August 6th – Back in Walsall Wood, near Jockey Meadows, the crop of beans I noticed a month or so ago have grown tall in the wet summer. There seems to be a decent crop of what appear to be broad beans, but the crop is sadly afflicted by blackfly and some kind of leaf blight.
I guess these will be for animal fodder, although they seemed tender and sweet in the unripe pod I cracked open.
September 28th – I noticed near Lower Stonnall this huge stack of hay bales being covered for storage. This time of year is all about putting stuff behind for the famers; silage is gently maturing in yards, potatoes lie ready in the earth, their foliage having been removed. Sugarbeet, manglewurzels and turnips are maturing. Huge stacks of bales like this dot the countryside. Last year, there was a shortage of winter food for livestock. I’m sure farmers this year are keen to avoid any repeat.
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