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Bugsy / Blizzard / Bakeware / TomRSS feed

Posted: Monday 15 January, 2018

by Rosemary at 11:37am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 8th January

Cold – minus 7°C overnight. So this morning, all the water to the fields is frozen AND the water in the feed store, which is unusual

Tuesday 9th January

One of those grey, mild days that never get light. The water’s unfrozen though, so it’s an ill wind...

I’m pressing on with mucking out the barn round the back of the ring feeder – at four barrows a day, I reckon I’ll have it done by the weekend.

Had a trip to Harbro in Forfar for some bits and pieces – ordered a Haybell for the ponies and cattle.

At the moment the ponies aren’t getting any hay – they’re grazing the “standing hay” in Laing’s Field.

Bought Closamectin – delighted to find it was cheaper than most places on-line.

Wednesday 10th January

Mild and grey again today – most of the standing water in the fields has now gone.

Vet was out to take a blood sample from Bug to see how his Cushing’s medication is working; he had a look at his feet and opened up a wee abscess.

Gave Bug’s feet a good clean and put his boots on, although he’s moving well without them.

Put Closamectin on the bull and the two heifers.

Thursday 11th January

Sunny and warm; well, relatively.

The steers at East Pitkerro got a new bale of hay and a fresh bed.

I cleaned out two henhouses, pruned the blueberries and started to tidy out the potting shed.

Friday 12th January

Bug’s lost a boot. They’re £80 each. Checked the two paddocks without joy – but he spends most of his time in the 10 acre field with the really long grass. I’m not hopeful of finding it.

Put the electric fences on in Sheepfold so the ponies can access the track round it but they’re not very interested. I’m keeping the centre grass for ewes and lambs.

Also created a track from the Triangle to Laing’s Field using electric tape, excluding the ponies from the two Ditch paddocks. They have done their job of manuring them, now the grass needs a chance to recover.

Poor Blizzard is very lame. Got the vet out, and with the aid of a gate, a halter, two ropes and a bucket of carrots, we got her foot up for examination. There was nothing obvious so the vet jagged her with an antibiotic and Metacam ( I think I should have shares in Metacam).

I’ll try and get the trimmer out soon to give them all a trim up.

Saturday 13th January

Blizzard seems a bit better this morning but isn’t sound. Washed her foot with hot water and sprayed with blue spray. Not sure if it helps, but I have to try.

Halter training the heifers is going well; they’ll get their halters on without the bribe of the sugar beet bucket (although it can take a bit of cajoling) and they stand quietly once tied up.

Dan and I and the dogs spend an hour in Laing’s Field looking for the missing boot but without luck.

Lucy rush controlLucy and Smokey - organic rush control.

Lucy was doing her bit for rush control.

Sunday 14th January

Blizzard’s a bit better again, so washed and sprayed her foot. Dan and Andy were splitting and stacking logs.

I baked for the first time since Christmas – just scones, gingernuts and coconut cookies. Swiss Roll next. I’ve never made a Swiss Roll.

Why don’t those who develop recipes standardise the bakeware needed? Dan bought me a “Bake Off’ book at Christmas with some really good recipes but some need a 20.5cm tin, some 23cm and so on – and of course none of my tins are that size.

Then looked in Lakeland, with a view to buying a couple of compliant tins – and their bakeware is different sizes again. Aaaargh!

Tom, our new cat, is settling in. He spent all day indoors today – that’s a first.

Usually, he goes out before dawn and comes in about 7pm, but today he spent the whole day on the sofa. He’s fine with the other cats but he’s still not sure about the dogs, but he’s getting better.

He needs to note the total disdain with which Diesel, Bertie and Pen treat Bryn and Gwenna – he would be reassured.

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