The big fat wood pigeons were lined up and staring into the field.. I'm not sure what the crop is, but it was obviously fascinating to pigeons. The cow had broken in as well, so it must be good.
I remember going to the butcher on the Market Place some years ago and asking about pigeon breasts for a recipe I'd seen and fancied making. He's a licenced game butcher. No, he didn't have any pigeons in, but let him know when I wanted them and he'd 'send the boys out' for me. Once I also queried whether his chickens were free range and he replied 'Well, they were running round my yard yesterday'.
I always order my Christmas meat from him and they put your name down in a little book on a page with the appropriate weight of turkey you've ordered, then the rest of your order listed underneath, bacon, pigs in blankets, dripping, pork pies, pickled onions- the list can be endless.
I went to collect one Christmas Eve and they couldn't find my order. Panic, but J remembered writing in the little book as I'd ordered a duck as well. So, she checked all the names under the turkey weight I'd wanted. There I was- she'd written me down as Mrs Duck, she still calls me that and it was years ago.
