Smallholding
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.
AGMs / Aurora / Pudding
Monday 2 November, 2020
Monday 26th October
Did two checks on Blizzard through the night; I told her today would be a good day to calve because it’s warm and sunny (with a couple of heavy showers). Not sure she’s listening. The field shelter is ready though if we need it.
Boots on this morning; did the ponies and pottered about outside for a bit. Swept up the feed store and started moving things into the byre. Dan phoned me to say that the sheep wanted out of the pig pen – they must have shut themselves in, because it certaiy wasn't me. They’ve done a good job of eating it down though.
Nugget / Festival / Blizzard
Monday 26 October, 2020
Monday 19th October
Wet, really pretty wet.
Well, the loading and transfer of the steers couldn’t have gone any more smoothly. I sat in the car – Dan and Tara did the work.
Spent most of the day on Shetland cattle stuff or Festival stuff. Less than a week to go to the Festival – Dan’s put in so much work. We’ll both be glad when it’s over.
My 2121 Diary. Hope it has fewer scorings out than the 2020 one.
Cake / Pears / Byre
Tuesday 20 October, 2020
Monday 12th October
Wet and miserable. And so is the weather. Foot bruised and swollen. Managed to make mincemeat cookies though. Spoke to Stuart, our butcher, and booked the steers into Shotts for next Monday. We’ll need help to load them. Well, Dan will. I’ll just be sitting watching.
Tuesday 13th October
Woke at 5am to heavy rain. Not what I want as we’re still hoping to get the wildflower seeds drilled this autumn. Had a bit of a meltdown. Poor Dan’s having it all to do. My foot is worse this morning – Dan said it would be worse today then would start getting better. As usual, I had unrealistic expectations of my old body.
