Chateau potager

Incredibly cold for summer – no more than about 13 degrees. But we have passed the morning instructively. First it was a visit around our property with tasks for Tony for the next three or so days. And even as I type I can hear the distant boing of the heavy metal poles that surrounded the chicken shed being removed. And then at ten we went over to the Chateau Haut Villard to see Nicolas, pay him for yesterday’s work, and visit his veggie plot. What a potager. Over 400 metres of lovely space, all devoted to veg and flowers. I took pictures, got ideas for a cold frame which I will need. And had a lovely visit. And we came away with giant onions (did well in this poor wet weather) and a black radish. His tomatoes are all on chestnut poles. Something we should do. And I have lots of ideas for what crops grow well. 

We came back and stalked all over our own property – the lower terraces are really something now that we can see them. No more brambles, and Nicolas has left lots of little hellebore plants and a few Spanish broom to grow. And there may eventually be a carpet of thyme down near the ferns and trees.  And we will be able to harvest our chestnuts more easily in the autumn now that the land is clear underneath. And I must go back to that apple tree down the lower terrace in a month’s time. Should be productive. 

Enough writing. Time for lunch and then out to our garden. Digging at last. Done. I’ve dug my first border. Full of stones and old nettles, but quite good soil really. And with the big rocks that I disinterred – well they have gone to the future wall in the potager. After that I dug over the place where the artichokes will go. They may be the first plantings. Except that I saw Nicolas has a row of winter carrots in. Perhaps I can do the same.  

Tony has finished a long ten hour day at the coal face. Well in this instance the fencing face. He has taken down the complicated fencing around the chicken shed. And even removed the rooster house a few feet away. A mini version of the chicken shed. He actually got his chain saw and just cut it in half. I hope Bernard doesn’t see. There was quite good wood in that little shed. But once it is out of sight I won’t care. And so exciting to see so much land now that it has all come down. Tomorrow he will probably do another ten hour day – dismantling the old compost, strimming around behind the pool shed and up the top. And generally making our rather rustic farm into a neat and tidy place to work and play.  And he is bringing us pots of honey. Hurrah.