HALF TERM ALREADY!

Yet again....i have been a very poor blogger this last four weeks!  We have been so busy....Gerry and i have done three talks this past month - two to WI groups and one in Cirencester to the Ashfcroft Ladies Group.   We have now finally got a really good projector (having struggled to show good enough quality photographs before)  and it makes such a difference!  The talks we do are a really good way of raising our profile, and great fun to do.

We had an article in the local paper looking for volunteers recently, that led to RADIO Gloucestershire ringing and coming to interview us the following week!  We went out 'live' two days later....another great profile raiser, and our student Helen, and Volunteer Alan were brilliant!

Hazel's piglets have all been weaned and are ready to sell so we took four of them to the market last week (it costs so much to keep feeding them all) Unfortunately there were a load of really grotty dreadfully thin pigs for sale and so although they made more than any others = they still went for half what we can get for them privately.....a lesson learnt - we will know for next time.

Sandy is pregnant again and is due to farrow the end of November, so we will do some 'moving around' when the students get back to make sure she is in the 'nursery' in plenty of time.

Our veg boxes are nearly finished - we just have some tomatoes, and lovely 'flower sprouts' - a delicious cross between brussel sprouts and kale and pumpkins left....

The poultry have completely gone on strike - the hens aren't laying at all....apparently lots of people are saying the same thing - weather i imagine, but it's not good for our 'produce income'!  The ducks are still going strong - but only 3 per day instead of 5 at the moment.  I am off to buy some more 'point of lay' hens this week,  we may need to rig up a light of some kind in order to make sure they start laying before next year ....!

We had our third quiz on Friday night, run by Neil (father of one of our students) - it was a great success again.....a really fun evening - everyone brings their own food and wine.  The questions were very varied again and 'interactive' which keeps everyone interested!

On Saturday i took Christmas Cards and Jam to the Autumn Fair at Beaudesert School - they have chosen us as one of their 'Charities' this year.  There was a huge footfall so hopefully they will have raised a lots of money.   With any luck it will go to purchasing another second hand portacabin to use for a cookery room....another thing to tick off my '10 year plan'!

Our stand at Beaudesert Autumn Fair!

we are now on half term for two weeks. as it's such a long term - this gives us time to catch up with lots of maintenance on site, and plan for the next half term.  Alan (volunteer) and i are off to pick up 'Gerhallt' a magnificent Wiltshire Horn Ram this week ...watch out girls!