Around noon, what farmer's wife hated to chop up (5)

I believe the answer is:

mince

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'chop up' is the definition.
(mincing is a kind of chopping up)

I can't explain the remainder of the clue.

(Other definitions for mince that I've seen before include "Cut fine" , "Chop into small pieces" , "Grind up (meat)" , "getting chop" , "Grind (food)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.

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