Well it’s been a busy old few weeks. College has started again taking up two of my nights, my bees need feeding every couple of days to make sure that they make enough honey to get them through the winter, and the South Yorkshire DSWA have been holding training courses which I’ve helped with.
I’ve also been identifying sites and accommodation for our next years walling courses which has been a very pleasant task as I’ve also been able to fit in some walking in some of the UK’s most beautiful countryside. Have a look at these photos! This is one of the sites on the moors north of Halifax in Bronte country. I stayed at accommodation close to where we will hold the course and it couldn’t have been better, a great credit to our hosts John and Ann. My dogs loved it and I’m sure they’ll be having many a happy dream about the walks we shared and the new places they explored.
Sheep with long fluffy tails. How attractive is that?!?
What was even better, is that the village which is a huddle of a few houses, a school a shop – and yes – a pub which was 30 yards in front of the cottage! Four real ales to taste and a nice selection of food. Marvellous!
Hopefully our new website will be up and running before too long. We will have information about our walling, our training and a selection of Hadrian’s DSW clothing and tools. If you attend a Hadrian’s DSW course you will get your very own polo shirt as proof to your family and friends that you have completed the course! You’ll also be able to order gift vouchers for our walling courses to give as a very different and unique Christmas or birthday present.
I’m just about to go on a hedge laying course which I hope to offer as part of Hadrian’s DSW portfolio next year. More on that next week.
Another great event was the re-opening of the Cherry Tree Inn at High Hoyland after a refurb. It’s all very nice and the locals are very glad it’s open again. My mate Barry was in serious vitamin C deficiency due to the lack of Magnum cider! I bet by now he’s back in surplus!
Back on the farm there was a very sad piece of news in the passing away of Richards Dad. Our sincere condolences to Richard and his family.
Not long before the pheasant shooting season begins. I disturbed a covey of English partridge last week when I was walling on Richards farm. There must have been about 30 of them scratting about for bugs and seeds in a dung heap. The pheasant carnage on the rod seems to be on the increase which is a sure indication that the local shoots have released their poults into the wild.
I saw the first flight of geese leaving for their winter pastures last week. I could hear them long before they appeared over the trees in a perfect V formation that the Red Arrows would have been proud of. More surprisingly I saw a few House Martins too. I would have thought that they would have departed for Africa long before now. Perhaps it’s this halcyon Indian summer we have been having of late which is delaying them.
Laura, my eldest daughter, departed for Leicester University last Sunday and she is having a very nerve wracking time settling in, finding her way about and making new friends. It’ll all be old hat to her before long. We are missing her already. I wish I was in her place though! What an opportunity to learn and have a great time as well!