A blank slate, ready for the next adventure

A momentous day. We no longer have a vineyard.

The last of the vines have been ripped out and the fence posts are stacked in the corner.

I have strimmed the entire area and raked and raked and raked some more.

Those strange pyres in the middle of the terrace are for burning.

And I have to go over to the mayor’s office to get my fire certificate before the 1st December. So I only have a month.  After December we will no longer be allowed to burn anything on our farms. But have to load them up and take them to the tip.

So I will trot over next week and get my forms filled. And then on the day we light the fire I will be obliged to give a call to the local fire brigade and warn them of what I’m about to do.

But paperwork was the last thing on my mind today. I was more intent on trying to keep the perspiration out of my eyes as I thwacked into the nettles and wild mint that is creeping all over this land.

And the raking. Oh boy was that hard work.

Nicolas has suggested a plan for the next part of the process.  Burn the vines, clear the land again, rotovate the entire area, sow lime and… wait a minute, I think I’ve writtten this before.  Excuse me while I pop back to a previous post and check I’m not blethering on.

Yep. Blethering. Do I have any regrets? None at all. I’d much rather plant a crop that actually produces something rather than battling against the impossible. This is chestnut territory. Not wine country.

And I was spurred on today when I was in the middle of the site; apricots. Imagine, we could grow apricots here.  And cherries and apples.  That will be fun. In a year’s time.

The annoying thing is how all the weeds are on the perimeter just trying to reach this sunny, flat bit of land.

Yep, it’s a jungle. Those poor walls – they need to be exposed and not smothered in damn brambles.  But that’s for another day.

Right now I am happy to just stand in the middle of this huge blank canvas and plot and plan for the next adventure.