Produce; Nugget's escape; sheep and lambs; holiday prep
Posted: Monday 25 July, 2016
Monday 18th July
Summer’s here – for today and tomorrow according to the forecast. It was 22°C on the car thermometer when I went to check the cattle. It’s windy though.
Made raspberry jam and more blackcurrant cordial – bad day for it as the kitchen was like a sauna.
The Caerphilly came out of the cheese press today and looks really good. Can't eat it for 3 weeks though. :-(
Caerphilly fresh from the press.
Wallace now lame in the front leg that was originally lame BUT he’s much better on the back leg. Fingers crossed that the infection is being chased out. I’ve started giving him an extra bottle of milk, just to keep his strength up.
Tuesday 19th July
Another scorcher – and not windy!
Made more raspberry jam, but waited until evening.
Dan’s been strimming, cutting the grass in the veg garden and picking gooseberries. I’ve picked most of the rest of the blackcurrants – can’t decide between jam or more cordial.
Cleared out more of the loosebox for the freezers. The floor is very uneven so we’re going to put in a level false floor of chipboard.
Wednesday 20th July
Wow, after the scorcher – the thunderstorms. Thunder and lightening overnight and a second storm about 10am. Short burst of torrential rain, much thunder and lightening. Bryn quite relaxed – one of the advantages of living beside and Army range.
When Dan went to shut in the hens last night, Nugget, one of the cockerels had got stuck in the pig pen. After several abortive attempts to get him out without releasing the pigs, we decided that he’s just have to take his chances. We were wakened at 3am by horrendous squawking. Dan was down the stairs as quick as you like, wearing nothing more than a startled expression. Fox had gone but Nugget was hyperventilating and on the verge of collapse.
He’d got himself into the wee pen round the beech tree beside the caravan and the fox was trying to pull him through the stock netting. Dan put him safely in the caravan, half expecting him to be dead this morning. But no! He’s got a few fewer feathers and his crow is a bit croaky but Nugget lives to fight another day. Lucky boy.
Made blackcurrant jam and a sponge cake, which I sandwiched with the Apple Lemon Curd I made last week. It’s rather nice :-)
Our joiner friend Brian came to have a look at the loosebox with a view to putting a new, level floor down to accommodate the freezers – can’t do everything ourselves.
Thursday 21st July
“Home Farmer” magazine this month has a recipe for bourbon biscuits - my all time favourite. I’ve added to the list of recipes to try.
Warm and sunny today so brought all the sheep in and gave them a dose of Albex at the fluke dose and an application of Crovect.
They all look fit – even Smudge, who’s been suckling triplets, and Lucy, who always looks like a toast rack when she’s feeding lambs, look good; and no dirty bums either. Have asked the vet for 10 days more of Noroclav for Wallace.
More clearing out of the looseboxes – although we did this six years ago when we moved here, we kept stuff “just in case we need it” – well, we haven’t needed it in six years, so it’s going out.
Friday 22nd July
I pickled two dozen pullet eggs this morning; these are the remnants of the wee eggs as most are now full size.
Dan started putting tools and equipment back in the loosebox – it’s so tidy. Hope it stays that way :-) The trailer for the skip run is pretty full.
I think Wallace is looking better. He finishes his 14 day course of Noroclav on Monday then he has a further ten days.
Dan waxed the cheddar today – it looks really good. The Caerphilly looks good too.
Caerphilly and cheddar ready for the cheese cave.
We had a baked Camembert for lunch today.
Saturday 23rd July
Lovely morning this morning. Dan went off to the skip, then to pick up a second hand wardrobe in Johnshaven to convert into a smoker cabinet then to pick up stone for a path and patio. Having done that, he had to go for a couple of bales of hay.
I cleaned out the caravan hens – they get smelly long before the two wooden houses, but the caravan is very easy to clean out. It always looks like I don’t do very much :-)
Sunday 24th July
Soaking drizzle this morning. Good for the garden though. Not really brightened up today at all.
Wallace definitely looking better but I’m afraid to count my chickens :-)
Dan had Bryn at the beach today to give him some time in the car on his hew harness before we head off on our hols. He doesn't love it but he'll learn.
Beach Bryn.
Almost ready for our wee holiday to Wales; Tara, John and Linda fully briefed on all jobs including cheese turning.
