Good evening,

What a week it has been. The lettuce that outlasted the prime minister, talk of a second wave of Boris Johnson and now, a local flock-down.

We don’t need more bad news this week but unfortunately bad news is the flavour of the month and farming is no exception - avian flu has found its way to a large commercial flock in Billingshurst. The entire flock has been culled and there is a 10km surrounding surveillance zone set up, which includes our farm.

We have spoken to fellow flockstars and some understand that a case of avian flu would require the culling of your flock and also the shutting down of your farm for a period of time to disinfect. This would be dire for most farms as it would restrict other farming business and trading. I know local egg farmers that are already planning to cease producing eggs because of the increased cost of feed, and now the cost of required housing and risk to the rest of the farm business doesn’t make it viable. We are likely to see a reduction in the availability of free-range & organic eggs in the UK, and probably the price of good eggs to go up. Definitely not good news.

Nev & Finley finished reconstructing our hen house today and our girls are now reluctantly but safely back in the yard.

Meanwhile, apple pressing has been going well and we’ve almost filled two of our 8,000L tanks with fresh juice already.

We are serving organic pizza & mulled cider in the yard tomorrow from 1-4pm. The website is well stocked with Sussex Wagyu steaks, roasting joints & braising cuts, eggs and cider.

We hope to see you in the yard.