Bacon / Panforte / Tools - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 30 November, 2020

by Rosemary at 11:34am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 23^rd November

Cold today, or at least colder than it’s been. Beautiful sunrise, then it clouded over and then cleared again. Not much to do in the office – I need to file but can’t quite raise the enthusiasm.

Set off to pick up the last Festival trophy and post it – trophy shop closed; East Pitkerro to check the steers – Charlie loves his bucket now. Might put some hay out for them this week; Sainsbury’s for lemonade and hazelnuts; Harbro for Closamectin, but they didn’t have any. Fifty per cent success.

Made panforte – expanding my festive gift repertoire. I put too much spice in – will try again with just cinnamon and ginger, no nutmeg or cloves.

Panforte.

Dan has the smoker fired up – bacon, sausages and cheddar cheese all smoked.

Bacon.

Tuesday 24^th November

I don’t think it’s going to get light today. Dan put the bacon in the freezer, to firm up for slicing than sliced, packed and froze it.

Nik, the cattle foot trimmer, was here this afternoon. It was a good time – two cows into the second trimester and one empty. Ace was a star, Blizzard less so. Still that should see them comfy for the winter.

Rosie's pedicure.

Back to Harbro for Closamectin and two licky buckets for the ewes.

Wednesday 25^th November

Scoot has a green bum; job done or as done as it’s going to be. Not much action in the BFL pen though.

Thursday 26^th November

Took Penfold to the vet for his annual check – he’s fine and has put on some weight, back up to 4.8kg.

Dan was working on his tool store this afternoon – sorting through the dozens of “Family Circle” biscuit boxes containing “Odds and sods” and “More odds and sods”. I kid you not.

Friday 27^th November

Off to a good start this morning. Dan went off with a load of muck to the farm and picked up two bales of hay on the way back – which was one of tomorrow’s jobs, so we’re ahead! Put a hay rack in for the Ryelands – the Shetland ewes will be going back in with them tomorrow, now that two green bums have been achieved. Then the field shelter was cleaned out and hay put in for the BFL. I also sorted out the pen the tup lambs are going in – salt lick, water bucket, filled hay nets. Normally I don’t use haynets because they’re hellish for getting ear tags ripped out but neither tup lamb has tags in yet, so it will be fine.

Started to take down the shelves in the feed store but they’re fixed to the wall in one place and I can’t get the screw out – it’s a job for SuperDan tomorrow. So, took down what I could – Tara’s going to pressure wash them. She loves pressure washing stuff, bless her.

Shelves coming down in the feed store.

Had half an hour in the veg garden before t got too dark - hoed two beds, including the one for the raspberries and strawberries. These were delivered yesterday so I want to get them in over the next couple of days.

Put Closamectin on the three cows and Ace; will do the two big calves in the morning. I don’t think Aurora needs doing – she’s not eating grass yet.

Saturday 28^th November

Wow! First hard frost of the year. Busy day, and lots achieved. Dan unloaded hay here while I split the two tup lambs from the Shetland ewes and reunited the ewes with the three Ryeland ewes. They were all remarkably obliging.

Managed to Closamectin on the two calves before they went out, so that’s them done. Will do the other two on Monday.

Then off to East Pitkerro with two bales of hay – one for the shed, in preparation for housing, and one for the field. The two steers were getting tucked in when we left.

Tara, Rebecca and I went out for a wee ride – it’s been a glorious day.

After lunch, Dan and I finished taking down the shelves in the feed store and Dan took out the door, window and panel – and hit himself in the face with the crowbar. Oh, I could see it swelling.

Door and window panel almost out.

Graham the Joiner is coming on Tuesday to put in the shuttering for the new floor, which hopefully will get poured next week, then Graham will be back on the 7^th to start framing, insulating and panelling. It’s going to be fair braw.

The lintel in the feed store is wood and probably over 150 years old.

Wooden lintel.

Long list for tomorrow too.

Sunday 29^th November

Well, the long list didn’t all get done but I did ride with Tara. We took the Ave and Smokey to see Tara’s girls and their chum, who’s pony mad. Smokey liked the idea of a picnic with carrots. He’s very good in built up areas.

It’s been a but damp and grey; the sun got out for a bit in the afternoon though. For the last few days of November, we can’t really complain. Dan’s eye is really swollen and is a spectacular range of colours but he says it’s not very sore. He took himself off the Arbroath for some shopping and a trip to Screwfix for fittings for his tool board. He spent most of the afternoon sorting through the tools store contents – the old store is almost empty, although all the screws and tools and “stuff” in the new one hasn’t been put away yet, the rubbish has been culled out.

We put more raddle on Murray – we now have a genuine green bum in the BFL; she and Murray were well loved up today. Fingers crossed that he’ll catch the other two in the next ten days. We moved the hurdles to give the tup lambs a bit more grass, so that made them happy. Food or sex – either are acceptable for happiness.

Definitely have to have a day in the garden tomorrow. It’s to be 9C and light cloud, so it should be quite pleasant.