Friday, 14 August 2009

Monday. Sunny hot again. Bit of dawn grape thinning. Then to Market.

Meet nice customers at Chai. Bag of estuary shrimps (cooked with star-anise) and beers at La Plage by the river.

Then Henry gets loan of new device to till the earth between vines. We play happy farmers all afternoon – he drives, I watch. My kind of holiday this. Had I been able to, I'd have done what he's doing. Always wanted to be a farmer. Anyway this thing really works!

Mind you, if he wants to buy one it’s €7000 apparently. Further evidence, as if were needed, that being a small grower (Henry has 4 hectares) is no longer economically viable. Tractors – even tiny vineyard tractors are hugely expensive as are all these devices you hang on them. Then add all the cellar equipment! When I first came to this village there was just one tractor (it’s still going). The rest used oxen and horses!



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