NO wonder all we ever do is talk about the weather! What a week. It was fairly dull and miserable for most of the time, with another 28mm rainfall.The week began with a particularly unpleasant day, ending with a spectacular thunderstorm. Richard and I had been invited to daughter Melissa's home for an evening barbecue. The sun was shining and the air felt a little warmer than of late. Then the sky darkened, so we gathered everything up, getting indoors just as the rain began to pour down. The accompanying thunderstorm was dramatic, with sheet lightning (also known as intra-cloud lightning) lighting up the whole sky. From that day on the temperature began to fall and although not frosty, the wind had a continual chilly feel about it.

Nevertheless, field work on both Manor and Stowell farms has managed to progress. The longer days and strong winds helped some of the fields to dry out just enough for tractors and implements to be able to do some work.

Here on Manor Farm all the manure has been spread onto three fields to be planted with maize. All three fields have now been cultivated, with a cultivator that starts to break down the soil into a manageable state for the power harrow to follow and produce a seed bed.

Only one field has been power harrowed and we were lucky that the contractor was able to plant the maize seed before the next band of wet weather arrived. The other two fields are still too wet to produce a suitable seed bed.

On Stowell Farm, Kevin has also been busy. He has cultivated all the area to planted with spring barley, managing to plant the seeds just before the wet weather arrived.

Kevin used direct drilling to plant his barley, which is a method of planting when the seeds are planted directly into uncultivated ground. This can have a number of benefits, such as reducing run-off and soil erosion. The spring barley planted was Propino, a malting variety, which has been on the recommended list for seven years. Malting barley can be sold for a premium, but meeting the exacting specifications laid down by brewers and distillers is critical. Before sale the crop is rigorously tested for germination (will it grow?), moisture content, nitrogen content (a measure of protein) and screenings. Screenings involve a visual assessment on the barley grains; are they of good quality, have a pleasant aroma, with no sign of mould or fungi.

Kevin has also managed to plant field beans and peas, which will be harvested to feed the sheep during the winter, that's as long as the seeds germinate and produce a crop following late planting. Kevin said that the seed-bed was not good, but he needed to get the crops in the ground before the next deluge.

Recently a Field to Food Learning Day was held on the Bath and West Showground. This was its third year, with 1,200 children between the ages of eight and 11 years, brought by coaches to the showground for a chance to learn more about where their food comes from.

Richard and I were among many stewards assigned to guide classes of children around four large buildings which had been set up to show different sections of agriculture.

One building housed pens of sheep and pigs, with shearing and weaving demonstrations; another barn displayed poultry, bees, horticulture, the countryside; another dairy and beef cattle, with a milking demonstration and cheese tasting; finally a building devoted to crops and machinery, with bakers and butchers in attendance. Stewards, farmers, teachers and children very much enjoyed their day, with the weather good enough to allow the children to have their picnic lunches outside.

On one of my rambles at the end of the week I enjoyed seeing many spring flowers on Manor Farm. Primroses, violets, bluebells, celandines were plentiful along hedges and ditches. Many trees looked resplendent with their new leaves and blossom. A startled pair of roe deer resisted the urge to run away, watching to see what I was going to do next. But it gave me time to take a photo!

Denise Plummer