Smallholding
Festival / Blizzard / Sheep
Monday 28 October, 2019
Monday 21st October
Frosty start followed by sunshine. I slept poorly – too many things in my head.
What a fright this morning. Went out to feed the cattle – Annie and Rosie at the fence as usual, Ace in the field, calves bawling and no sign of Blizzard. Walked over to Laing’s Field and she’s flat out up by the fence, so I’m running and phoning Dan to say she’s down. I thought she was dead. As I got closer, I could see her moving her legs – she was cast.
Smokey / Boxes / Beef
Sunday 20 October, 2019
Monday 14th October
The sun is out and Diesel is home. We think he was probably shut in one of the stores at the roofer’s yard adjacent to our property. At least, he appeared about 10 minutes after the men arrived for work at 8am.
Dan pumped up my purple ball, which has replaced my office chair. Hopefully it will help my back and I certainly like it so far. And I haven’t fallen off. Yet.
Dan ordered a pallet of bottles for apple juice. A pallet was much the cheapest way to buy them and they don’t go off. We thought they’d come in boxes but no, they come on bug cardboard trays. So Dan’s ordered some boxes to put them in. Hey ho. Best laid plans… He juiced the Ellison’s Orange today.
Frost / Lambs / Holiday Bromance
Monday 14 October, 2019
Monday 30th September
Last day of September is overcast and mild. Took six lambs to the abattoir this morning – four Ryeland tups and two Lleyn wethers. I wasn’t awfully happy with them. The Ryeland tup lambs (not the Lleyns or the Ryeland ewe lambs) have had pretty shitty bums. They’ve all been wormed with Zolvix and that’s improved things but they aren’t fab looking.
We’ve kept one Lleyn wether as a possible tup companion and three Ryeland tup lambs that are nowhere near big enough to go. The plan is to keep them over winter and put them away with any empty ewes that we have at scanning in February.
Pigs / Steers / Horses
Tuesday 1 October, 2019
Monday 23rd September
Well, that’s this year’s steers away. They were very obliging at coming in, getting on the trailer and moving to the haulier’s lorry. They are both just a few weeks short of 30 months.The job’s not done until the trailer’s cleaned out and the paperwork done – so both are now completed.
Office work this afternoon.
Tuesday 24th September
Rain overnight, and cloudy today with a wee bit of sun.
Euro / Hazels / Hens
Tuesday 24 September, 2019
Monday 16th September
Cool start, but sunny later in the day. A lovely autumn day. Our big cockerel, Nugget, attacked me this morning – drew blood and ripped my jammies (I was planning to do the hens than take a cup of tea back to Dan in bed, now it’s getting darker in the mornings). Usually he waits until I’m out the gate and attacks the gate, but either his or my timing was off this morning. It’s really sore. His coat is on a very shoogly peg.
Looks like Leo will be swapping with Euro. I’m a bit sad but it’s for the best all round.
Honey / Pigs / Pears
Monday 16 September, 2019
Monday 9th September
Rain overnight but a decent day. The lame lamb is sound and Annie is much better, which is good news.
In preparation for their imminent departure, we wormed, fluked and tidied up the three ewe lambs. The two coloured ones now race in for their cake, with Niamh, her lamb and the three BFL but the white lamb hasn’t quite worked it out yet. When she’s herded in – and she comes in fine – she watches the others eating. Bless her. Not the sharpest tool in the box.
Juice / BBQ / Tags
Monday 9 September, 2019
Monday 2nd September
Can’t believe it’s September, but the weather has changed- much cooler and damp this morning, then quite a breeze rising. After I finished in the office, it was over to Laing’s Field to finally finish pulling ragwort. What a sense of satisfaction. Of course, I haven’t pulled every last bit, but that’s the bulk of it out and most of it before it seeded. We’ll need to get out with the trailer and get the bags in now, for burning.
Dahlias / Timber / Bottles
Monday 2 September, 2019
Monday 26th August
Very hot and windy. Did an hour pulling ragwort – there was more than I thought so I didn’t get it finished. One more session should do it. Ace obviously things the rubble bags are for playing with. I wish he’d leave them alone.
Usual office day, picking up follow-up for the Shetland Cattle at RHS 2020 project, the Festival and Smallholding Scotland. And some Dalmore stuff too.
By 9pm, it was getting dark and the haar rolled in.
Autumn / Apples / Sunshine
Monday 26 August, 2019
Monday 19th August
Mixed bag of weather – warm and sunny, showery and windy. Office day but managed to get out into the veg garden to pick peas and courgettes and blueberries. Dan and Paul lifted the potatoes before the blight strikes.
Anya, Desiree and Maris Bard.
Tuesday 20th August
Still standing water in Laing’s Field, but it’s dropping slowly. Spent an hour pulling ragwort; that’s three sides of the field done.
Brassicas / Brambles / Wellies
Monday 19 August, 2019
Monday 12th August
Dry and sunny with a breeze – good fro drying up soggy soil, I hope. Dan cut the grass and checked the bees. The nuc is now queenless so will die out over the next few weeks.
The brambles Dan planted in the orchard are doing well.
Bumper crop of brambles.
I got into the vegetable garden; weeded the leeks, which have all taken well, and the runners, lifted shallots and some beetroot, picked peas and some blueberries. Then into the polytunnel to weed where thee are no tomatoes, cucumbers of squash; pulled out the peas and beans, which are done now.
