A Week on the Estate: Harvest Underway, Hungry Yaffle & Bargains Aplenty

We’re aiming for a versatile crop that will give us both still and sparkling varieties with intriguing changes of character over time. We’ve planted Chardonnay, Reichensteiner, Solaris, Seyval, Muscaris, Cabernet Cortis and Pinot Noir, so there’ll be something for oenophiles of every hue.

While it can take ten years for a vineyard to be regarded as fully established, this fertile Lincolnshire land may have something to offer sooner than that. Keep watching this space for news on our very own wine, fortified wine and more.

To some of our residents, flying-ant day is a nuisance; to others, it’s a late-summer treat. We offer a hat-tip to Jacqui Rhodes for snapping a green woodpecker (Picus viridis) making the most of this bounty. Many of you will know this bird by its traditional, country name, ‘yaffle’, inspired by its giddy, laughing call. The largest of our woodpeckers, the yaffle spends more time on the ground than its cousins because of its appetite for ants. A strong bill and a long, sticky tongue can turn a fair-sized ant colony into a square meal very efficiently.

Ants take flight in July or August when the right combination of warmth, humidity and low wind arises. When colonies reach capacity, mature queens grow wings and take flight to mate and found new colonies. For alert yaffles, this is Christmas; the protein flies and crawls to them without the need to probe and excavate. It’s harvest season everywhere!

Finally, the Massingberd-Mundy End of Summer Sale* got underway this week. We’re clearing the decks ready for autumn and our lovely, loyal customers have been claiming 50% off selected beef, poultry and soap.

At the time of writing, many items have already sold out. If you’ve bagged your bargain, thanks so much for supporting our vision of sustainable rural commerce. If you’re still on the lookout for fine produce at an irresistible price, here are the remaining sale items*:

– Lincoln Red Beef Roasting Joints (£11.50-£13.50)

– Norfolk Black turkey (whole, legs, breast or crown) & Lincolnshire Buff chicken (£7.50 and upwards)

– Hand-made soaps (three for £6.95)

If you’d like to join the conversation, we’d love to hear from you. Just head to our Facebook page HERE and comment beneath the latest blog post. As ever, thanks for your support.

*Terms & conditions apply. This offer will apply while stocks last to poultry, soap and most beef produce. This offer will NOT apply to steak boxes (sorry!). All applicable produce will be available at the prices stated on our website at the time of purchase. Poultry and beef produce will be available for click & collect from South Ormsby Estate on 12/8/23. Soap will be posted to you.