Smallholding
WC / Manure / Rhubarb
Monday 8 February, 2021
Monday 1st February
It's St Brigid’s Day or Imbolc - the breaking of winter and the start of spring. Aye, right.
A further rummage in the pantry has flushed out three jars of Old Dowerhouse Chutney from 2015 and eight jars of not-very-good strawberry jam. I couldn’t think what to do with them until Dan reminded me that we used the others (there was a lot) when we cooked rhubarb for freezing – one jar of strawberry jam per batch of rhubarb. No additional sugar required and a lovely flavour. Sorted.
WC / Sheep scanner / Marmalade
Monday 1 February, 2021
Monday 25th January
Another sunny day – not as cold as yesterday. Took the two tup lambs to the abattoir – the owner said they were almost booked up for autumn so we had a think on the way back and have booked a slot in June 2022; we’ll castrate all the tup lambs and run them on to hogget.
Graham is demolishing the WC. It was a real outside toilet this afternoon.
A REAL outside WC.
Sheep / Smokey / Barn
Monday 25 January, 2021
Monday 18th January
A pleasant day, turning to rain in the evening.
The new paint didn’t take, so Tara and I moved most of the feed store “stuff” back in. It will take a few days to arrange it to our satisfaction. Graham the Joiner was here to view the planned renovation of the outside WC.
It’s now 21 days since Blizzard was served and there’s no sign of her coming bulling again so fingers crossed, she’s back in calf. If she holds, she’ll be due 8th October, which is a move in the right direction.
Holiday / Sheep / Feed store
Monday 18 January, 2021
Thursday 14th January
No diary entries for the first three days because I was on holiday. At home, but on holiday. Dan and I should have been in Anstruther for a week but with the Covid restrictions, of course, we couldn’t go. Tara had taken time of work to look after the smallholding – and it seemed a shame to disappoint her – so I had three days off. Hardly crossed the doorstep except Tuesday when we took hay to East Pitkerro. Read, built Lego, did do some SCBA stuff – but you know, I really feel the benefit.
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.
