Yesterday as promised we had a good hard frost. 
Our John covered a variety of plants with blankets but I think we are reaching the end of the summer vegetables.
Bobby Blanc is in love with one of the Surrogate Milkers. They are getting a handle on the routine very well and soon will take over a few milkings each week. Giving me extra time to get the farm in tip top condition before I go. I leave for New Zealand at the beginning of December, for three weeks. YES. You are coming too!
Yesterday we had a game of soccer with a basket ball. Ton Ton brought a stick thinking it was hockey and Charlotte refused to pass, even though Sheila was in the open… ah well.. lots to learn in the sports department.
Good morning. We are all prepared to pick the grapes today. They are in the midst of a gentle frost this morning as I am writing. Freezing and sweetening those grapes.
It will be a very busy morning. I do the picking because I will do the late summer prune at the same time. Pruning and training for next year is an important business. 
We will destem and crush into big buckets and then the waiting will begin.
The grass fed, and alfalfa finished, beef we collected yesterday from the meat locker was tasted last night and was pronounced outstanding by Our John. I was deeply impressed. He had never tasted a pasture raised animal until we started to grow them ourselves. The steak was tender and tasty. A massive improvement on my first attempt to grow beef before I had enough good pasture. Raising only one steer a year means I have to get it right. I have had a great confidence boost from last night’s dinner. Everything on the plate was from our own farmy and gardens. I opened another bottle of last years Farmy wine -we have to decide on a name- and much to my delight it has mellowed, losing all it’s cleaning fluid notes. There is not a lot left. I probably should not have had so many ‘tastings’ through the year. I told John to hide this years vintage from me.
Good luck with that I hear you say!!
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
47 responses to “Pigs Play Ball Too you know…”
I love those words “everything on the plate was from our own farmy and gardens” what an accomplishment for you both, and inspiration to the rest of us. And “cleaning fluid notes”… mmm, I think I’ve drank wine of a similar style 😉
I love your shot of the cow getting petted. Hair looks so soft and gentle the way the sunlight hits it.
How satisfying to enjoy the fruits of so much hard labour (even though some of it has slipped away, sip by sip!) You are now much colder than us, even though our spring is blustery. The season has turned (yours anyway, we are still waiting). I think the sun is saving itself until you arrive.
Celi: there are days one absolutely has to go and taste if one is to remain humanoid 🙂 !
I love seeing Ton with his stick! Bobby does look rather smitten in that photo. I have a feeling December will be here before we know it.
How wonderful to know that everything on your plate came by way of your own planning and hard work. As much as you experience in any given day, I think I understand the “tastings.” 🙂 D
Sorry to be so late in leaving my morning salutations and felicitations (and thank you for reading my recent poem – http://miskmask.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/widows-black/ ) … but yesterday my head was in a state of defying any movement for fear of vascular implosion. In other words, I’ve had a migraine for 3 days. I thought I out-grew these suckers but apparently not. “We” are not amused …. I was amused by TonTon cricket bat.
I hope your back doesn’t suffer too much from the vendange – it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but I suspect my back would rebel after the first day!
I just love Bobby Blanc 🙂
How else will a cook know if they have it just right it they don’t taste along the way? Or sommelier?
😉 Nikki
Gosh, I’m gone for a few days and look what I miss on the farm. As always, the most stunning of images, of which this former dairy farm girl particularly favors that first cow shot.