Oink little piggy

Friday was the Allotment Society AGM. We got a a few things agreed and moved the Society forward. A few us stayed on after the meeting to assist the local economy by having a few beers. Nothing much happened Saturday mainly because of helping the local economy. I had hoped the ground would dry out but it has rained on and off all week. This weekend it is starting to turn cold as well. Not before time. The weeds can get by in cool and wet conditions so have continued to grow throughout the autumn. Cold and wet should slow them down.

Steve bought round the half pig sourced from a local supplier. The chops where really thick and meaty. I gave Steve back some of the shoulder and hand for the chorizo man, who for the swap of some honey will make the pork into.....well.....chorizo. The bagged up all the butchered pieces for freezing, chop, joints, hocks and some belly. The pig came with the a complete hind quarter. I separated the hock. I intend to make a hearty and winter-warming soup out of this. I boned out the leg and cut into two portions, one for a glazed ham for this Christmas and the other for air drying for next Christmas. With everything safely packed away a tackled the current air drying ham. I took it out of its home in the shed fridge and cleaned it up. It was still a bit wet on the surface for daubing on grease but I manged to get a coating on then covered it with ground pepper. Then on with the muslin cloth and then to the hook in the shed to dry in the cool air. This joint has been on the go since this time last year or there abouts. The joint is really dense since the salt has drawn the water out of the meat. I will give it a couple weeks and cut myself a sample.

Miss L was out so after a brew and a good clean up in the kitchen H and I went for a short walk round Calke Abbey. It was getting late and the wind had an edge to it which probably kept the hoards at home. With the place mostly to ourselves we wandered round watching the Grebes and Tufted ducks on the lake. The deer could be clearly seen amongst the trees. Calke have introduce Longhorn cattle to the park who wander about the trees mowing the bracken and other vegetation. They a vet little on their feet yet they are big buggers close up especially with those huge horns but quite docile.

I have busy week travelling but I can only hope the ground dries out and it does not freeze just yet before a can get to do a bunch of digging.