As we enter a new year, most people reflect on the outgoing one for a while and I’m no different.

Yes, I do retrospection well and while the family motto is Regardez L’Avenir (Look to the Future), it’s not really me. I overindulge myself reflecting on what is past. It’s not a good way to be but I suspect most people who are prone to bouts of depression are similar.

So let me begin with a positive and abiding memory. While many people think the entire summer of 2025 was good, I still managed to make the wettest pit silage ever and the run-up week to our second daughter’s wedding at home on 5 July was distinctly showery and iffy.

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However, the morning of the big day dawned bright and dry but unseasonably windy.

In fact, it was so windy, that the tablecloths in the Bedouin tent and the place settings and menu cards were flying everywhere and with overtopping waves in the water jugs drenching everything. All of which greatly distressed wedding planner Sarah. Thankfully the bride was oblivious to this pandemonium.

Anyhow after the service, my new son-in-law was to drive the open-top Morgan back to our house, who, despite a practice run the day before, was taking a while to get used to its foibles.

With another daughter despatched and the church service over, myself and Mrs P jubilantly returned home in the sunshine.

My abiding memory is of droves of party-minded people gaily walking from their cars and bus towards the garden. My phone rang – a UK number that I didn’t know, so I ignored it.

But the caller persisted, so gruffly I answered it. It was my new son-in-law who was stuck in Trim unable to release the Morgan handbrake. Mrs P said please don’t bite his head off as it’ll spoil the day.

I had to rush back into Trim – they had been taking pictures at the castle – and be ultra nice and patient with James and get them motoring again.

With that aside, we had a wonderful day in the sunshine, the garden heaving with young guests, a memory which seems very surreal now it as I look upon the greyness of the winter garden.

The year in the fields

Prior to the harvest and following the good crop establishment of autumn 2024, I had thought that we were in for a cracker of a harvest.

Though, crucially, the weather was poor for flowering and yield-wise it was an average harvest really, notable only for its early start and finish, which was nice. And the weather was agreeable. But the low prices have made it one to forget.

As for this autumn, what can you say? The monsoon season began after a disappointing September and it hasn’t stopped raining since making the September to December rainfall very similar to the terrible autumn of 2023 (totals not to hand yet).

While our crops were sown in good conditions, we are going to end up with some miserable-looking patchy, thin crops, come the spring. But to be optimistic, maybe they will come good yet – as we saw with this harvest, a good autumn establishment doesn’t necessarily guarantee great crops.

The cattle were really the star of the show as they were bought cheap in autumn 2024 and mostly sold north of €7.50kg dead weight, leaving incredible margins. But that’s very much a one hit wonder and with very high store prices this autumn, next year could be the complete opposite. Anyhow we will have to take whatever comes – look to the future – and may I wish you a healthy and happy New Year. Nothing else matters.