Martina and Franziska

Our latest German wwoofers departed this weekend, one back to Dresden and one to another part of Penwith - many thanks to them both for their work over the past three weeks on the farm. I'm sure the chickens will miss you too!?

Franziska (left) and Martina (right) harvesting onions with Chris (centre back).

New chickens.

On Friday 6th September we received 100 new point-of-lay chickens, and housed them in the third shed up in the chicken field. We now have 290 laying chickens. They are settling in well, and have started to lay their first few tiny eggs. Every evening at dusk we teach them how to perch, by lifting all those attempting to sleep on the floor up onto their perches. The first evening we had to lift 90 onto their perch, but by last night this had reduced to 23, so they are learning! Give them another week and they'll all be perching, we hope.

Our latest batch of chickens venturing out for the first time.....

.....to join the other chickens in their scenic field.

Botallack Country Fair.

On Sunday 1st September we ran a stall selling vegetables and eggs and fruit at Botallack Country Fair, held at the National Trust's old mine Count House. The weather was very kind (so many thanks for the lending of a gazebo by the kind lady on the stall next to ours), and visitors were steady, so by the end of the afternoon we had sold almost £100 of farm produce.

The farm's new bee, created by Jonathan.

Our monster radishes, much commented upon, still delicious!

Lobster pot weaving demonstration and sales.

Vintage steam engine.

Runner ducks being herded past our stall.

Carlotta.

And also to Carlotta, from Lisbon, who came for 5 days. In her spare time Carlotta helps at Sutton Community Farm in London - see their website to find out about them, and to find some delicious recipe ideas http://suttoncommunityfarm.org.uk/.

Eva.

Many thanks also go to Eva, also from Germany, who has just finished her two-week stay on the farm as a WWOOF volunteer.

Ena and Birgitte.

Many thanks to Ena and Birgitte (and Flo the dog) who came along for a volunteer session, and stayed three days to help with the potato harvest! Happy travels.

Planting a winter brassica field.

During the first two weeks of August, we broke the ground and planted a two acre field of winter brassicas, being a mix of cabbages and broccoli.

Newly planted brrassica field, with essential rabbit fence.