I'm slowly tearing my hair out. No, really. The weather is fine today, but it's set to break on Monday night. Right now what we should be doing is ploughing and sowing wheat, but the tractor pulling the plough has had a burst tyre and no-one carries the tyres in stock to replace it.
Which law says that things have to break down just when you want to use them?
On the plus side, the breeding ewes have been given an MOT to check that they are suitable to breed again for another season. Thankfully we only found a very few that weren't.
Also at this break between harvesting and seeding we have been repairing broken drains and clearing the water courses. After last winter's rain, many problems became apparent.
The cattle that came into the shed a fortnight ago have settled down very well. They had a TB test and all passed, which is always a relief.
On the Covid front, social distancing is having its effect on numbers in the cafe. I do feel, however, we are all becoming accustomed to queuing and I suspect this is how it is going to be for the foreseeable future. Takeaway Sunday lunches are proving very popular, so are the afternoon teas,  but I fear the picnic season is about to come to an end, which probably means goodbye to the picnic boxes, which have also been very popular.
That must mean that Christmas is just around the corner. We're all building up to it, even if we're not sure how it will go. Be sure we as a team are here to help in any which way we can.
Hello! The fitter has arrived to fix the tractor tyre. Must go!
Stay safe,
David

Saturday, September 5, 12.30pm - The combine has started to roll again after rain stopped us harvesting on Wednesday. In America there are are apparently many people who chase storms, we're quite the opposite, we have to run to try to complete a job before the next storm comes.
In the meantime, Sue and I have not been idle. We have been to purchase 100 sheep to bring in replacements for our flock. They're a mixture of Suffolk crosses, black-faced sheep, and Texel cross white-faced sheep.
Harvest time isn't just about cereal crops and big machines. We have also been busy picking apples from our own orchard for sale in the shop. We also have damsons. Hopefully some of them will end up as damson gin.
I'm also pleased to report that Steve the Potato Man from the Rolly Farm in Knockin has promised us that bags of potatoes will be available from Monday.
News from Cote Kitchen is that Dawn and Catherine have moved on to pastures new. We wish them both good luck. Sue and Ange have taken on the task of recruiting replacements.
On the plus side from our point of view, there are many people out there looking for a job. I really wish more people could be gainfully employed again and that hopefully the country will be back up and running soon.
The schools are back; it's September. The sun is bound to shine, so I had better get back to work!
All the best, stay safe,
David

August the 7th saw the completion of our wheat harvest as part of a continuous cycle in the farming year.
The wheat we grow is used for animal and poultry feed. The straw is baled and used on the farm for animal bedding. This becomes farmyard manure, which goes back on the fields as compost.
As I write we're expecting another scorcher this weekend, which means BBQs. That increases the workload for our butchers. There's a huge demand for sausages, burgers, kebabs and steaks, butterflied legs of lamb and spatchcock chickens.
And while we're talking shop, we at Churncote all appreciate that our customers are prepared to wait to be served as the constraints on space imposed by Covid means that the numbers in the shop are restricted.
Tuesday morning caught me out when I was involved in an impromptu interview on Radio Shropshire about the Eat Out to Help Out initiative.
I can report, as can many others in hospitality, that the offer has been taken up by many people.
I know that farmers are renowned for talking weather, but I'm happy to report that the sunshine has brought our sunflowers out into full bloom.
The whole area is alive with butterflies, bees and other insects.
And that's meant that Tony Davies, our local beekeeper, has today supplied us with the first of this year's honey off the farm. A harvest of a different type, and sweet, too.
Over and out for now. Stay safe.
David

Many customers show a great interest in the farm and what is going on beyond the shop and the cafe. Consequently I have been encouraged to create a blog with, I hope, regular updates. It may not be as colourful as The Archers, but here goes...
The farm in total is 420 acres, or 168 hectares if you prefer. The whole area is tenanted. It is a very mixed farm, with arable crops of wheat, barley, field beans and sometimes oilseed rape in the rotation. There is also 180 acres of parkland.
The parkland is very traditional, with a wide range of trees and to help maintain it, we farm it sympathetically, with a low stocking rate and low usage of any fertiliser or chemical weed control. With the cooperation of our neighbour, part of the parkland is used to host a steam and vintage rally every year.
The grassland is used for grazing a flock of 300 ewes with their lambs, and approximately 50 head of beef cattle. The cattle are purchased at between 10 and 12 months old from traditional suckler herds. The aim is to be able to supply the farm shop with grass-fed beef 12 months of the year.
To enhance the biodiversity of the farm, we are involved in higher level stewardship. We approach this with three and six-metre headlands for fields to protect the flora and fauna. We also cultivate two acres of wild bird seed cover to provide food for the birds during the winter months.
An area of seven acres has reverted to natural woodland and scrub, which helps to offset our carbon footprint.
Hopefully this introduction will give you an insight into Churncote Farm.
Life goes on as far as possible in these times, so our workload at present involves the weaning of lambs, the topping of pastures to control weeds and grass growth - and for preparing for our corn harvest. This includes cleaning and disinfecting the grain store, and maintenance and service of the harvesting machinery.
In the scale of things, we are small arable farmers, therefore we use a contractor for the combining. In a bid to keep machinery costs down, many machines are pooled with Sue's sons, Philip and Peter, who also muck in with the labour.
We all know the weather has been difficult for 12 months, so let's hope Mother Nature doesn't let us down.
We hope you are all keeping well and you are able to enhance the new ways we have to live by.