Harvest Month

September is traditionally the Harvest month, although with winter sown crops already safely gathered, our own spring sown crops are only just ready now. So there will be the inevitable inter-shower dashes for the combine and baler.

Grass to Grill for this month is a sell-out, with a full trailer load of guests on a tour which focuses on Harvest. Getting a close up of the crops and understanding why we choose the cereals and pulses for their intended use, along with the random facts and observations these tours are great for sharing.

The neat windrows of compost have completed their process, being turned when the temperature of the heap dips to below 55 degrees, and after aerating/turning, it heads back up to 65 degrees, killing the weed seeds and essentially pasteurising the manure and woodchip mix. Spreading the resulting magic in September seems sensible as compost has a high fungal activity – and this month is when we see the field mushrooms.

Our little herd of pigs just got a bit bigger, with two more gilts being introduced to Boris the boar. As demand from the butchery increases and supply of cereal waste matches, we will slowly grow the herd. Living outside all year and free to roam in pasture, it’s always rewarding to spend time with them. Although last Sunday, a small escape party managed to effect a stealthy move and were only rumbled as they waited to cross a road, much to the surprise of the lovely lady driving past, who kindly let us know.

Herbs at last – we were beginning to wonder if any of the herbs in our diverse pastures would appear again after the winter caused waterlogging. However, with a burst of colour, its clear they are back and in plentiful numbers. The Bird’s foot trefoil, Yarrow, Chicory, Shepherd’s purse and white clover are now in fill flower.

While we waited for harvest to start, the farm team have been putting the final finishing touches to Comielaw farm, where the latest building development has been completed and Tribe Yarns move in. The team have installed drainage, levelled the yards and finished it all off with crushed Scallop shell – a by product from the shellfish industry. It can be a little pungent when it first arrives, but we have learned to leave in a heap for a year to mellow before using.