Beast from the east
Posted: Monday 5 March, 2018
Monday 26th February
Wee bit of snow on the roofs this morning but none on the ground. Not looking forward to “the Beast from the East”. We’re usually at the tail end of any weather fronts but looks like we’ll be in the frontline of this one.
Linda tidied up where the wood’s been cut – all looking very neat!
Tagged Missy this morning; she was tagged as a calf of course, but managed to lose both tags, which is quite an achievement.
Looked out the passports and registration documents ready for the weekend when they should be off to their new home.
Tuesday 27th February
Snow showers and a cold easterly wind.
Went to EP to put hay in for the steers and they were out in the stackyard. They had lifted one of the gates off its hinges.
It’s now tied on and I bought some split pins at Harbro. Also picked up some licks for cattle and sheep.
Wednesday 28th February
Cold and windy in the morning but no real snow. By afternoon, the weather really closed in and an amber warning in place for travel.
The water taps were frozen this morning – including the one in the feed store.
Put up a windbreak at the field shelter for the heifers; the shelter is, of course, built for the prevailing wind here so the east wind is blowing straight in.
Field shelter windbreak.
Put hay in for the cows; a bit worried that we’re running short.
My talk to a local women’s group is cancelled.
Tesco man makes it through with our shopping. What a hero!
Thursday 1st March
Very, very windy; not a lot of snow, but the winds are creating drifts. The dogs are loving it.
The windbreak at the field shelter has worked well.
The cows in the barn are completely unconcerned by the weather, they don't seem to notice the snow blowing through the boarding - Blizzard had a snow-caked face this morning!
Snow-caked Blizzard.
Gave the ponies some hay; the first this winter. The vet was booked to come today to do Bug and Smokey’s teeth and tetanus and jag the heifers to stop any pregnancy but Lucy phoned to call off.
We agreed to postpone the ponies but she popped out to jag the heifers. They’re all ready to go now – but not much chance of getting them away this weekend.
We did a load of baking - looks like we'll run out of milk soon but we'll be alright for bread and biscuits!
Opportunist batch-baking.
Friday 2nd March
It’s not nice out there. Grateful we’re not worse though, compared to some places. Our drifts are only a foot deep. Roads are bad though. Fretting about hay.
Dan took the dogs for a walk to the golf course - they are loving the snow.
Snow corgs.
Definitely having winter tyres on the car next year.
Worked on Festival stuff – some progress made.
Saturday 3rd March
Wind’s dropped and there’s a hint of a thaw.
Dan checked the bees today; two colonies are dead and two are strong. The two dead colonies both had stores, but were also both new splits last year so not terribly strong going into winter.
One of the surviving ones was requeened last year with a really nice queen, so that’s good. He made some fondant and fed them as a precaution.
Fondant for bees.
Orchard pruning continues.
Sunday 4th March
Real thaw on now. Lindsay kindly delivered three bales of hay with his big tractor. Not all heroes wear capes :-)
I finished sorting out the freezers. We don’t seem to have a lot of bacon :-(
Dan cracked on with the apple tree pruning – he’s completed three of the six paddocks.
Lit the stove in the house for the first time in ages; Tom likes it but not as much as Bertie does.
Bertie and Tom enjoying the stove.
He’s claimed prime spot now Felix is gone.
