Why does it take so long?

Yesterday I managed to get to the plot nice and early with the intention of mowing the grass, planting some tomatoes, sowing some carrot and forking over between the raspberries on my new plot. Easy!

Started the mower and this imediately brought out Ron from under his rhubarb. As he seems to have spent most of his 83 years on the site I had to spend some time in dentistry mode extracting information.

A couple more stripes on the path then the new bee-keepers association arrived to set up the apiary beyond the trees.

The moment they left me, I was greeted by the anti-beekeepers lobby woefully pointing out that my neat rows of cornflowers, verbena bonariensis and comfrey are going to get covered in bees.

Well! They took a bit of persuading but eventually left just as the Irish contingent called in to investigate the rumours that I was going to grow bigger rhubarb than Ron. (Yes, well I had forgotten about the 75 ltr tub with a Gunnera in it).

So I ask you. Why does it take 4 hours to cut the grass?