The finished result. Many different ways of butchering to produce the cuts to meet one's own family. Below are all the cuts of meat from one of the ram lambs, raised and grass-fed on our smallholding. In this case, I've finished the leg by taking off the shank and having it separate from the chump. I've kept the front shank on the shoulder for a good sized roasting joint. I'm hard pressed to say what's my favourite cut. I do enjoy roast lamb, but also have a soft spot for the chops.

On our regenerative smallholding, we've been nurturing our amazing flock of Shetland sheep for over 30 years. Each year our flock provides us with more real food for the family. No pesticides, no herbicides, no chemicals -healthy, pasture reared Shetland lamb. Today was the big day for our first two rams: dispatching, skinning, and eviscerating. Big, big task. Below are the skins. I've put around 1 kg of table salt on them. The salt draws out the moisture and helps with curing the skins. The end product is organically tanned sheepskin

Our son's online poultry sale has been in full swing this week. Here's the link to his auction

We're getting some beautiful morning sunrises. Couldn't resist taking this photo

October is just about on us. So these Shetland ram lambs will be ready for processing next week. The weather is cold enough outside now. We carry out the entire process here. No stress for the animals with transport and abattoirs. Currently these rams are feeding themselves up on the apple windfalls in the orchard. Here they are under the 'Blenheim Orange' apple tree.

Our oldest son is doing his second poultry online auction. I've lost count but there must be around 300 drinkers and feeders, a dozen cages, half a dozen chicken transportation crates, and wait for it... is it around 2000 hens, cockerels and turkeys? Big job organising this one, and mum and dad are roped in. I've never helped clean so many drinkers and feeders in one go :)

There are several types of apples on our regenerative smallholding. We planted them over 30 years ago. The trees are loaded with apples and lots have already fallen to the ground. The most prolific ones are the Bramley apple, the Katies, and the Blenheim Orange. We've gathered up some baskets full from the ground and already started the ferment process for around 10 litres of our own organic apple cider vinegar. It'll take a few months before it's ready. Watch this space and we'll let you know when we have a video of it over on our youtube channel. 

Although we’ve made our batch of 10 bottles of elderberry syrup in readiness to boost our immune systems during the cold months, we’ve already given some away to a friend that needs it now. Fortunately some of the elder trees still have some great berries on them. So we’re picking some more and hoping to fill a few more bottles.With some of our trees, the elder has already peaked and gone. But with others, they are just coming to their peak. So if you thought you were too late and might have missed all the berries, just go and find some of your local trees on roadsides and in parks and you might still be able to harvest some.