008-04-26T18:33:00.002Z2008-04-26T18:51:01.771Z

At 8.10 Ernst and his team of 5 arrived. No time for coffee, eggs and bacon refused. They'd travelled from South Western Germany the day before, bringing the tractor and planting machine, arriving at their Dorset base at midnight. Food, a quick beer, sleep, then up, and here 8 hours later. An hour of setting up, with lines, wires and lasers, fitting the wheel that plunges the vine from the

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-12564834997792610922008-04-26T17:22:00.000Z2008-04-26T18:33:09.922Z

A real turning point for the farm, and a real landmark in my life. After a winter and spring of planning, drawing, calling and researching the vines have fianlly found their home in three and a half acres of Otter Farm soil. Half are fairly reliable Seyval blanc grapes - capable of giving us average still wine but staggering sparkling - the other half shared between the less-than-certain Pinot

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-72913196428581900142008-04-19T09:20:00.004Z2008-06-05T13:29:58.575Z

Ants on the broad beans. Lots of them, and very busy apparently doing nothing in particular, but they stayed in my mind long enough to prod me into googling and I'm glad I did. The ants themselves aren't causing any harm to the plant, but they are there for a reason - looking for aphids. Aphids secrete honeydew which the ants can detect in minute amounts so it seems that my broad beans are

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-44904510316596011552008-04-19T08:37:00.000Z2008-04-19T09:41:26.295Z

Totally bored solid of snow, hail, wind and rain this April

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-18497193502958554332008-04-12T13:15:00.004Z2008-04-12T13:28:22.101Z

Park up and walk down the hill a little. Don't stop for a pint. This isn't easy if you've stopped for a pint there before. Turn left and follow the road along for a few hundred yards and then follow the footpath across the fields to the cliffs. When you hit the edge follow the coast along to your right. Keep going. Down and lungbustingly back up the sharp valley. Chapman's Pool ahead and to

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-9142595189341829642008-04-10T18:53:00.002Z2008-04-12T19:19:19.821Z

With all the new planting and the resulting squeeze on space we've decided to let friends in Dorset have our two sows. In return we'll get a couple of weaners each Spring and only have to find ground enough to keep them through til end of Autumn. The perfect solution perhaps. Today our last two went to the slaughterhouse so for the first time in four years we are without pigs, and I'm not sure

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9011803.post-71654389204196724562008-04-09T12:30:00.000Z2008-04-12T19:16:54.373Z

First in an unoccasional seriesIn 24 Hour Party People, Tony Wilson explains that James Bond producer Cubby Broccoli invented broccoli by cross-pollinating cauliflower and a green thing, using the profits to fund the Bond moviesPurple sprouting broccoli - a desert island veg and conveniently filling the start of the hungry gap

the infrequent farmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09530044829401897564noreply@blogger.com0