Smallholding
Rora / Rain / Squashes
Tuesday 10 August, 2021
Monday 2nd August
Today saw Rosie, Bronte and Rora return to the herd. Rora headed for her mum to suckle but Blizzard said, quite firmly, “Not on your Nellie”. So I guess she’s weaned now. Next job was to clean out the field shelter ready for – whomever.
On the first day of his holidays proper, Dan cut the grass and strimmed all the edges. Looks very tidy.
The calves have chewed the end of the hose. Now the water comes out in four directions, as I found out this afternoon when I got a cold shower.
Rosie / Storm / Lammas
Monday 2 August, 2021
Monday 27th July
Hot, muggy. Rosie is in season and she’s lame, which gives me a dilemma – I want her served but I can’t bring her in with Ace because the mats get slippy if they are wet and if he mounts her and she slips, she could do serious damage. So I’m hoping she’ll be better tomorrow. The gods love an optimist.
Tuesday 28th July
Still hot and muggy – we’re just waiting for the rain.
Rosie is still lame and still in season. We’ve bought a new bull. He’s called Hartons Grey, born mid-April. I like him a lot and his dam looks like a good cow. Now I have to arrange for Ace to go to the abattoir, which is making me sad.
Drone / Vegetables / Polands
Monday 26 July, 2021
Monday 19th July
Annie is fine this morning, so I’ve put her back with Ace and Rosie. I’ve let Rora out with Blizzard into the wee paddock by the barn, but will bring both in at night so Rora’s lessons can continue. It’s so quiet!!
Sheldon looks better today; he’s eating and drinking without encouragement. Fingers crossed. The remaining twenty hens seem fine, but I’m well over a dozen eggs a day down. I’ll try and get another twenty if I can.
Mastitis / Gooseberries / Fox
Monday 19 July, 2021
Monday 12th July
Bit of haar, then the sun came out and it was very warm.
I milked Annie out with the machine – about 2.5 litres – and she’s not sore at all. There was a cut on her teat and a bit of flappy skin, but that came off when I washed her, so I think that will make her more comfortable. Blizzard was obviously stimulated by the noise of the machine and was leaking milk. Maybe not dry yet.
The flies are torture.
Tuesday 13th July
Rora’s doing well at her halter training. She now stands and lets me put it on (pretty much) because she knows she gets her bucket afterwards. They’re no daft, cows.
Blizzard / Pond / Mastitis
Monday 12 July, 2021
Monday 5th July
Heavy rain showers and I had a bit of a duvet day. After the chores were done, of course. Blizz is lame again, off hind. Again. My guess is a recurrence of the abscess.
Wee Donald, our Poland cockerel, looks a bit over whelmed, so he’s gone to Tara for a wee while, until he’s bigger and more mature. He and Tilly, her Serama, have hit it off.
Tuesday 6th July
Showery and cooler today. Quick trip to Harbro and the supermarket for some bits and bobs.
Donald / Lambs / Elderflower
Tuesday 6 July, 2021
Monday 28th June
Still warm and dry. Spent some time in the vegetable garden; early peas are ready and delicious and the early tatties (Red Duke of York) are ready. And the Mini Munch cucumber in the polytunnel.
Ace and Rosie looking loved up today, but I haven’t seen her stand for him. Marked 17 days in the diary.
Home produced pork, peas and new potatoes for dinner.
Tuesday 29th June
Overcast in the morning, bit of haar, but the sun came out in the afternoon and it was hot, hot, hot
Sea / Grass / Rocky
Monday 28 June, 2021
Monday 21st June
I’ve organised for the vet to come an take a second blood sample from Blizzard a week tomorrow; he’ll take samples from the two calves for BVD too.
Office stuff and weeding.
Tuesday 22nd June
Ace and Annie seem a bit loved up. She calved 26th April, so she could well be in season. I didn’t see her served though. Just need to keep an eye out in 17 days or so.
Lorna and I had a walk along Carnoustie sea front. Very blessed.
Blizzard / Tests / Topping
Monday 21 June, 2021
Monday 14th June
Quite a lot of rain overnight, which is welcome. Just pottered about today until the footie at 2pm.
Tuesday 15th June
Dry, sunny, breezy.
Well, this is a blow. Contacted the vet about the results from the cattle blood tests. All cattle clear for everything - IBR, Lepto, Neospora and Johne's except we have an inconclusive test for Johne’s from Blizzard. Not quite sure yet what the consequences are – there will be a retest. Feeling gutted. In touch with our vet and reading up. Can’t believe she’s got it – she’s probably a condition score 4 and is carrying her tenth calf in ten years.
Flowers / Calves / Lambs
Monday 14 June, 2021
Monday 7th June
Another glorious day. Had a cheeky wee smallholder’s lie-in, then took our daughter swimming. Then some paperwork. How can it be a month since the last credit card bill came in? But it is.
Dan and I had a happy hour weeding in the veg garden before dinner. Three of the four transplanted blueberries have survived he move. Mixed blessing as their expected demise would have given me space for loganberries and tayberries. I’ll find a space somewhere.
Sunshine / Cows / Broken PTO
Monday 7 June, 2021
Monday 31st May
First job this morning was to dose the lambs with white wormer to protect them against Nematodirus; the NADIS report said we were a red area.
I rode Smokey. Actually put on the saddle and bridle and rode him in the field. I think he was a bit surprised. So was I.
Tuesday 1st June
Dan started topping Laing’s Field. It takes about four hours, so he’ll do an hour after work until it’s done.
Tara and I took the ponies for a walk.
