After a few minor technical issues since the wedding the shaz transporter has now returned to her rightful place as head of the grain carting team. This once ugly duckling of an army green Bedford 4x4 TM was painted up in great style to collect Sharon and I from the church and transport us back to the reception in style. On the way back we stopped of for a few pictures on top of the downs looking back-over Newbury.

We have been busy combining grain for the last few days between the rain storms which have kind of hampered harvest some what. We would normally be thinking about cutting our last fields and getting ready for the planting season by now but this year we still have more than half to do but I'm hoping to start planting later in the week. Its all going to be a lot of work for all of the team this year because of the weather putting us back so much.

We are lucky that we have such good relations with our neighbouring farmers. It's times like these when it pays to have a close working relationship between us all. Today I moved one neighbours combine harvester over to our farm so that they can help us out. They have finished and have agreed that they could spare some time to help us catch up which will prove really useful. It does mean that I have to for-fit my place in the combine race that I hold with my friend Chis from lincolnshire though. each year we let each other know who is the first to start, and then keep tracks with each other through harvest in a bid to be the first one to finish. the only rule is that we're not allowed to cheat by getting in any other combines. It is surprising how close we normally are, but this year would have been different any way because he went out and got a bigger combine in the first place. If anybody is wandering why they can see a hive of activity going on in the fields day and night its because were in a desperate bid to catch up and get all the crops of and the new ones planted before the autumn weather comes in and stops us from working the ground not because we want to keep the countryside up all night promise!