Smallholding
Barn / Floor / Ice
Monday 11 January, 2021
Monday 4th January
Horrible morning – cold but not frosty, icy underfoot, damp, grey. I could go on. Dan’s back to work at his desk, but took a load of manure to the local allotments first. And he gave me a hand mucking out the cattle. That’s love.
We’re both feeling a bit coldy so honey and lemon is the drink for today.
Ave’s lame – off fore.
Tuesday 5th January
Turning the lights on and off in the barn is an obstacle course. Looking forward to getting the feed store right then the byre, then the barn.
Hogmanay / Feed Store / Aurora
Monday 4 January, 2021
Monday 28th December
Well, back to work today – sort of. Dan’s planning to be in the office just a couple of hours a day for the next week, so rather than light the stove over there, we brought the computers over to the house. He’s in the spare room and I’m in the dining room. Not ideal but it’s better than freezing.
Dan made a few alterations to the hens’ caravan, which make it easier to use. We have a wire mesh panel that goes in the doorway to help ventilation through the day, but it was free standing, so had to be propped behind the bale of bedding. Now it has hinges and a proper catch. Bliss. I cleaned out the caravan this morning – it was pretty disgusting. I won’t be leaving it so long next time. Since it was a nice morning and I was in the mood, I did the two empty houses too.
Solstice / Christmas / Feed store
Monday 28 December, 2020
Monday 21st December
It’s the Solstice. The shortest day. The turn of the year. We’re on our way to Spring!
First week of poultry lockdown done. The girls seem to be bearing up fine; production has dropped a wee bit, but that’s partly the time of year, of course.
Tuesday 22nd December
Dougie the Plasterer came today to plaster the feed store. Progress.
Put hay in for the steers at East Pitkerro – first bale lasted ten days,
Feed Store / Hat / Headcollar
Thursday 24 December, 2020
Monday 14th December
No idea what happened today. Oh, hens all shut in – except we had some escapees so Dan had to do some alterations in the dark. Seeing folk on social media stressing and complaining about having to house birds – and we were no better – but we poultry keepers KNEW this would happen and we should have had a plan in place. The polytunnel here is great; the caravan set up isn’t but we’ll have it sorted as soon as the ground dries out – and it will be permanent.
Steers / Avian Flu / Feed Store
Monday 14 December, 2020
Monday 7th December
Dave the Spark started on the feed store today, taking out the old cables and dropping in the new ones. Tara started pressure washing the feed store shelves.
I made a gift tag.
Homemade gift tag.
Tuesday 8th December
Today didn’t start well. I took a bag of pellets up to the greed henhouse in a wheelbarrow. The barrow hit an underwater grass tussock and in my (successful) attempt to stop the barrow tipping, I fell in the water – about a foot deep. The only dry article of clothing I was then wearing was my bra. Thankfully, it wasn’t cold so I just cracked on, did the cattle and the ponies then cleaned the cover of the polytunnel – I was wet and filthy anyway. Hot shower then off to get my hair cut for the first time since, maybe, February.
Buns / Blues / Water
Monday 7 December, 2020
Monday 30th November
Happy St Andrews Day! Started damp but the sun came out late morning, which cheered things up a bit. Mostly in the office, apart from the daily chores. New floor in the feed store being poured on Friday. One of our new-this-year beef customers has come back wanting three more roasting joints. Says it’s the best beef he’s had in years – and he used to be a butcher. Very pleasing.
Second green bum in the BFL today. Just the one he jumped when he arrived – I’m pretty sure it was just a “Hello, I’m here; love me” rather than a genuine service.
Bacon / Panforte / Tools
Monday 30 November, 2020
Monday 23rd 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.
Tool store / Tupping / Calves
Monday 23 November, 2020
Monday 16th November
Touch of insomnia last night. Office today but slipped down to Eats Pitkerro to feed the steers.
Archie (LHS) and Charlie.
Aurora is getting to be a big girl – eats hay and everything.
Big girl Aurora eating hay.
Winter maintenance
Sunday 15 November, 2020
Monday 9th November
Overcast and damp after heavy rain last night but brightening up a it by lunchtime.
Woke up determined to focus and get through the list, then decided to strip our bed; that lead to the examination of all the pillowcases. Oh dear, some are pretty threadbare. The sheets and duvet covers were replaced a wee while back when we bought the bigger bed but the pillowcases, being unaffected by this change, were not. Counting up, they must be 25 years old. No wonder they’re threadbare.
Watch / Sheep / Office
Monday 9 November, 2020
Monday 2nd November
Rain overnight but a nice morning – colder than it’s been, but bright and dry. Fed the cattle this morning then let them out. If the weather’s OK, I’d rather they were out – and the wee one can get better exercise.
Fed the steers at East Pitkerro, did a bit of shopping and picked up flukicide for the sheep from the vet in Dundee. I bought myself a watch - £6 reduced to £3. Much easier to check the time than getting my phone out.
