Meet the Billy the Labrador and under-gardener.  He’s ten this year and has always come to the plot with me.  He likes to go off for a bit of a wander, a sniff and general perimeter patrol, he may then find somewhere shady to sit where he can keep an eye on me.

In recent years he has become a fan of PYO; low hanging raspberries, unattended strawberries and asparagus.  He likes sungold tomatoes and will sit by the polytunnel door waiting for strays to roll out.  His new trick is to help himself to Cucumbers.  And now I have evidence…

Two things impress me; his snout dexterity where he manages to remove the cucumber without damaging the plant, his ability to spot the ripe cucumbers and that he knows where to find the cucumber plant!

I what Monty’s dog Nigel has to say about that