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No.5 - MAY 2004
Welcome to the fifth ‘down on the farm’ newsletter.
Down on the farm I am finding it difficult to keep up with mowing the
orchard grass, but I can’t grumble because everything looks beautifully
fresh and green!

The plums have finished flowering and have set some fruit - not all of this
will go to maturity, lots will drop off in June before it ripens.

It seemed to rain every day throughout cherry blossom time and they did look
bedraggled, despite this we have some baby cherries.

Pears have finished flowering and lots of fruit has set, the surplus fruit
is now falling off.

Bramley apples are now in full flower, these are the youngest of the trees
on the farm, so not much fruit expected this year.


The top orchard Red Pippin is still in flower (the bottom orchard has
finished). We have managed to spray twice with organic fungicide but mildew
is still present.

Strawberries are now in flower so we should have our first fruit in a month. I am rotovating between
the rows for the third time this year, the wet weather has made it a good
year for weeds!
The older Joan Squires raspberry canes are making
good growth and should fruit in September/October.

This years canes are growing OK and may produce a small crop
this Autumn.

Young gooseberry bushes have some fruit on and are making good growth.

Older gooseberries look good although fruit sets look a little sparse, maybe
they will look better when the fruit swells.
So that’s the news from the paddock, the chickens continue to do OK although
they have had a challenge from disease – more about this at a later date
Kit
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