Vendage 2005 pix

[jackal10]

Helped some friends to pick today. Thay have a small vineyard just outside Cambridge on an ideal south facing chalk slope. They grow only Chardonnay, from which a quite decent sparkling wine is made. The surprise is that such good grapes can be grown this far north, Maybe its another sign of global warming, but archeological evidence points to Roman era vinyards in this area.

The harvest is down this year because of a major problem with pigeon damage, and some botrytis early in the season as a spray was missed.

Off topic a bit, but I also went today to the Annual Ploughing and Hedge Laying competition in the next village - the person who helps me in the garden is on the organising committee. Serious stuff for working country folk, not townies or tourists. Pictures are not as good as they should be since I had not noticed some dirt on the lens.

Modern Chase rig, and a vintage Fowler "popper"

Serious judging, since there is silverware to be won (displayed in the beer tent)

Hedge laying is an ancient country craft that transforms an overgrown and gappy hedge, that has grown out at the base into a living stockproof barrier, renewing the hedge. The remarkable thing is how the hedge regrows. Each sapling remains connected to its roots by a strip of wood and bark that is enough to keep it alive and regrow Next year it will be covered in green. Before and after pictures.

Bacon, sausage and suckling piggys... lunch was a relation in a bun...