Gang break in!

No not as bad as it sounds.  Ten of the neighbours store lambs were spotted on the deck by the pool this morning. It looks like they broke through the hedge as the grass must have seemed greener than their own.  Richard (our neighbouring dairy farmer) called to say that a team has been dispatched to round them up.  No harm done.

That time of year again!

Weekend plans at Great Gutton focus on the Sheep and Cider.  First job on the list is a trip to a near neighbour to pick up a couple of ram lambs who will run with our Shetland ewes for a month or so.   Introducing the rams now means lambing in April when hopefully the grass growth and weather are improving. Peggy is already coming up with names for the lambs.  This weekend also looks to be the time to Rack off the cider. Having been fermenting for a month activity has slowed to an extent that time is right to syphon off the liquid from the sediment and to start the second fermentation.  The end result will we hope be drinkable cider for Polly and Matts wedding at Gutton in August.

Apple harvest all but complete

We are delighted to report that, with over 800 bottles of apple juice on the shelves as well as 300 pints of cider bubbling away in their vats,  the Great Gutton Apple Harvest is now complete.  A big thank you to all the guests and friends who helped out with the picking, pressing and bottling.  No doubt several will be back to 'test' the cider. 

Great Gutton cider is a new venture for us.  Having read various books and talked to those with experience a blend of apples from trees which were dropping their fruit was pressed with the resultant juice poured into  fermentation vessels.  While the natural yeasts on the apples themselves should be sufficient to get the fermentation going we took no chances and added additional white wine yeast to kick start the fermentation.  Within three days the bubbles started rising and bubbling through the air locks. The cider will be ready in the new year although most will be held over until next summer when our niece and her finance have asked for Gutton Cider to a feature of their Great Gutton wedding!

Wedding reminders

A recent visit by a young couple considering using Great Gutton as a wedding venue provided a great opportunity to dig out the photo's of George and Ali's wedding at Gutton last autumn.  I think the pictures say it all.  We hope they choose to come.

Great Gutton Apple Weekends

Plans are taking shape for the Great Gutton Apple Harvest.  We hope this year to involve as many guests in the fun as possible so will be hosting Apple Harvest breaks during the first two weeks of October where guests get to pick, press and bottle the GG apple harvest.  Those who take part also get to take home the fruits of their labour via a case of Great Gutton Apple Juice.  See you in the Orchard!

Please call Suzi 01363 776073 or drop her an email suzi@greatgutton.co.uk to book a cottage.

Weaning time

Monday last saw Suzi, John, Ed, Peggy and Dylan (not sure how much help he was!) weaning this year’s 14 ewe and 7 ram lambs.  After four months it is time that the lambs fended for themselves on grass alone.  While a little noisy at first (not easy to explain to them why they have been separated from mum) it is amazing how quickly they settle down and within a couple hours they seemed to have moved on! The lambs have been turned back into the big field but will be heading back to the orchards soon as the grass needs grazing down before apple harvest which this year looks likely to be good and early to boot. 

A load of old wool

With the recent increase in temperatures, the pressure was on to rid the ewes of their woolly coats. At a friends BBQ, there was talk of shearing and by last Sunday evening the sheep were shorn, tagged, counted and dosed up against the various pests and bugs that so often knock the ewes and lambs in the good weather. Here's John leading the sheep with the temptation of food and then Paul shearing them. All very hot and thirsty work although Paul was the one who did all the hard back breaking work. Afterwards we lunched in the garden as the ewes and lambs re grouped in the nearby field and everyone felt better for it!