Now is the middle of autumn - we have reached those golden days when we only have a few more sowings or plantings for the tunnels, before it gets effectively too late for the winter season. Outside we are caring for the crops we have, which are many and varied (including: celery, celeriac, salad mix, endive mix, beetroot, potatoes, carrots, Hokkaido squash, turnips, black radish, etc. Even a few french beans if we are lucky to escape frosts for the next couple of weeks, and continue to have some bright days). This is the time of year to appreciate what we have - the season of abundance, as we harvest our various crops and see how generous the earth is to us. This year the abundance may seem relative in the shadow of what most people expect to be a tough winter ahead. We don't know what this will mean for us, so it seems better to feel content with the moment. Although there are innumerable jobs to do, we can allow ourselves to take a breath in. The summer was long and relentless, so being able to enjoy just being outside in the mild, comfortable weather is a kind of relaxation in itself. We are aware we have to somehow try to prepare for the uncertainties ahead of us, but we can balance this now with an appreciation of what we have.
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Plot by plot we are building up a collection of small grazing plots for our small herd of sheep and Sári our loyal workhorse. This rotational grazing approach seems to be bringing good results, as by not allowing the animals to be on one plot for too long, we can avoid over-grazing and the pasture quickly regenerates. This approach is one of the foundational techniques of the regenerative farming approach, which talks a lot about "soil farming", as opposed to focusing only on yield output of cash crops.
