We’ve finally started pruning the vineyard. 1 done 2299 to go. I don’t know why I am looking so happy! Now I have made a start it will take a month unless I can get some help. Not easy during this Covid situation.

At the beginning of December we came up with the idea of having sheep in the apple orchard and vineyard. Well how do you cut the grass in the apple orchard and vineyard in the winter? That was the winter problem here at Four Acres, especially when you have a spring in the middle of the apple orchard and you simply get bogged down. The answer was simple, 20 sheep enclosed with Goan fishing nets which I brought to the UK five years ago. It was sustainable, free from chemicals in the apple orchard and self manuring. Unfortunately we were only able to keep the sheep for three weeks. My Goan fishing nets could not hold them in the vineyard, so they had to go back to the farm. 

The mill and press have been dusted down and ready to press the 2020 Cider. Let’s hope the weather is kind to us... It will probably rain!!!