He has a business plan. He’s determined. He’s seven.

Eddie was still a toddler when he earned himself the nickname ‘Farmboy’.  He has a natural affinity with animals – a real Dr Doolittle connection and a serious sense of responsibility.  He has loved learning about growing plants, of taking a seed and some dirt and watching it become something else.  And if it becomes and edible something else, well that’s even better.

He has recently taken on the responsibility of feeding and watering the chickens – voluntarily I might add.  Where Caitlin runs around like a mosquito with its bum on fire trying to get the harassed hens back into the run, Eddie strolls, beckons and nods away to them until they calmly make their way in.

As autumn sets in Eddie is still trying  to find methods of planting and growing things. His lovingly nurtured apple tree sown from seed now measures 5″ tall (he measured it yesterday).  And he’s planning on getting some cress on the go.

Yesterday morning, after checking his pot of parsley on the lobby windowsill, he made an announcement.

‘I’m starting a business,’ he told us confidently.  ‘I’m going to grow and sell herbs.’

That’s a good idea, we told him.  Fresh herbs are lovely after all.

‘I might add some more things.  Like fruit and vegetables too.’

Aim high, child.  Aim high.

‘Do you have all the tools you need?  And do you know what you want to grow, exactly?  And how much will it all cost?’ we asked him.

‘If you work it all out,’ Mike told him half-jokingly, ‘we’ll give you a business loan so you can get what you need.’

Only Eddie wasn’t joking.

Rather than be put off at the sudden need for all these details he set to work.  The seed box was the first thing to tackle and tackle it he did, separating the old, expired seeds from the newer ones.  Then creating separate piles for veg, flowers and herbs.

Then came a break to watch Rocky II with his brothers (well, even the Prime Minister needs some chillax time) before he got back to work, pulling a gardening book from the shelf and drawing up a list of produce he’ll be growing, complete with a note of sowing times and time until harvesting (top pic).

‘You’re working very hard on this!’ I commented to him.

‘Well, of course!‘ he told me, seeming almost offended at my observation. ‘It is my business, you know!’

And do you know what?  If he keeps this determination up, I think he may just make it work!