Playing Autumn Catch-Up

 I think I have spent most of the past couple of weeks just playing catch-up around here, and still there are things to do, it always seems to be really hectic this time of year.

There has been young pullets to introduce to the flock, and frantically trying to source winter bedding on an island with a very bad hay and barley crop this year.

Planting autumn garlic (a first for us this) rather than our usual planting in the spring in the hopes of getting a better crop, on top of the usual harvesting and garden winter preps.

There has been the baking and putting away of Christmas cakes, and the starting of gift making to try and get ahead.

Finishing off home DIY projects before the winter comes, and the buying of equipment before John reduces his hours and our budget goes down with his wages (the bonus being he will be home more for us to expand on the smallholding)

And if I'm not picking blackberries ready for making wine, then I am bottling the result of last years harvest, not that I'm complaining, I do LOVE our blackberry wine.

So we keep on trucking, so that in a few weeks time we can look back and say "we did this and did that this year" with a feeling of satisfaction.