To those friends I have not communicated within the last day or 2...sorry. Getting ready to leave this farm for just 3 days - well - if we were going on a month's trip to the other side of the world we couldn't be more wound up about it. I think it comes from not going away very often. Brian is doing a giant list for Jeff, (who milks for us) while also trying to do something with these damsons. I am leaving the blog in Margaret's capable hands for a few days. Talk soon, N

What could epitomise an autumn pudding more than blackberry and apple crumble? ...apples picked from our own tree and blackberries gathered from local hedgerows. We haven't got a large garden to grow our own food, but just having room for an apple tree and a greenhouse for tomatoes give us loads of pleasure...and along with what we can gather from the wild means we feel we're providing some fresh food for ourselves. The crumble was scrumptious anyway.

What an awful copy-cat I am...just because Margaret posted her apple harvest. We have just started making some wine with these. We certainly choose our moments, being very busy at present trying to sort everything out so that we can go away for 3 days - will keep you all posted - if you know what I mean!

Well, the apples are harvested at last. These are just some of the many we picked. I think they should keep ok in a cool place (it'll have to be the garage) but some I'm going to use right away...we'll eat some as they are and use a few with the blackberries (yes I've gathered them at last...got the nettle stings and prickles to prove it!)to make crumble...A good pud for tomorrow I think!

Isn't it amazing? All summer I've been hoping to take a photo of a butterfly basking on the flowers (although I haven't seen as many butterflies this year). Just when I thought I'd left it too late...there it was...camera, sunshine, flower and butterfly all fell into place for 2 seconds. Serendipity...then it had gone...a Small Tortoiseshell still enjoying the late September sunshine on the Michaelmas daisies.

That's it with our Harvest festival pictures, honestly. More of yesterday's co-inciding of thoughts and things seen, happened when I had to go and do a bit of teaching in a different venue - difficult to find it was, but when I did...Hidden in the middle of "The Potteries" in the midst of some pretty run-down post-industrial landscape was a project for people who had suffered a mental illness. Several allotments are run by the members and the scene was one of beauty and peace - in a place you would not really expect to find it. And of course lots of fruit and flowers - another sort of harvest.

How strangely happenings and thoughts converge at times. I have recently completed an article I was asked to write for a local paper about the current crises in farming...and harvest. I am also working on something similar to send...I'm not sure where, yet. Tonight is the beginning of Harvest Festival at our Village Church. This is one of my very favourite times...looking at the flower and fruit-filled Church while the poignant words are sung - even if the Christian version of the festival only originates from Victorian times. Many farmers attend and there is a reality in the marking of this time. More thoughts on this tomorrow!

Hope the description of how the stool came to be explains why it's had a rather understated makeover. At first I was thinking of all kinds of flowery decoration and then realised that a piece simply made should be kept fairly plain. I thought it needed to have a vaguely 1950's/60's kitchen colour scheme so chose the yellow and orange on cream. I think it works.
And Les' reaction...he likes it!

When I told Les that I intended to repaint the stool that he made when at school he was incredulous...his reaction was...'what that old thing, it needs chopping up for sticks'.
To me, this is missing the point entirely. To anyone else maybe, it's just a bit of tat, but its charm is that it isn't faultlessly constructed precisely because he was learning something new. This is the start of building and perfecting a skill. I can imagine that at the age of 13 or 14 when his woodwork teacher nourished a nascent talent and Les was able to take home what he'd constructed, there must have been a sense of achievement. Anyway, enough to look forward to making something else and doing a better job. Isn't that what it's all about?

From our bedroom window we can see the holly berries changing colour from green to red - turning to winter food for the birds - and decorations for our houses at Christmas. The first time I ever met Brian was in December and he asked me if I wanted any holly. I said yes, and he brought a car boot full - enough for several houses.

I always know autumn's arrived when it's time to pick the green tomatoes off the plants so they can ripen on the kitchen windowsill. Then the greenhouse clear-up can begin. It's a job I'm in two minds about...I feel a bit sad that the growing season is over, but enjoy clearing some space and sweeping up. Time to start thinking about the pots as well...what can be saved and what can go...and then there's bulbs of course... The tomatoes may be finished but there's still loads to plan...happy gardening.

There is a very old tradition in Stafforshire and Derbyshire (possibly in other counties, too) of well-dressing. Margaret has written about this back in the summer. But we like to go to this well in Buxton often to fill our containers with the water - which tastes lovely. Spa towns completely fascinate me and remind me of Jane Austen.

It's hard to resist a piece of pretty china. Many times, when tempted by the most gorgeous cups and saucers ever,I have to give myself a serious talking to about not needing any more. But sometimes (quite often,in fact) it (in this case, a jug) just has to be given a good home.
I think it makes an excellent vase for the Japanese anemones that are flowering so well at the moment. They need something tall but delicate to emphasise their willowy stems and papery pink flowers. And I like the way the black of the fireplace sets them off.
All's well as long as I remember not to pick up the jug by the handle as it's been cracked and glued...but I don't mind the small imperfection.

I love the rich colour of this - part of the pleasure in making it - and the process itself could not be more simple. It has rained and rained and life on the farm seems to become ever more threatened - you have to be mad or to love it I suppose, otherwise you would run screaming away. The countryside is very much in the news. Isn't it surprising that we only care when it is threatened - a bit like the local high streets and markets I suppose. As I am writing this though...the sun has come out.

This pink beauty is flowering better this autumn than it's ever done - some years it doesn't flower at all.
It's schizostylis. Yes, I know, a bit of a tongue twister...well, it would be if I knew how to pronounce it correctly...and I've had to look up the spelling. Think I'll just stick with its common name of Kaffir lily. It says in one of my plant reference books that it soon becomes congested...not in our garden it doesn't!

These are the last of the beans, which we had last night with bacon, cabbage and potatoes - very Irish dish! I got the bacon from the indoor market and was thinking how nice it is to be addressed by your name when you go to the counter - that is one of the reasons why - when it's possible - I choose local market rather than supermarket shopping - and as for those huge stores, yeuck.

Seeing Noreen's apple pie reminds me that these apples must be picked this weekend...as if walking past them everyday wasn't enough reminder!
We've a heavy crop this year...so much so that some of the branches are bending right over with the weight. I did thin some of the apples when they were smaller, but only those I could reach. Now, where's the step ladder...paper...boxes...some help?
Blackberries next, I think...apple and blackbery crumble...mmm...

To our way of thinking there is a strong link between time spent patiently (and patience is a virtue I seriously struggle with) and the sense of quiet and lasting satisfaction derived from the results. On the other side of that coin there is probably a strong link between instant gratification and a sense of dissatisfaction. Of course you might strongly disagree with our philosophy or even think we have been at the gin too soon!

Now's the time of year when we enjoy having somewhere light to retreat to when rain buckets down or it turns cold (probably both). No persuasion's needed to down tools for a bit, sit in the conservatory and have a mug of tea in between jobs.
It's been much more comfy since we bought some cane chairs with wooden arms...they have a retro, 1950's look. Some cushions I've made, like the patchwork ones and the little wool tapestry cushion, of flowers tied with a ribbon ...or bought, like those with rosy coloured embroidered flowers that I got new from a charity shop. Of course, it's great for reading as well...the light's so good.

I wonder why apple pie has such a homely image? This is made with half-puff pastry, which I got from the Mrs Beeton book. Now, that is fascinating to dip into and was in part the inspiration for our book.

Some of the clematis have their seed heads now but quite a few are still in flower...this one flowers quite late. What's good this year is that some of those that flowered in early summer are having a second flush now...it's a real bonus...maybe the rainy conditions have helped. Must make sure I enjoy this unexpected colour.

Brian found this little fellow this morning - one of a series of unusual visitors to the farm, which includes a grass snake and a badger.

As autumn sets in there are tons of jobs crying out to be done...there is damson jam and wine to be made. There are blackberries to freeze...and first of all, I think some apple pies to make...

I've just found this quilt for a couple of quid...don't you think it's fresh and pretty? It's blue and white squares, blue roses on white and white on blue, with little gingham patches and a gingham edge. I've had to mend a little tear but it seems fine otherwise. As it's quite light in weight it should be just right as an extra layer now the nights have become a bit cooler.
Hope Noreen will think it's OK as it's heading her way...know she's looking for one for a relative.

Another demi-john frothing and bubbling away. I'll have to let you know how it turns out. You do have to wonder who the first person was who tried this out. Who thought of making wine from the berries & fruit that grows in orchards and hedgerows? I think I may have mentioned this before...but I loved Margaret's point about the poisonous mushrooms. How did they find out???

The old mixer has been one of the best pieces of kitchen equipment ever...others have come and gone...sandwich makers, deep fat fryers, numerous kettles, all have gone to join their obselete and burned out look-alikes at the council recycling depot.
But the food mixer continues (am I tempting fate here?)

I know a wooden spoon and a bit of effort will produce the same results and I like to make pastry by hand sometimes...but the mixer does a really good job.
Biscuits are mixed in no time.

Here's the recipe for the cinnamon biscuits. These can be rubbed in by hand or made in a food mixer.

8oz/225g self-raising flour
5oz/150g butter
4oz/110g caster sugar
1 free range egg, beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix cinnamon into the flour. Rub in the butter until it's like fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar. Stir in the beaten egg and mix to make a dough. Roll out gently amd cut out with round biscuit cutter. Put on baking tray and bake in moderate oven, 160C gas mark 3 for about 10 minutes.

All you do here is simply core a Bramley apple and fill with demerera (or any) sugar and bake in the oven until soft - about 20 minutes. You could have it with ice cream. My grandmother used to do these for us. Now, there was a woman who lived and ate simply and made the best of what grew around her. But of course she did it without even thinking that she was doing anything special.

Although the hydrangeas have lost their colour (they're bright pink in the summer) they still look really attractive even as they become dessicated. I love their papery, bleached appearance as they dry on the stems.
When the weather is fine I'm going to pick a big bunch as I like to have them in the conservatory...they last for ages.

Made this yesterday, and it will probably last 5 minutes like everything else that gets baked!

Today is the 17th Sept and it is always around now that our damsons are ready to be picked. On Saturday we went to a kitchen shop for some more kilner jars. When we told the man we were making damson gin he said we were about the 20th customer that day with the same purpose. It seems that lots of us are re-capturing lost arts...or maybe we just like a warming winter drink.

There's loads of choice of seasonal fruit around at the moment and wonderful though it is, sometimes we feel in need of a biscuit. These have the subtle flavour of cinnamon. I've used a rather large cutter and not rolled them out very thin so they've made a substantial biscuit...I must have been in a generous mood or more likely, just wanted to get them on the baking trays and into the oven. Very easy and quick to make and also quick to disappear.