After that things went quiet and the grass - and brambles - were left to grow until September when John would mow again in preparation for harvesting.
A big worry is the number of squirrels. They have had free run of the place for six years or so and have multiplied by feasting on nuts. Ways will have to be found to deal with them or half the crop will be lost.
On July 18th, as noted in my log book, I walked around the plat and noted that nuts seemed plentiful in some areas but not in others. There is a buyer for the harvest who will send in pickers if required. He prefers to pick late, in the third week of September when the nuts are quite ripe and good for pressing for making cobnut oil. The fear is that by that time the squirrels may have taken more than their share.
In September a small group of volunteers worked to cut back brambles which had romped away over the summer and in the second week of September John returned with his tractor-mower to cut the grass and other growth between the rows, ready for the pickers.
By this late stage the crop looked thin.There were indeed nuts to be picked but they were not plentiful.
On the evening before picking was due to
start the buyer emailed to say they would
not be coming as the crop looked too small.
It was even suggested that two legged raiders
had been at work along with the squirrels to plunder the crop.
Nevertheless there were nuts to be picked and those of us who could set to work.
It was a busy time of year and this need for pickers had not been foreseen. And then the rain started!
It was not possible to pick all the nuts available.
Those that were harvested were sold either at the Apple Day Fair at Ightham Mote or to a buyer for selling on at Farmers' Markets.
A disappointing harvest season means that not a lot of cash was deposited and funds for contracting out tasks of pruning and mowing next year are in short supply.
