Smallholding
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.
Rain / Black Blues / Barn
Monday 12 August, 2019
Monday 5th August
Heavy rain overnight, but still warm; more rain during the day. Took the two cull ewes to the abattoir and saw the new tannery – we wish the bloke every success. We’ll certainly use him.
Our three black Bluefaced Leicester ewe lambs arrived today – goodness, they’re skittish. Not sure about the pre-chosen names of Roo, Kanga and Priscilla. This needs further consideration. They are very beautiful.
The Black Blues enjoyng the field shelter.
Archie / Blueberries / Silage
Monday 5 August, 2019
Monday 29th July
Warm and overcast; really humid. Woke up to the calves bawling; there had been a fence breakthrough between Near Top and Home. It was always a weak bit of fence – in fact, we’ve never replaced it. Persuading them to go back was fun – Ace met the pigs and that made him very excited. We had arranged for the vet to come out to jag the cows with Prosolvin, castrate Archie and BVD test the calves. He came early, just after 10am, which was good as it gave me less time to worry about it. I’m really enjoying watching “This Farming Life” – and realising it’s not just us.
Zenith / Barn / Tours
Monday 29 July, 2019
Monday 22nd July
Cloudy, damp, warm and windy. Blizzard’s calf was born at 8.30am – a week earlier than we expected, but she’s perfect. I was lucky enough to be there. She’s dun like her mum, with a little white. She’s been called Rosedean Zenith. We already have a buyer interested, on Skye.
Blizzard and Zenith.
Flowers / Cordial / Mats
Monday 22 July, 2019
Monday 15th July
Cloudy and warm, but the sun came out at lunchtime. Made more blackcurrant cordial.
The ponies escaped again – it will be good when the fence is up. They rub on the hurdles and knock them over. Fortunately, they just go as far as the hay bale, but gthey do make a mess.
Tuesday 16th July
Another lovely day. Jane was here to trim Leo’s feet.
Blizzard has a wee discharge, but seems fine. Two weeks to go. Moved the cattle out of Laing’s Field into one of our paddocks – smaller and closer. Annie’s udder is much improved and is sound.
Bees / Blackcurrants / Field Shelter
Monday 15 July, 2019
Monday 8th July
Lovely day, so ditched the office and spent the day outside. Dan saw two foxes last night – a big dog fox and a smaller one, either a youngster or a vixen. His late night apple thinning is keeping them away from the hens.
Picked and cooked more strawberries; they really have been amazing.
The cheeps seem quite settled in their pen.
I carried on weeding; Dan made elderflower cordial and checked the bees.
The strip grazing is going well – you can see where the ponies have been!
Fox (again) / Wildflowers / Penfold
Tuesday 9 July, 2019
Monday 1st July
The summer continues with warm, sunny weather. Hopefully, Lindsay’s getting in lots of plenty good hay! I spent the morning doing some paperwork. It never goes away. I try to deal with emails promptly and there can be a lot of them.
Gave Limpy Lamb his second dose of antibiotic. I keep thinking about Wallace and his long struggle with joint ill, and cross my fingers and toes.
Decided to stop milking for now; Archie is now taking most of Annie’s milk and I don’t want to take the calves off. So back to Graham’s Organic, until Blizzard calves at the end of the month.
