Smallholding
Wood storage
Saturday 1 October, 2011
When we moved here, there were four tattie boxes in the barn. Stacked two on two, we've been storing cut firewood in them, but they are almost full and we haven't started on the piles on wood that have accumulated over the past year. Since the tattie boxes are great for this purpose, I phoned the local sawmill to see how much they were to buy - £58 each plus VAT. Time for a rethink.
Our neighbour has a roofing business and he gave us a few empty slate boxes for firewood - just the thing. They aren't quite as deep as tattie boxes but with a bit of work, they will do the job just fine. So Dan's been working on that today.
Barn enclosure
Thursday 29 September, 2011
The walls of the 1/4 of the barn we're enclosing are complete. We're very pleased with the result.
Barn enclosure
Before the first course of the wall was built, we sized it to take 2x4ft hurdles and one 6ft hurdle neatly. Before the concrete floor was poured, we put in blocks of Kingspan about the size of the feet of the hurdles; now that the floor is set and the walls up, we've dug out the Kingspan and the hurdles now fit quite securely in the holes.
Tractor
Saturday 2 July, 2011
Dan and I were having a chat today about sheep handling facilities - at the moment, we have hurdles to make temporary pens but no race, gates, weigh crate or turning crate. This means that both of us have to be there to do any sheep tasks.
This lead us on to a discussion about other equipment and we've decided to liquidate some of our savings and invest in a small tractor and some other bits and pieces, like a topper and some sheep handling equipment. Dan will be researching the tractor and related bits; I'll be looking at the sheep stuff. What fun!
All change
Saturday 2 July, 2011
We've moved sheep, cattle and hens today - busy, busy!
The Black Rocks needed a bigger pen and we wanted them out of the Orchard, so thate we could get the sheep and cattle in there. Moving the henhouse and building the new pen was Dan's first job this morning.
Then we moved Leo, our tup, and Dickie, our wether, into the paddock at the railway. They were no bother at all - quick pedicure, a rattly bucket and we were done.
The heifers moved next - on halters and as good as gold. Very happy to be on fresh grass.
RWAS Spring Festival
Tuesday 24 May, 2011
Or the Smallholder and Garden Festival as was.
Dan and I, with our friends, Andrew and Janis, headed to Wales last weekend to visit the Smallholder Show in Builth Wells. Dan, Andrew and I have been before, but it was Janis's first time. Unlike last time, we stayed in a B&B, rather than camping.
The weather was pretty good on the Saturday, and on Sunday, early rain gave way to lovely sunshine. Of course, with the prospect of a new national Smallholder Show for Scotland, we were looking at the Show a bit differently.
Livestock Units
Monday 25 April, 2011
I've been researching infromation about managing grassland for a TAS article. One of the useful things I came across was Livestock Units (LUs), courtesy of the SAC Farm Management Handbook. Basically, LUs are a way of comparing the grazing and forage requirements of different livestock. Bear in mind that grass yields are subject to may variables, so LUs are a guide only.
A mature Friesian cow weighing 625kg, giving 4500litres of milk and producing a 40-45kg calf is defined as 1LU; all other livestock is a proportion of this. For example, a medium weight ewe is 0.08LU, a horse is 0.8LU, a lamb from birth to fat is 0.04LU.
Royal Welsh Smallholder and Garden Festival
Saturday 12 March, 2011
Booked our accommodation this morning - getting excited, even though it's still two months away.
We've been before, in 2009, and thoroughly enjoyed it. We're going both days this year because we didn't manage to see it all in one day last time.
Maybe meet a few TASers there too.
Today's list
Sunday 27 February, 2011
I had four things on today's list and I've done three. We've just had lunch - boiled eggs and soldiers. Yummy! We don't eat a lot of eggs - and not as many as Dan would like - because customer demand is outstripping supply so we have this as a weekend treat. Daft, isn't it? Oh, they were delicious.
Anyway, this morning, in addition to my normal routine, I have cleaned out the caravan and dealt with all the stuff. I finished "grooming" the sheepskin cushion covers and put them on the dining room windowsill and Felix has taken up residence, basking in the sun. I now need to sort out what needs to go into the caravan before our first guests arrive.
A few things off the "To Do" list
Sunday 27 February, 2011
Do you have a "To Do" list? I have several - there's an annual one, that has big projects on it, there's one specifically for fencing and boundaries, a planting plan for the vegetable garden and there's a daily one.
The annual action plan is so scary I can only look at it once a week, when Dan and I update it. It has completion dates and notes of who's responsible for various projects.
The fencing / boundary one is new. Dan and I walked all the boundaries last weekend and made quite detailed notes of the current condition, then decided what action needed to be taken and when (ideally). It's been subject to some amendment because of the drainage issue we have, but we're back to putting up the fence to divide Five Acre next weekend. I'll just need to be patient regarding the calves. John and Dan finished the south boundary fence of Five Acre yesterday; the east fence is new and in good condition; other two are good enough for this year. If we have time, we will refurbish part of the west boundary fence, but it's not essential.
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work...
Monday 21 February, 2011
I've ordered Smokey's French collar, harrow and scrub puller today.
Off to see Shedman about the new poultry house now.
