Harrop Fold Farm

Well, I have struggled with this blog - forgot my password! All sorted now and must keep up to date!

A different kind of summer has been enjoyed by us all this year. I do believe the ducks have enjoyed it but the rest of us….! However, the weather has not been good but the welcome is as warm and cosy here at Harrop Fold Farm as ever! Still, we do not holiday in England to enjoy the weather, our visitors have come prepared to walk and have not been put off. One family in the cottage loved lighting the cosy wood burning fire each evening since it was a novelty to them. The crackling noise and lovely smell of wood made for cosy evenings playing monopoly and enjoying quality family time.

Speaking of family, we have had a lovely summer, we managed a family holiday, which was wonderful, spending time together doing what we do at home – laughing, eating and drinking! Our son was offered a visit to the home of one of our guests from the USA and he enjoyed a week surfing and cooking out!

Alice and I spent a lovely day up at the Chatsworth Country Fair, it was so much fun, just as a Country Fair should be. We bumped into Alan Titchmarsh who watched smiling as we bought four new hens to add to our flock to increase the egg numbers. We struggled abit on the walk to the car; four hens can make quite a noise! They have settled really well and are incredibly tame. One pecked at Alice’s toes, pretty and pink from her holiday, thinking they were cherries!

Geoffrey Peacock has reunited with his peahen, and they are both lying in the garden as I am writing, he is looking lovely although has shed his tail feathers that are now sought after by our visitors. Meeting his real owner last week over a beer in the Highwayman it appears that Geoffrey returns home for tea and ambles back here for supper!

Had great fun with the jam making with fruits beg, stolen and ‘borrowed’ from our neighbours and friends, the decision making over which one to eat at breakfast is now delaying breakfast service. ‘Arthurs’ Damson jam is probably the most popular at the moment. Leah is making the most of the blackberries and her crumbles and pies are being enjoyed by all.