Hard to believe we’ve been living at The Secret Acre for three years now, and the still as yet unfinished greenhouse can’t believe it either!
Friends from the start might remember that clearing the greenhouse was the very first task we tackled over three years ago. Like an episode of Time Team if it involved only brambles. Continue reading
It seemed a slightly odd harvest this year.
Thanks to the unusually hot and dry summer, some old reliables failed, like our potatoes, while some pervious underperformers flourished, like our aubergines. Continue reading
Officially, UK Apple Day is this Sunday, 21st October.
But after this year’s unusually hot and dry summer, it seems you’ll be lucky to still have any apples left on your trees by now. Continue reading
It’s not just our green roof that changes colour and shades with the seasons.
Our local hill does it too. Continue reading
We moved to The Secret Acre to live the good life, so when the opportunity came along last month to visit Cerys Matthews’ Good Life Experience with friends and the dog, it seemed rude not to! Continue reading
Last month, inspired by our Turkish smallholding/winemaking experience this summer, we visited our local vineyard – Woodchester Valley – for a tour and tasting. Continue reading
September marks the start of Produce Show season, even if the football season, rudely earlier every year, has already kicked-off too.
Our history of mixed results continued this year…. Continue reading
As if making your own wine in glorious sunshine wasn’t enough, the Turkish smallholding we visited this summer had a brilliant swimming pool hack. Continue reading
Visiting Turkish friends this summer, we were told we must visit their Uncle in Urla who, like us, has built a house on an acre of land and is growing his own. And what an inspiration it turned out to be.
Alongside the veg, figs and olives, smallholding Turkish style means a small personal vineyard, about 10 rows of vines producing about 250 bottles a year, which of course we felt duty bound to taste extensively whilst discussing the finer points of our respective wine and cider making. Continue reading
Particularly pleased with our first ever crop of Padron Peppers (bottom left), continuing our Mediterranean weather themed summer. And one of our favourites in the kitchen.
At this rate of climate change we’ll soon be able to supply our favourite local tapas bar!
The Secret Acre 