Farmer Alain

Farmer Alain has very kindly left us a 'skip' in which to put anything for burning. Ordinary folk are not allowed to burn things any more, due to the high risk of cataclysmic forest fires in this region, but farmers are allowed to do many special things. Unfortunately, he's not interested in taking the three thousand tons of old straw and hay. We need to sneak it down to the decheterie in van-sized loads. This will be difficult, and could take up to ten years. He did say that he would check with his horse-owning neighbour, in case he could use it for horse bedding, but the neighbour's on holiday for now.
Farmer Alain has put four cows on our bottom field, as 'they'll mow the grass'. I think what he actually said was 'Elles fauchent l'herbe'. It's a temporary measure, but it does do both of us a favour. He's erected a little electric perimeter wire. Yesterday, when I was mowing part of the top field, I was quite worried that I'd accidentally touch it as I turned.

 Farmer Alain visited us with his wife, sister and son sitting in the front scoopy part of his tractor. They live about 5km away. It's all a little surreal at the moment.

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