Following on from my previous Word on the Ground when I was looking for the positives in farming and vegetable producing I am still on a positive note.
After looking round the cropping in our area, I can report they are looking well.
Of course, we have the legacy of last year’s wet weather showing up in some crops, but in the main they are looking good.
In the last two weeks we have had 2in of rain, which has permeated to the roots. All we want now is some warmth.
Around the Boston area the protective covers – polythene or freeze covers – are off the early crops, and they are well into cutting broccoli (calabrese), cauliflower and early Savoy cabbage, with good quality and good yields.
In addition, the subsequent crops are growing well, and look to have a good potential if we can keep the pigeons off.
This leads on to my nature section: in general, although it has been a late spring, nature is catching up.
Most birds have managed to nest quite well and I have seen good hatches of blackbirds and sparrows.
Our perennial mistle thrush raised four young and they all fledged this morning.
I have seen a French partridge with ten chicks only about a day old. I wonder how many will survive? On an optimistic note, it will be all of them.
Have a good summer.