I gravitate towards dogs and their owners, so it was I called Annette Abbot, who I’d been trying to see for years (and the black poplar she and Farmer Paul planted 35+_ years ago on St Michael’s common).
Here is Annette under a tree heavy with apricots, she had never seen so many on the tree, and this a drought year, what is happening with this bonkers weather? With a garden tended for 40 years, trees planted all those years back, it is a fantastic testament to her love of where she lives. An asparagus bed – i must establish one this year, oh late developer.
Finally we walked on Farmer Pauls land (you’ve got a few minutes he said watching the rain clouds gather to the west) . We walked through his field of Square Head Master corn, almost up to my 5 foot frame, and used for thatching. Later in his kitchen he and Annette taught me the words.
Stooks & Sheaves
In Suffolk they are Shocks, little stacks of Stooks & Sheaves (sheave is singular). Stacking the shocks, there are 10 sheaves in one stook. A stook is collection of sheaves (bundles of cut stalks) arranged to allow air circulation and for children and dogs to play in and out of.
Back at Farmer Pauls: It’s lucky I boiled the kettle, there’s an electric cut now. Coffee?
Kaliwood 