I never thought that one day I would be sharing with you the alarming antics of a singular creature in our fields, the groundhog.
What is a groundhog if not the most comical animal in the countryside? Comical because of its schizophrenic behaviour when it exits its burrow, a mix of hesitant waltzes and extreme wariness that are a source of hilarity for this farmer.
Initially, we try to be magnanimous, letting them dig a tunnel hither and yon, hidden in the tall grasses that border some of our fields.
But eventually, our patience wears thin, and we find ourselves having to resort to heavy artillery to dislodge them. It is neither for aesthetic reasons nor out of concern for our physical safety that we need to remove these critters, but rather because of the fact that with the passing of time, they come to believe that what is yours is also theirs, and nothing stops them once they catch a whiff of cabbage or fennel, even when protected by our nets.
So, if you want to know how we get rid of such a creature in our fields, ask us when we meet this week…
Second week of the season, and I am happy to offer you the scrumptious strawberries of my friend Mathieu, an organic farmer who hails from nearby Farnham.
The basket is still quite leafy – don’t be surprised – but changes are coming as we have harvested our first summer squash, and gradually, we will be expanding our offering. For the time being, though, we’ll also be serving up lettuces, kale, spinach, kohlrabi, beets or white turnips and more.
We look forward to seeing you all.