Still Smarter

Good news. Just found out that this year's grape harvest will make it. It has been very difficult because of covid-19.

Getting a warehouse, staff, drivers, hauliers, pickers growers etc all lined up had be a challenge.

But mid September

I'm surprised anything ripened this summer!! It's been on the cool side, not much sun and wet here abouts. But having said that there's plenty of fruit on the trees. I've noticed a bumper crop of sloes too, so it can't have been that bad really . Glad it turned out ok wise

Mash wrote: Sat Aug 29, 2020 4:45 pm Good news. Just found out that this year's grape harvest will make it. It has been very difficult because of covid-19.

Getting a warehouse, staff, drivers, hauliers, pickers growers etc all lined up had be a challenge.

But mid September

That's really good news Mash

The UK Southerners may have had a decent summer.

That may help explain the cost of living difference?
But does it explain why 8,000,000 people choose to live inside the M25 where so little food is grown?

The wet summer here has ensured a reasonable soft fruit and Apple crop where I live.
Other crops have struggled.
Fewer farmers cutting hay, and more going for silage/Haylage.

Covid aside, we are into changing times.

Robert.

We certainly are in changing times. The wheat crop for the UK is going to be much lower this year. Which I think might be a weather issue, but also less planted.

The continental sunshine has kissed the Italian grape vines and for that I am really pleased.

I could do with a dollop of continental sunshine kissing my . But that would mean moving sarf again Mash the last line of your post is beautifully written and nearly made me cry, it was verging on poetic. I'm swealtering here, its getting towards 16C , so can't complain really

Easydrinker wrote: Sun Aug 30, 2020 11:04 pm The UK Southerners may have had a decent summer.

That may help explain the cost of living difference?
But does it explain why 8,000,000 people choose to live inside the M25 where so little food is grown?

The wet summer here has ensured a reasonable soft fruit and Apple crop where I live.
Other crops have struggled.
Fewer farmers cutting hay, and more going for silage/Haylage.

Covid aside, we are into changing times.

Robert.

I am one of those Southeners ED I like the climate I like where I am I like the fact that my house is worth £1.2
million and can relocate anywhere I choose. But these choices have to be earned and many try and fail.
Live here is not all rosy and sweet!!

gaza the instructor wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2020 7:56 pm But these choices have to be earned and many try and fail.
Live here is not all rosy and sweet!!

Yes indeedy, lifestyle choices have to be lived upto.

Robert.

Went out to do a bit of foraging and have been appalled by the severe lack of blackberry's this year, It’s the worst year for yonks. Sometimes I pick 40 or more pounds for wine and freezing. I'm struggling to get enough to go with the apples we scrumped to make a crumble this year . I wanted to do a bit of sperimentin with blackberry's this year too. I bet there are loads down south

We got blackberries, if I beat the birds to them!
Apples looking good, not much other fruit worth mentioning.

Robert.

Most of our Blackberries grow alongside A roads or forbidden no no
M roads. Its against the law to pick on M ways, quite right to , but one
of the local small holders will let you in his field to pick.

The ones on our roadside I normally prune for the locals with our finger mower.

... And then forget to pick any.

Edit: now readable

It looks like our local brambles have been hit with some kind of virus. The berries have developed but not ripened, shame. I'll have a look further afield (did you see what I did there)

My buddie Murf lay in a strawberry patch, total camouflage
his shnozzle is just like a big ripe Strawberry.
Serious though I was in a field picking Blackberries very close to the
M25, when I was confronted by the Traffic Wombles and asked to move
back "danger M25" he said. "You don't Fuc$in' say!" said I. "if I move
further back there is no point in being here" I said."Why?" he said.
"Can't reach the Blackberries then you twat". He left.

Mash wrote: Thu Sep 03, 2020 8:23 am The ones on our roadside I normally proven for the locals without think our finger mower.

... And then forget to pick any.

Your technology is playing up again mate.
I cannae make sense of this post.

Robert.

That was stunningly bad .. Even for me.. Corrected. Please retry.

I have scored myself 2/10 and have gone to stand in the Corona.

Wow Mash !!! Have you got the world's first Beer powered computer??

Nah, the man holds down a day job, and tends to post early in the morning.
Maybe he mumbles into his coffee sometimes, much as I, often late at night, mumble into my spirit.

A slightly more profound post than I started writing.

Robert

gaza the instructor wrote: Fri Sep 04, 2020 8:35 pm Wow Mash !!! Have you got the world's first Beer powered computer??

I think there are a few computers on here that are alcohol powered

Powered?
No.
Used?
Yes!

Robert.

Do you mean Empowered ED or is that to much Area 51?
do-do-do-do we are not alone.

I'll trade you an 'empowered' for a 'too much'.

Robert.

This is my absolute favourite time of the year the countryside looks prettyful and plentyful, spent the weekend foraging for sloes and hips and elder, 'i have never seen so many sloes as we have year filled a 10ltr bucket in a couple of hours, picked lots of elder and damson in last few weeks and today gonna strip the hips from the wild roses to add to fruit wines, Given up on the blackberries are dismal this year they seem very small and most are still red, moving on to apples next have discovered several crab apple trees, never used them before but think will give them a try this year. Have a good weeks peeps - jack

Things I have learned today:
1) my elderflower champagne had not finished doing it's thing
2) plastic bottles will also explode with an almighty bang and mess!

Who knew?!

You definitely won't be the only one on this forum who has redecorated a kitchen/shed with the aid of exploding bottles . My brother in law does it on a fairly regular basis