Diary
Rain / Black Blues / Barn
Monday 12 August, 2019
Monday 5th August
Heavy rain overnight, but still warm; more rain during the day. Took the two cull ewes to the abattoir and saw the new tannery – we wish the bloke every success. We’ll certainly use him.
Our three black Bluefaced Leicester ewe lambs arrived today – goodness, they’re skittish. Not sure about the pre-chosen names of Roo, Kanga and Priscilla. This needs further consideration. They are very beautiful.
The Black Blues enjoyng the field shelter.
Archie / Blueberries / Silage
Monday 5 August, 2019
Monday 29th July
Warm and overcast; really humid. Woke up to the calves bawling; there had been a fence breakthrough between Near Top and Home. It was always a weak bit of fence – in fact, we’ve never replaced it. Persuading them to go back was fun – Ace met the pigs and that made him very excited. We had arranged for the vet to come out to jag the cows with Prosolvin, castrate Archie and BVD test the calves. He came early, just after 10am, which was good as it gave me less time to worry about it. I’m really enjoying watching “This Farming Life” – and realising it’s not just us.
Zenith / Barn / Tours
Monday 29 July, 2019
Monday 22nd July
Cloudy, damp, warm and windy. Blizzard’s calf was born at 8.30am – a week earlier than we expected, but she’s perfect. I was lucky enough to be there. She’s dun like her mum, with a little white. She’s been called Rosedean Zenith. We already have a buyer interested, on Skye.
Blizzard and Zenith.
Flowers / Cordial / Mats
Monday 22 July, 2019
Monday 15th July
Cloudy and warm, but the sun came out at lunchtime. Made more blackcurrant cordial.
The ponies escaped again – it will be good when the fence is up. They rub on the hurdles and knock them over. Fortunately, they just go as far as the hay bale, but gthey do make a mess.
Tuesday 16th July
Another lovely day. Jane was here to trim Leo’s feet.
Blizzard has a wee discharge, but seems fine. Two weeks to go. Moved the cattle out of Laing’s Field into one of our paddocks – smaller and closer. Annie’s udder is much improved and is sound.
Bees / Blackcurrants / Field Shelter
Monday 15 July, 2019
Monday 8th July
Lovely day, so ditched the office and spent the day outside. Dan saw two foxes last night – a big dog fox and a smaller one, either a youngster or a vixen. His late night apple thinning is keeping them away from the hens.
Picked and cooked more strawberries; they really have been amazing.
The cheeps seem quite settled in their pen.
I carried on weeding; Dan made elderflower cordial and checked the bees.
The strip grazing is going well – you can see where the ponies have been!
Fox (again) / Wildflowers / Penfold
Tuesday 9 July, 2019
Monday 1st July
The summer continues with warm, sunny weather. Hopefully, Lindsay’s getting in lots of plenty good hay! I spent the morning doing some paperwork. It never goes away. I try to deal with emails promptly and there can be a lot of them.
Gave Limpy Lamb his second dose of antibiotic. I keep thinking about Wallace and his long struggle with joint ill, and cross my fingers and toes.
Decided to stop milking for now; Archie is now taking most of Annie’s milk and I don’t want to take the calves off. So back to Graham’s Organic, until Blizzard calves at the end of the month.
Lightning / Barn / Beans
Tuesday 2 July, 2019
Monday 24th June
Heavy rain overnight, as forecast. Access to the barn is now restricted, so Ace wasn’t allowed in this morning.
Ace, wanting in.
The duck has gone. I guess the crows took all her ducklings and she left. Sad.
Urquhart tried to make me think he was dead. Wish he wouldn’t do that.
Urquhart, not dead.
Barn / Strawberries / Rosie
Monday 24 June, 2019
Monday 17th June
So changeable today – warm, cold, sunny, raining. Four seasons in one day and just a few days to the Summer Solstice. Dan topped our neighbours paddocks but it was too long and wet for a good job, so he’ll need to go back. Then he went back to his thistle pulling!! The man’s on a mission.
Moved the sheep to Near Top – they do get excited about it, bless ‘em.
The pears are developig well - looks like a good crop.
Pears.
Dead lamb and mucky straw
Monday 17 June, 2019
Monday 10th June
Sunny and breezy today. Moved the sheep to Home, with access to the wee paddock the caravan is in. The grass is pretty long in there and I’d rather they ate it down than us cut it.
Dan topped Near Top – nice to be topping, in comparison to last year, when we were scrabbling around for grass. Then he checked the bees – all way well; they are very busy and he should be able to take some honey in the next couple of weeks.
Did some paperwork, sowed three varieties of beetroot and did some weeding in the veg garden.
Swarm / Gooseberries / Grass
Monday 10 June, 2019
Monday 3rd June
Not a bad day, weatherwise. This combination of sun and showers is great – just need a few nice dry days for the hay.
We had one very heavy shower - and Ace wanted to come in. Wuss.
Ace, not enjoying the rain
Our new farrier came to trim Smokey, who was as good as gold so the farrier will be back in eight weeks. It’s not easy getting a farrier and even harder to get a good and reliable one.
