Honey, Gold and Sunflowers Review 2018 Part 2

By June and a flaming July, the yurting season was in full swing and what a great year for it.

Despite the drought conditions, the garden looked beautiful.

We had many lovely and very welcome comments from campers as they came to see the growing menagerie ....

 ..... often receiving a few salad veggies for the bbq. 

Sunflowers were thriving in the searing heat.

However watering was beginning to create problems due to the fact that we only go to the garden every two days in the height of summer.

Tomatoes responded by decreasing the surface area of their leaves.

 The polytunnel was in fact far too hot and often reached 50 degrees.

But tobacco plants loved it.

At the end of July the barn dance was held in its usual venue, on the same day as the Flower Festival, so a rather busy day.

 

By August the sweetpea row was really suffering and was pulled out much earlier than usual.

 But some areas continued to look lovely.

The grass suffered but is always so quick to recover.

 Harvesting continued.

And I tackled the over-grown hornbeam hedge.

In September Steve created a much needed extra compost heap.

Tim brought us a very welcome load of manure,
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The garden was still beautiful.

Gifts of honey in exchange for jam were left in the polytunnel.

 The cobshed got a bit more coating on its crumbly parts.

 

By October there was a fantastic pear crop. 

I made apple and pear chutney. 

 The Michaelmus daisies buzzed with bees.

It was quite mesmerising.

 There were hazy days of sunshine ....

.....and armfuls of dahlias which we sold at the village coffee mornings to raise funds.

 Crabapples turned golden yellow.

And sunflowers just kept flowering.

It was a golden autumn.

By November we were still picking bunches of flowers ....

.... and Florence arrived.

In December we helped to plant up the new wood which was a real privilege and a once in a lifetime opportunity.

And finally 

Carols in the Barn 

held on a dreadful night of cold, wet and wind.

Well done to all those who ventured out.

 

What an incredible year.

There are so many things I haven`t mentioned, the many people we meet and of course Tim and Anne always at the heart of the farm, with minds always open to new ideas.

We love it all.

Here`s to 2019 and whatever it brings.