Friday, 7 January 2011
January 7th, 2011
Wow, Just realised that I started the last post back in November. It is not going to be easy to start and maintain this blog!
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
November 23rd, 2010
So, last post 1st June. 7 months without a post. Time for an update I think!
Mid and late summer in the vineyard went well. The vines grew well and remained disease free. We kept some of the grapes on to make wine from.
Unfortunatally, as my time was limited some of the jobs either did not get done or did not get done properly ie bud rubbing and shoot trimmimg. As far as I can see no harm has been done and I will sort out any structural problems when I do the pruning.
Camping was bigger than ever in July, If I remember correctly we had ~20 families with hoards of children of all ages. As far as I know everyone had a great time.
Picked ~55Kg of grapes and made 40L of a Rose. Mainly Chardonnay with some Pinot Noir. First sampled on Christmas Day with very positive feedback.
One of my most exciting projects of 2010 was producing ~800 pints of cider. Managed to beg and scrump over a tonne of apples and with the help of James, Mark and my Mum we have 8 different blends in the cellar fermenting slowly and awaiting a tasting and blending session in the spring. If all goes well we will have a modest supply for Camping later in the summer.
Lost my
Mk 1 of my brazier worked well on the grass, but did not have the clearance in the mud. Mk 2
made - will test after the rain.
Must get on with tax return....
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
June 1st, 2010
Went to Browns to order the new part for the tractor, costly mistake - £205 + VAT.
Rained all morning.
May 31st, 2010
Kids away, nice day so Steph and I went bud rubbing. This is physically the most demanding job in the vineyard year, It involves bending/squatting down to remove all the lower buds and growth from each vine. 5000, squat thrusts - can my thighs take it? We started at the east end with the longest rows and managed 6 rows in total, ~600 vines.
May 30th, 2010
We are rostered to do lunch at the sailing club today. Made a Bolognase as the special and enjoyed the Laser racing.
Decided to go up to the vineyard to make a kerb at the entrance. I drove the tractor up to the vineyard and Steph picked me up so we could get the Landrover. I left the tractor by the gate on the hill.
Horror upon horror - when we returned 20mins later the hand break had slipped and the tractor had rolled down the hill into a tree. The front wheels were pointing in different directions and the Steering leaver is broken. Too stressed to take a picture. We managed to jack up the front of the tractor, straighten the wheels and Steph reversed it to the top of the hill. I had to steer the offside wheel by hand. I was absolutely devastated. My No1 Industrial accident fear involves handbreakes and gates, luckily no one was hurt and I am sure that the tractor can be fixed - its just gonna cost...
Funnily enough the same thing happened to George in exactly the same position a few years ago. Th tractor hit the same spot on the same tree - spooky!
www.chafor.co.uk
info@chafor.co.uk
Decided to go up to the vineyard to make a kerb at the entrance. I drove the tractor up to the vineyard and Steph picked me up so we could get the Landrover. I left the tractor by the gate on the hill.
Horror upon horror - when we returned 20mins later the hand break had slipped and the tractor had rolled down the hill into a tree. The front wheels were pointing in different directions and the Steering leaver is broken. Too stressed to take a picture. We managed to jack up the front of the tractor, straighten the wheels and Steph reversed it to the top of the hill. I had to steer the offside wheel by hand. I was absolutely devastated. My No1 Industrial accident fear involves handbreakes and gates, luckily no one was hurt and I am sure that the tractor can be fixed - its just gonna cost...
Funnily enough the same thing happened to George in exactly the same position a few years ago. Th tractor hit the same spot on the same tree - spooky!
www.chafor.co.uk
info@chafor.co.uk
May 28th, 2010
School inset day. Took the kids to the park to play, but managed to start reassembling the trailer. The new Suspension/axle units look fantastic and for the first time the wheels are straight.
www.chafor.co.uk
info@chafor.co.uk
www.chafor.co.uk
info@chafor.co.uk
May 27th, 2010
Weeded the veg patch. Again not a job that I like, but one that is well worth it and I always feel a lot better for doing it.
Welded the Cement mixer toplink back together. I hope it is strong enough. Spent 2-3 hours trying to attach the drum of the cement mixer to its frame. Should have done this as soon as I brought it home last year. Rust as ever is the problem. Eventually managed it, but would not like to disassemble it again. The new top link works - yet to fill with a heavy mix.
May 26th, 2010
Sprayed broad beans as they are showing damage from "pea and bean weevil". Rain over night.
Noticed that the grass seed that I planted weeks ago is doing best in the crack caused by the dry weather.
Did a modification to the cultivator today. Using large hinges welded to the back frame I was able to attach some spring tines that will act as a rake and leveler. The hope is that it will turn over any weeks pulled out by the large tines and level the ground. We will see..
May 25th, 2010
A job I dread - earthing up potatoes. It must be done and today is the day to do it. Nearly 300m in total. All I can say is job done and I am absolutely Kna****ed. It will be worth it when I make my first batch of lovely crispy chips in a few months time.
May 24th 2010
I know that I have lots of other jobs to do, but so many involve the trailer so I decided to take it apart to get at the suspension/axle units. It was so hot that the metal tools were too hot to pick up after 20 mins in the sun. It was easier than I expected to remove the units, but it still took most of the morning. Ordered the parts from Bustings at Bicester
Contractors came to mow the grass for silage.
Lost 2-1 at football.
May 21st, 2010
Bent the toplink for the Cement mixer. It needs grinding and re welding.
Good job that I have been practicing my welding!
Did some mowing, first pass through the rows that I intend to manage by cutting the weeds on a regular basis.
Clive did a thorough service on the landrover and replaced a Universal Joint that had siezed up.
Hot again today.
http://www.chafor.co.uk/
info@chafor.co.uk
May 20th, 2010
Moving all equipment to a new area behind the game cover. It will be better hidden. It is a long job - much longer than you would think as there is lots of tinkering, in and out of the tractor, tractor repositioning greasing etc. I am much better at it now than 6 months ago, but still along way to go. It is also a very dangerous job as the implements are heavy - very heavy in the case of the post basher and the 3pt linkage will not stop if a finger, hand, arm or any part of the body is in the way... I am so paranoid about the post basher falling over that I use wires to tie it to a large fencing post.
Bent the suspension units on the trailer - they have been on their way out all winter.
http://www.chafor.co.uk/
info@chafor.co.uk
Bent the suspension units on the trailer - they have been on their way out all winter.
http://www.chafor.co.uk/
info@chafor.co.uk
May 15th, 2010
Nipped to Birmingham to buy some picnic tables. Got back about 3ish to play cricket. 2 run out and 4-14. Won easy vs Preston Capes
Friday, 14 May 2010
May 11th, 2010
Disaster, Disaster, Disaster
We have been frosted. ~80% of the vines have frost damage.
Spoke with John the Agronomist and he has reassured me that the plants should be OK and they will produce secondary buds. Heart beating. It looks like the damage is restricted to the growth in the tubes. I guess that the cold air sunk and could not escape. They look like they have been in a freezer over night. if you roll the leaves between your fingers they turn to dust.
To take my mind off the doom I re set the tines on the cultivator to give a more open even pattern.
www.chafor.co.uk
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