Moon day 11

29th March

Nigel's Harvest Blog 2024

Tuesday March 19th

Game on…

In fact the game started yesterday, with Chardonnay from a number of the Elms Blocks: 2, 6 and 9. We’ve been watching ripening just taxiing towards its arrival, block by block, with weather cool and near perfect, and a slow steady progression that makes precision picking a lot less frenetic. A cold sky with scudding clouds reminded us there wasn’t a rush.

Blair actually called an end to picking a little early yesterday, a reflection of how relaxed and steady it all feels. But today dawned cold, bright and eager with the promise of a couple of warmer sunny days to follow, so we know that a whole tranche of the harvest is likely to shout ready in the next few days. We can also see Easter heading towards us in about ten days time and it would be good to have it all over bar the shouting by then. 

This will be the sixth consecutive harvest with no significant sign of climate derived warming. Of course, we are absolutely thrilled to be seeing this, but not for a minute do we doubt that the effects are out there and waiting to knock on the door. Right now, we’ll take the good luck while we can! Volumes are a touch down, but nothing too scary and fruit is looking picture perfect with quite thick, structural skins, an artefact of the dry weather we’ve seen for quite a time through the second half of the season. 

That dry weather has produced very healthy fruit, the only sorting is for a little bird damage and any unripe berries.

And I’m cooking for the first time in a few years as our fantastic run of luck in persuading some brilliant chefs to come onboard ran out. 

Grilled chicken with black rice and a chicken cappuccino today. Maybe Southern Indian tomorrow; still not sure. 

Nigel

(Previous months blogs can be found in the link; Reviews & Stuff, Nigel Greening's Blog)