Dorset lifestyle
Cut apple tops for the donkeys, they watched as the twigs hit the ground, expecting a treat. The Bramley still has leaves, the other apple trees have all lost theirs. Picked up the last of the Darcy Spice windfalls, the birds are enjoying them, the Green Woodpecker stops to eat ants from the lawn on his way up from the bottom paddock. Emptied compost from the heap to top up the poplar plantings. A vivid orange sky to end the day.
There could be a bumper harvest this year, they’re just about ready to pick with the pips almost turning brown, some of the windfalls are a good size and good enough to eat. The Beauty of Bath apples have all been eaten, and the Conference pear and Bramley apple trees are looking a bit sparse, but maybe the foliage is hiding the harvest. The D’Arcy Spice tree is looking better. Pulled rhubarb, picked runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes, sage and rosemary. A warm sunny day with light winds and a lovely red sunset.
The sheep compete for slices of apple, Bianca loves them, Walter and Pixie nearly as much, Digby and Winnie won’t fight for them and Nola is not too sure, I think she’ll get to like them eventually. The last of the eating apples are stored in the garage and should last until next spring. The dagging shears arrived so will have a go at cutting soiled wool from the rear end, it’s not so important to remove it during autumn and winter but must be done in the spring and summer to avoid fly strike. The shelters are being used occasionally, the mild weather means sleeping outside in the paddock is still the preferred option. A wet start and end to the day with light winds and overcast skies.
Acorns are a cumulative poisonous to donkeys and sheep so the oak tree drop zones have been behind hurdles or the electric fence for the last couple of months. I picked up over 3000 acorns last year and looking at the amount still left up in the trees I think I’ll try the ride on mower when it’s drier to see if it will collect them when it cuts the grass. A very wet day, have put all the pairs of shorts away, for now, they’ve been worn for months so had to consign one pair to the compost heap. Picked up windfall apples and stewed them in a saucepan on top of the woodburner, could become a nightly ritual to fill the freezer!
There’s a good crop of Bramleys that will need picking soon, the windfalls are more than sufficient to keep us supplied with flavoursome stewed apple. The eating apple Beauty of Bath was the first to ripen, then there was a smaller crop of Ellison’s Orange. Ribston Pippen is still being picked and Darcy Spice will ripen last and keep longest. The Conference pears can be eaten off the tree or poached and the majority are given away. A lovely sunny and warm day with light winds; picked and watered the runner beans which are producing even more blossom. Picked tomatoes and a small water melon.
The Beauty of Bath apples are ripe enough for eating with lovely red and green skin, some were blown off in the strong winds and provide free forage food for the deer; there’s still enough to pick from the tree. The Donkeys and Texels like them, will try slicing them even smaller for the Ouessants, they’ll make a good alternative to the treat mix. I’m pruning the Bramley and giving the long lush leafy growth to the donkeys, there are a few windfalls and it looks like there’ll be a good harvest. A misty drizzly start to the day, the sun came out later and the temperature rose quickly, a very hot end to the day with light winds. Watered.
Looking good, this tree must be over thirty years old, it has been pruned every year to keep the apples within reach from a ladder and provided a years supply of cooking apples last year. Stored apples did develop ‘bitter pit’ in January so need to freeze them before Christmas, a lack of calcium is the problem so maybe watering with the left over cement residue will have helped. Managed to catch small four goldfish in the pond, they’ve moved to another pond that needed them, a few tadpoles went along as well. One deer tick removed from my leg tonight, all ok I think, seem to attract them. Another hot day, may get rain in a couple of days.
