Sunshine in a bottle!

Back to a bit more of a “normal” week here at the Barn.

Homeschooling was in full swing each day, and we made some great progress through our lessons.

There’s always a bit of juggling between books, farm jobs, and kitchen work, but that’s just how life rolls here.

One afternoon we squeezed our way through a mountain of lemons, ready to turn them into cordial for a later date — the smell was amazing, sunshine in a bottle!

We ran out of bottles before we ran out of juice, so the rest will have to wait until we stock up again.

In the garden, we finished cleaning up the last bed of strawberries, pruned the fruit trees, and started eyeing off the herb and eco garden as our next project.

A bit of winter maintenance now means we’ll be ready to hit the ground running when spring arrives.

We’re also gearing up for our booked-out Patch to Plate dinner.

The kitchen is starting to hum, and the prep lists are growing. It’s always a big effort, but there’s nothing better than seeing the Barn full of people enjoying good food and good company.

Winter has its challenges, but it’s also a time for planning, mending, and quietly preparing for the busy seasons ahead — every small job now is a gift to our future selves.

Barn Open tomorrow, 11–5

We are serving:

• Coffee & Cake

• Cottage Pie with a side salad

• Minestrone Soup & Bread