September on the farm

September is the month we being winter storage, with combining almost finished and just a few wheat and oat fields left to harvest (due to later planting) it is time to look ahead to the next job! 

The autumn in all about picking and storing our 220+ varieties of apples and pears, starting with the early varieties of Worcester Permain (which we will be picking in the next fortnight) and closely followed by early Windsor and William pears. After that its a race to make sure we pick the best apples as they become ripe enough, with crowd pleasers such as Russet, Cox Orange Pippin and my favourite - Spartan. 

We will also have autumn varieties of Plums (Victorias and Marjorie Seedling) Raspberries (Joan Squire) and Strawberries (Flamenco and Finesse). Nuts are growing well with 5 varieties of cob nuts about to be picked and soon after walnuts…so long as those pesky squirrels keep away! 

Potato lifting of the winter varieties will commence with red skinned potatoes such as our newest variety Ali Baba and Mozart and white potatoes Marfona, Charlottes and Casa Blanca. I personally cannot wait for any excuse to make jacket and roast potatoes with every meal. 

All planting is now done except for drilling winter barley, wheat and oats, we’re ahead of the game as oil seed rape has already been planted and is growing nicely. 

Stars of the month will be super sweetcorn, new season potatoes, apples, pears, plums, autumn soft fruit and nuts, hopefully with some squash and pumpkins coming in mid September. 

There is little to report on the animals, our Southdown flock are happily grazing away and making the most of the luscious grass. They will get a visit from their…boyfriends early October. Elvis and Murphy the miniature donkeys who have just shed their coats will start fluffing up for winter again and my 5 sussex chicks are settling into outdoor living well and learning to crow at sunrise which is fun.