Great news: Tree planting has well and truly begun and the fencer has arrived.

New fencing is in process of being installed, this is a great investment in the farm and should hopefully last 15 to 20 years. We have warned May that her days will be numbered if she decides to smash her way through these new fences just to take herself off for a little walk and a sleep in the depleted courgette bed! The picture belows shows the new fencing, both strong wire fencing, and an electric fence too.


So smiles all round at home this week.

Another 650 Christmas trees were planted on Tuesday with more plum, pear and apple trees arriving next month.


The walled garden is marked out and taking shape, although we desperately need weed suppressing materials (old carpets and dust sheets are ideal, if anyone has an of these type of things going spare, please get in touch: info@gandsorganics.com).
I think I may even have glimpsed the sun at the weekend.
The shooting season is well under way and to take advantage of this we have been eating a bit of the Duke of Northumberlands game, and very nice it was too. We hope to put some of Northumberland estate’s game in the boxes in the coming weeks and months, with lots of recipes and ideas on how to cook and use it. For those who haven’t eaten game before, don’t be nervous, we haven't met anyone yet who hasn’t really enjoyed it once they have all the “how to” information.
If anyone is really set against the whole game idea, please let us know and we will make sure you don’t get any nasty surprises in your box. However, there is nothing to stop you giving it a go before making up your mind.
Northumberland estate game is all reared and shot on the hills, heather and woodland around the market town of Alnwick, wild and free range. It is not organic.

From this week's newsletter:
The beginning of this week found us in the fields planting Christmas trees, partly as shelter belts, partly as a crop, which would have been more enjoyable if the heavens hadn’t opened! Despite getting soaked, it’s very satisfying to know that in three or five years we will have a lovely crop of trees for sale. You will be able to come up and select your tree, and pick your vegetables and collect your Christmas turkey.
We’ll all be pleased to hear that the forecast for the weekend is good. We are still harvesting carrots, squash, beetroot, courgettes, and hope to dig the last of our potatoes. Beth is very excited about the new raised beds going in for next spring/summer’s soft fruits.
Autumn is approaching faster than we’d like, and this weeks recipes should be warming and help make the box go further.
If anybody has any paving materials going spare for wheelbarrow paths, also any old carpets for mulching and weed suppression in the beds (planting beds, not the sleeping sort!), these would be much appreciated. Please contact us via the email address at the end of this newsletter, or by phone
Check the website, www.gandsorganics.com for more news from the farm, and new products.

News from the farm:
Despite the very wet weather, the carrots seem to have survived, and are looking good.
The same cannot be said for the potatoes. They are looking poor, and we would like to apologise to all customers for this, however noone is able to supply good quality potatoes now as a result of the bad weather.
We are also coming to the end of the courgette harvest. There are only a few small ones left, which have been attacked by slugs. We have some photos of the destruction, which we will upload soon.
On top of this, numerous pig escapes have ruined the potential pumpkin harvest. Thankfully, the fencer arrived this week, and started putting the defences in place to prevent this happening again.
Update: here are the photos of the terrible weather and damaged and slug eaten produce: