Stavross

Lovely river the swale, I used to do a bit of pike fishing around Topcliffe, there some good chub in there

I made a Kiev type thing tonight, chicken breast stuffed with mushroom, garlic, thyme butter, in panko breadcrumbs, with new spuds and tender stem

I say yes to everything on that plate, but put the egg on top of the gammon and some ice cream with that pineapple

Most people, especially lowland and farm shoots tend to get theirs end of June into July, I aim for mine second week in August at around 8 to 10 weeks old because I need the crops off the fields around the farm because it’s a nightmare to stop them wandering when the pens are surrounded by woods and if they get into a standing field when they first go in, I’ve pretty much lost them, the only downside is that we won’t start shooting until November a month into the season, but pheasant shooting isn’t any good in October, you need hard weather to produce proper birds

No, 800 poults, I can’t cope with ex layers, they are ok for little farm shoots but no good for woodland shoots

My flying chickens are here a week tomorrow so it’s finishing off things today, electric fences on, feed ready, water system on, I’m doing it a bit different this year, I’d normally only feed my pens then move feeders out as the birds get bigger, this year I’m feeding my pens but also feeding boundaries in the hope it brings other birds into my land

For 51m2 that is a ridiculous price, I haven’t done one for a while but I can’t imagine the cost of the gear going up that much, was that for one colour? Even at half that, it’s still really top end money

Mashed spud, cod loin, asparagus and a Dijon mustard sauce, I thought about a poached egg on top instead of the sauce but then thought that might be a step too far

4 ton of type one in today and I’ve got my level to work to, customer has just said the paving won’t be here until Tuesday, think I’ll have a long weekend

It was bloody 6” thick and about 30 degrees in that back courtyard, I don’t think this is a job for a 47 year old fat lad

So I was meant to have some help today but it turns out that a 15 year old doesn’t know that there’s two 7 o’clock’s in a day and 75 quid wasn’t enough to drag him out his pit, there was 4 days work for the tw*t so he could of had himself 300 quid, bloody kids! anyway I had to barrow all the concrete through the house to the skip on my own, I’m buggered

Quick spaghetti bolognaise before a walk out to see if I can get a deer

Well I’ve achieved absolutely nothing today, was ment to have all the concrete out, skip was meant to be here for 9, turns up a half 3, nobheads

I think this could be one of the nicest things I’ve ever made ( presentation still needs work ) i went for Roe loin with hasselbacks, tender stem and I picked a few brambles where I was working earlier so made a balsamic vinegar and bramble reduction ( sauce ) I did her garlic and thyme chicken breast with creamy leeks

Busy busy today, planted up around the path I did last week, fence up along the steps, 3 gates made and fitted, soil in the flower bed, off to a new job tomorrow