Well, thunder and torrential rain were forecast. Rain is so needed and what did we have?Two brief, light showers…

There were only five of us but we got quite a lot done and a lot harvested.

It was great to see bees pollinating, especially as I’ve seen so few this year. Wasps, too many!

and our first aubergine of the year.

A week later and another super harvest.

A week later and another good harvest; everyone with a similar share as this of take-home, natural produce.

We’re pleased with our yields of onions (red and white), shallots and garlic and yesterday we divided them into 13 shares.

Together with the harvesting of other produce, we definitely needed wheelbarrows to convey all the goodies.

A week later and today’s harvest per worker –

Today’s harvest.

Plus a few more photos of the field, and one of our big lunch at the Fighting Cocks pub afterwards!

Apart from numerous other jobs, a leak in the water pipe was mended and with many hands, two patches were planted with leek seedlings.

At last, a catch up.

DCF continues to flourish, at the moment producing radishes, spinach, spring onions, rhubarb and herbs with the help of our homemade compost.

We’re looking forward to good crops from seeds sown directly into the plots, whilst others have been started at home and then transplanted to the farm.

There have been a few hiccups; gooseberry sawfly larvae have gorged themselves on some leaves on a gooseberry bush but hopefully they were picked off in time for the fruit to continue growing (see photos), blackfly has appeared on some of the broad bean tops, in spite of having been covered with netting and the Pink Fir Apple potatoes have had to be burnt as they had succumbed to potato blight.