I'm not sure if the weather stats will agree, but it feels like it's been a particularly grey winter. I don't resent the cold, as it's to be expected, but to have so few crisp, sunny days to lift the spirits - that has been quite testing! Back in November a customer at our honesty shop engaged me in conversation. At first he expressed sympathy for the trials and tribulations of being a grower, but then he started coming up with some wacky ideas about why the world was in such a state. I listened politely, but when he said the long spells of thick cloud cover was a government plot and that there were UK and US military planes 'seeding' clouds all across Europe, I said I really must get back to work. However, three months later, I'm thinking maybe he was right!
Grey skies or not, signs of Spring are gradually emerging with spotted woodpeckers hammering, great tits becoming evermore vocal, and catkins on the hazel trees puffing up ready to spread pollen over their tiny red flowers. Alexander Buchan (you might want to google him) was bang on with his February cold snap this year, but in anticipation of some warmer weather to follow, we have just sown mangetout peas, spinach, carrots, salad mustards and lettuce in the polytunnels. We will also make our first sowings into trays in the glasshouse.
Our winter work has included starting to replace the rabbit fence in Mill Field, (without which, they would eat just about everything), and coppicing part of our hedgerow which we turn into ramial wood chips to spread on our fertility building leys. These are plots that will not grow a vegetable crop this year but have been put down to grass and clover green manures. By the end of the year the wood chip will have been absorbed into the soil.
A big thank you to everyone who has opted to 'donate' their veg box instead of pausing. We were initially supporting the food bank at St Francis Church, Banbury, but as they were often getting veg from the local supermarkets, we have changed to the food bank at Heyford Park which is much closer to us. It has two sections, one part is 'The Pantry' which is an anti food waste hub, and the other is a free food bank service. This is where your donations go.
Oxford customers will be glad to hear that their deliveries are now 'zero emission' from the moment they leave North Aston. We have teamed up with Velocity, who collect the veg boxes in their electric van and then distribute them by van and bicycle.
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