Beth Withers and her family
Well, to be honest with you, it has all been a bit of kafuffle this last month.
Like most other farmers, we haven't known if we were coming or going with harvest, hay making was a non-starter and, with the butchers shop it was hard to tell whether to prepare BBQ food or comforting winter roasts.
To sum it up it has been a rather unusual summer holiday and it has completely thrown me.
So, how have we actually got on?
Well, the summer holidays are first and foremost a juggling act with childcare, and there is always the constant weather watching for hay making and harvest.
With such a poor summer it has meant everything is delayed and as of today, we still haven't actually finished combining, which is a first. The weather for haymaking was so poor that we actually ended up making twice the silage that we normally make so, the yard is pretty crowded with bales right now - at least we have something for winter.
During the summer we didn't go anywhere. It's one of the busiest times of year and we made the conscious decision that this year we would stay at home due to me now working on the farm and the shop. It also meant time off would be harder than ever.
We have had some family trips - to the field to see the combine in action. Nothing better than a car boot tea, the birds circling round and watching the farm machines do their thing.
We also committed to some dates for family day trips. We visited a local historical castle which was a brilliant day out, and on one of the sunnier days we headed to the coast. It was such a lovely feeling to relax on the sand.
The beach we visited was actually Barry Island - we are big Gavin and Stacey fans, so we thought, why not go to the beach there just because we can, and it was so good.
It had lovely sand, the boys went jumping and swimming in the sea and as the tide went out it revealed rock pools, so we spent a long-time hunting for fish and crabs.
There were amusements, rides, what I call ‘tat shops' and even Gavin and Stacey special fish and chips. When I closed my eyes, I listened to the boys playing and having fun, with the sand between my toes and the sun beaming down, and for that split moment it felt like we were actually abroad.
Our other day out was to a local countryside show. It was pouring with rain, and I mean really pouring. We made the decision to go anyway, so with wellies, all in ones suits and a couple of umbrellas we headed out. It had everything you expect from a local show - craft tents, food stall, games, animal competitions, and a big presence of the young farmers competing in tug of war. Despite the weather it was lovely to see lots of friendly faces, sit by the ring side and eat an ice-cream watching the entertainment. A good day had by all.
With the price of holidays at the moment and the pressure we have over the summer months, I learned this year that by making day plans and sticking to those dates we can save money and make just as many happy memories without the need for a holiday.
Farm wise, I think this summer we spent less time out on the actual yard than we ever have before. The boys are now five, three and one, and I found this came with challenges I haven't faced before. They want to be independent and certainly don't stay still but, they are too young to understand the dangers in the yard. Although we have built the standard hay fort, driven around on our mini gator and been round many times to collect the eggs, being on the yard this year just felt too dangerous when on my own.
See also: The 草榴社区 Guardian's Next Generation children's special
In the past I have put pressure on myself to get them out learning, participating and watching the jobs, but this year I have found peace knowing they have just as much fun, they are safe, and I can actually relax myself by just simply sticking to the garden.
With school now back open, I am glad to have some routine back and a bit of normality from week to week - I personally thinks the kids need it.
We have two of the boy's birthdays this month and my head very much turns to Christmas as I like to get organised and sorted before the butcher's shop gets a bit crazy.
We have the combining to finish and with this all of the ploughing and planting to start.
The tups need to go out which means a whole host of sheep work needs to be completed.
Oh, and we also have a big project that has been underway for several months in the background, although I won't reveal anything yet as I would hate to jinx it. This seems to all be coming to fruition with lots of work ahead of us in the coming months.
Maybe this month will be just as busy and flyby, just as the summer holidays have done but, one thing is for sure - I am looking forward to getting out the winter throws, the snuggly dressing gown and beginning hot chocolate season.
