Protection

This was today’s main job. And a very sweaty one it was too, as I wrangled the bird netting over the posts and wires, then heaved and dragged old rafters from their store to weigh down the edges of the net.

Incidentally, there are jam jars over the top of the warratahs (star pickets, or metal posts) to save the netting from being torn.

Putting bird netting over the soft fruit is absolutely essential if I want to eat any of the fruit. It will stay up until the final redcurrants are harvested in March.

The raspberries are starting to develop colour and it looks like a good crop. I should be picking the first ones in a couple of weeks’ time. Blackcurrants will be next. The gooseberries have a wee way to go, as do the redcurrants.

This morning I baked the two sourdough loaves which I had prepared yesterday. The first slices are especially delicious: I had bread and cheese for lunch, forgetting about any soup for a change. I’m making two loaves each weekend at the moment: one to eat, one to freeze for future busier times.