Ambling Repairs

After an orgy of selling leading up to Christmas, there has been a welcome 'Back to Basics' vibe at Gibson's Organic Liqueurs (a marketing guru told me I had to repeat as many key words as possible in my blogs, so brace yourself dear reader/s for repetition - organic fruit liqueurs cotswolds organic fruit liqueurs cotswolds). I had almost forgotten what the fields look like with the focus on marketing and recipe experiments - coming soon, redcurrant, white currant with elderflower and sloe whiskey liqueurs.

Still Life feat. liqueurs at various stages of readiness

A solid diet of rain and snow had also contributed to exile from the fields, though on occasion provided opportunity for some team building exercises with staff. 

Here sporting the 'proud King face' on completion of the snowman task

With the land now thawed however, and even some sun, I've been able to get back out there and give some tlc to the plants.  

First up the trees in the windbreak whose guards have split

Specimen A from the 'Bodge job' manual

I've also given all the currants a good prune, having been too soft hearted in previous years.  The idea being that the bushes should now produce less fruit but of greater size and quality.

The pruned waiting to meet a fiery end.  Just missing a witch for the summit; perhaps the local enviro health officer could sub in ('little bit of politics', though I suspect Elton, B would be on the side of the EHOs)

The latest troublemaking fauna (previous criminals incl. deer, hares, earwigs and ants) are moles.  I cannot suffer one of these critters to die, so have decided to try and work in harmony with them.  They do spew up a lovely bit of topsoil and I've stuck a few currant cuttings in them and will see what happens - most likely nothing but an amused labor of moles.

with shepel and armchair of contemplation in the background

The junior member of the team also came up with the idea of making a mole house from blackcurrant prunings - the dwelling so far remains unoccupied.

An axis of weeds and grasses have taken advantage of my extended absence to get their groove on

Displeasing!

 These creeps are looking to overrun the mulch mat completely, invading from both sides

but are fairly easy to deal with

competitors that get in right at the base of the bush, like this dandelion, are more belligerent

The schedule of works for the rest of Feb and March is a full one.  To adapt a clarion call of our local MP - LETS GET BRITAIN WEEDING!

A late winter panorama to sign off with

oh and

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:) :) :) :)