Smallholding
Pigs / Pots / Steers
Monday 30 August, 2021
Monday 23rd August
Sunrise was 5.55am today; by Thursday, I’ll be up before the sun rises. Just a thought.
Curtains up in the dining room – yay! Then some paperwork; moved Bean and his chum into the caravan paddock (where there is so much grass), then off to Brechin to pick up the flat trailer from Duncan Mackintosh (great service as always) and on to Forfar to collect a tonne of layer pellets.
Who needs the gym when there's a tonne of pellets to be unloaded?
Jam / Polytunnel / Keys
Monday 23 August, 2021
Monday 16th August
Cool morning, warm afternoon. Did all the outstanding paperwork except contacting the bank about access to the account of a voluntary organisation I’m involved with. I just have feelings of such despair with these things. I know it’s probably a sign of getting old, but it was so much better when there was a branch in the village with nice, helpful staff.
To cheer myself up, I made up my seed list and ordered my vegetable seeds for next year. I also want to buy some bulbs but I’m faffing over what to order. It’s pathetic really.
Willow / Lambs / Flagpole
Monday 16 August, 2021
Monday 9th August
Cool, sunny with rain overnight. There’s s definite feeling that we’re into “late summer” now.
Pretty much a full on office day, with quite a lot of Festival stuff to be done. I don’t quite know how this happened – I was only supposed to be doing the online cattle show and the goat show. Hey ho. Interfering old bag syndrome, I guess.
We did wean the lambs so it’s quite noisy. But not as bad as weaning calves though; I hope the Quietwean work when we get to that time of year.
Rora / Rain / Squashes
Tuesday 10 August, 2021
Monday 2nd August
Today saw Rosie, Bronte and Rora return to the herd. Rora headed for her mum to suckle but Blizzard said, quite firmly, “Not on your Nellie”. So I guess she’s weaned now. Next job was to clean out the field shelter ready for – whomever.
On the first day of his holidays proper, Dan cut the grass and strimmed all the edges. Looks very tidy.
The calves have chewed the end of the hose. Now the water comes out in four directions, as I found out this afternoon when I got a cold shower.
Rosie / Storm / Lammas
Monday 2 August, 2021
Monday 27th July
Hot, muggy. Rosie is in season and she’s lame, which gives me a dilemma – I want her served but I can’t bring her in with Ace because the mats get slippy if they are wet and if he mounts her and she slips, she could do serious damage. So I’m hoping she’ll be better tomorrow. The gods love an optimist.
Tuesday 28th July
Still hot and muggy – we’re just waiting for the rain.
Rosie is still lame and still in season. We’ve bought a new bull. He’s called Hartons Grey, born mid-April. I like him a lot and his dam looks like a good cow. Now I have to arrange for Ace to go to the abattoir, which is making me sad.
Drone / Vegetables / Polands
Monday 26 July, 2021
Monday 19th July
Annie is fine this morning, so I’ve put her back with Ace and Rosie. I’ve let Rora out with Blizzard into the wee paddock by the barn, but will bring both in at night so Rora’s lessons can continue. It’s so quiet!!
Sheldon looks better today; he’s eating and drinking without encouragement. Fingers crossed. The remaining twenty hens seem fine, but I’m well over a dozen eggs a day down. I’ll try and get another twenty if I can.
Mastitis / Gooseberries / Fox
Monday 19 July, 2021
Monday 12th July
Bit of haar, then the sun came out and it was very warm.
I milked Annie out with the machine – about 2.5 litres – and she’s not sore at all. There was a cut on her teat and a bit of flappy skin, but that came off when I washed her, so I think that will make her more comfortable. Blizzard was obviously stimulated by the noise of the machine and was leaking milk. Maybe not dry yet.
The flies are torture.
Tuesday 13th July
Rora’s doing well at her halter training. She now stands and lets me put it on (pretty much) because she knows she gets her bucket afterwards. They’re no daft, cows.
Blizzard / Pond / Mastitis
Monday 12 July, 2021
Monday 5th July
Heavy rain showers and I had a bit of a duvet day. After the chores were done, of course. Blizz is lame again, off hind. Again. My guess is a recurrence of the abscess.
Wee Donald, our Poland cockerel, looks a bit over whelmed, so he’s gone to Tara for a wee while, until he’s bigger and more mature. He and Tilly, her Serama, have hit it off.
Tuesday 6th July
Showery and cooler today. Quick trip to Harbro and the supermarket for some bits and bobs.
Donald / Lambs / Elderflower
Tuesday 6 July, 2021
Monday 28th June
Still warm and dry. Spent some time in the vegetable garden; early peas are ready and delicious and the early tatties (Red Duke of York) are ready. And the Mini Munch cucumber in the polytunnel.
Ace and Rosie looking loved up today, but I haven’t seen her stand for him. Marked 17 days in the diary.
Home produced pork, peas and new potatoes for dinner.
Tuesday 29th June
Overcast in the morning, bit of haar, but the sun came out in the afternoon and it was hot, hot, hot
Sea / Grass / Rocky
Monday 28 June, 2021
Monday 21st June
I’ve organised for the vet to come an take a second blood sample from Blizzard a week tomorrow; he’ll take samples from the two calves for BVD too.
Office stuff and weeding.
Tuesday 22nd June
Ace and Annie seem a bit loved up. She calved 26th April, so she could well be in season. I didn’t see her served though. Just need to keep an eye out in 17 days or so.
Lorna and I had a walk along Carnoustie sea front. Very blessed.
