More rain

We are almost at an end of the year and it’s still pouring down. The flooded area still hasn't receded and wont this year. The weather report says more rain. The ground is so saturated that a muddy path is building alone the route I walk along to check on trees.

I have spoken to Chris again and we both wondered around the trees to see the damage that was caused last week. He had spoken to the jockeys and kids who have been known to walk through the orchard on their horses, occasionally stopping to graze on the grass.

The damage is amongst a group of trees in the top right hand side of the orchard. It looks like a number of trees have been affected. Chris was trying to tell me that it could have been deer but it seems unlikely. I am sure we must get small deer in and around the area, the damage was closer to where the horses live and the areas affects seem to be too high to be deer. The horses are still the prime suspects.

I checked on the bees and they are fine. I have topped up the fondant on all the hives.

This year has been the wettest and worst for an orchard. It’s been tough and very frustrating. I look forward to the New Year.