Today we burned the grass. The above photos will give you an idea of the progression of the day.
After yesterday’s rain it was certainly damp enough to risk lighting a fire in the fields. Unfortunately, the rain also meant the grass was partially soaked. Rather than a quick 3-4 hour burn, it took about 7 hours. The day started out wet and several squalls blew threw with more hard rain. When the first downpour started I ran back to the house for an umbrella. We could hear the rain approaching each time (like a rushing stream getting closer and closer) and we huddled under the umbrella each time until it passed.
We started out the day with three piles as large as the first pile we lit plus about a dozen smaller piles scattered around the terraces. After getting the burn pile well alight we kept piling on more grass. Luckily, the grass at the bottom of each pile was still dry so there was enough fuel to keep the fire burning hot throughout the process. It is interesting how the burn pile never gets any larger than it starts out. The fire eats the middle out of the pile, we dump more grass on it and the fire gobbles it up. Eventually all the grass was on the burn pile and the terraces were nice and tidy.
By early afternoon the sky cleared and we basked in the sun watching the last of the pile smolder and collapse in on itself. We sat on the green plastic lawn chairs we hauled out beside the burn pile and watched and watched. Every ten minutes or so one of us would get up and poke at the fire, pulling more grass onto the hot spots and digging unburned grass from the bottom of the pile and putting it on the top. Each time the breeze blew the coals flared, a little more grass blazed and the column of smoke swirled and shifted. Finally, about 6 pm Dom threw some water on the remains of the pile. Right now he is outside checking it again. He will make at least one more trip outside before we got to bed.
After yesterday’s rain it was certainly damp enough to risk lighting a fire in the fields. Unfortunately, the rain also meant the grass was partially soaked. Rather than a quick 3-4 hour burn, it took about 7 hours. The day started out wet and several squalls blew threw with more hard rain. When the first downpour started I ran back to the house for an umbrella. We could hear the rain approaching each time (like a rushing stream getting closer and closer) and we huddled under the umbrella each time until it passed.
We started out the day with three piles as large as the first pile we lit plus about a dozen smaller piles scattered around the terraces. After getting the burn pile well alight we kept piling on more grass. Luckily, the grass at the bottom of each pile was still dry so there was enough fuel to keep the fire burning hot throughout the process. It is interesting how the burn pile never gets any larger than it starts out. The fire eats the middle out of the pile, we dump more grass on it and the fire gobbles it up. Eventually all the grass was on the burn pile and the terraces were nice and tidy.
By early afternoon the sky cleared and we basked in the sun watching the last of the pile smolder and collapse in on itself. We sat on the green plastic lawn chairs we hauled out beside the burn pile and watched and watched. Every ten minutes or so one of us would get up and poke at the fire, pulling more grass onto the hot spots and digging unburned grass from the bottom of the pile and putting it on the top. Each time the breeze blew the coals flared, a little more grass blazed and the column of smoke swirled and shifted. Finally, about 6 pm Dom threw some water on the remains of the pile. Right now he is outside checking it again. He will make at least one more trip outside before we got to bed.
Throughout the afternoon we also heard grunting and squealing from near the stream in the woods at the bottom of our property. Occasionally whatever it was sounded rather angry or excited. We think it was probably some of the cinghiali (wild boar) that have been prolific this year. It certainly sounded like pigs. They might have been eating the walnuts that fall from the trees down there. Whatever they were doing we were glad they stayed down in the woods.
Now we are all ready to start the olive harvest on Monday.
Now we are all ready to start the olive harvest on Monday.
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