Where Has The Summer Gone?

Unlike this slow worm I discovered by a compost heap that coiled itself tightly around my thumb like an Ouroboros, the month of August seems to have slipped through my fingers and disappeared. The much anticipated heady summer sunshine only briefly showed its face, and instead at Newhouse Farm we've had a summer that's been overshadowed by dampness and grey skies. The disappointing weather seems to have suppressed my energy levels and dampened my spirits, and it feels as if I've been waiting for a summer that's never arrived. In spring the fresh breezes and blissful sunshine made working outside refreshing and enjoyable, but now its so much harder to find enthusiasm for outdoor work when the skies are dull and the mizzle makes everything soggy.

In my old office in London I used to sit at a desk with my back facing a window, oblivious for most of the day as to what the weather in the world behind me was doing. Air conditioning units controlled the temperature and the majority of the light came from strip lighting in the ceiling and the glare of computer screens. My commute to and from work would mean even more time separated from the outside world, hurtling through the tunnels of the Underground. Very often the only time I'd spend outdoors would be as I made the walk from the train station to my flat. London living meant I was distanced from nature: days could easily go by without me being aware of what the weather was doing or how it was affecting my mind and body. But now I live in the countryside and spend so much time working outside I've become much more aware of how the weather affects me. A grey, mizzly day tends to darken my mood, whereas inevitably my spirits lift when the sun bursts through the clouds and the sky turns blue.

Yet the grey clouds don't seem to have stopped the tourists who have descended on Cornwall in droves. You'd think I'd be used to crowds of people having spent so many years living in London, but a recent trip to St Ives reinforced just how much I've become accustomed to a more peaceful existence. The winding streets of the town were bottle-necked with tourists, and walking from one side of St Ives to the other was as exhausting as battling through rush hour on Oxford Street. I sought sanctuary from the masses in a little shop called 'Living Food' which had shelves packed with every possible variety of sprouting seeds. Here I discovered that eating sprouting seeds was very good for you and sprouting them was simple and fun. Inevitably I succumbed to temptation and bought an assortment of sprouting goodies and some packets of raw chocolate (very tasty!), before plunging back into the swarms of tourists in a bid to make my way home.

August has also been a busy time with visitors at the farm. A party of friends came to visit me from London to experience a taste of my new country life, and bringing the fair weather with them to brighten my spirits. Having so many extra hands available James and I couldn't resist testing the mettle of my city friends with a couple of tough and messy jobs. First up was a massive composting mission: all the compost bins at the farm were full to bursting with garden waste, kitchen waste, grass cuttings and plentiful amounts of animal poop. These bins needed to be emptied and their contents thoroughly mixed and turned before putting this fresh mix back into the bins to break down to create good, rich compost. It was a back breaking job that would have taken James and me all day to accomplish, but my friends got stuck in and with their help after half a day the job was done. And a day later this team of friends wielded pick-axes and shovels as we dug a pond for the goslings (now fully grown geese) to bathe in. The goslings, as curious as ever, watched from the sidelines as we took it in turns to smash the earth with pick-axes, discovering a thick layer of clay as we dug downwards.

And finally, August has also been a hectic time with courses at the farm. Dick and James run courses in many aspects of eco-ingenuity, teaching participants how to make their own biodiesel, harness water and wind power, and giving them ideas and information on how to transform their homes into more sustainable environments. Running the courses at the farm involves a fair amount of cooking, so recently I've downed my spade and donned my apron to whip up lots of cakes and cookies to feed the course attendees. If you fancy sampling my baking whilst learning about sustainable living there's still plenty of course dates available: check out the website on this link.

Other things that have been happening throughout August:

• Turkeys - are slowly growing, and despite the fact they're quite vulnerable when they're young they are all alive and well. However they're now reluctant to go to bed in the evenings, instead preferring to obstinately sit on their outdoor perch as the light dims whilst I try to shoo them off it into the safety of their turkey house.

• Pigs - are eating more and more, and becoming incredibly vocal when their bellies are empty (which according to them is most hours of the day). Their enthusiasm for food led to them taking a bite of my thigh as I attempted to empty their food into their feeder. We've just realised when the time comes to take them to the abbatoir it's going to be quite a mission to get these rowdy creatures into the trailer.

• Ducks, Geese & Hens - are down in numbers. A couple of the old ex-battery hens have had their final cluck and given in to old age. The Muscovy ducklings are growing very quickly, and one of them has successfully recuperated from having its foot badly bitten by a goose. For the Indian Runner ducks the clock is ticking... duck is going to be on the menu some time very soon. Besides which we think they deserve it as they've been bullying Nigel so much we've had to let him out of the enclosure to enjoy some peace and quiet.

• Waterwheel - has temporarily stopped working. A bolt broke on it a few nights ago, waking us all up at 4am with a strange noise that sounded like a turkey being throttled. It's probably broken due to all the rain we've been having.

• Snails - have been well fed. They've eaten most of the broccoli seedlings I planted out, which has made me very annoyed. Snails, be warned, I'll show you no mercy!

PS Thank you to Katie for the photos.