Smallholding
Lambing starts / Fencing / Dishcloths and cards
Monday 2 April, 2018
Monday 26th March
Another lovely spring day, but it’s not forecast to last so housed the three ewes due 1st / 2nd April, and Winter, because she’s very calm and will settle the other three who are less well handled.
Popped to Forfar for more licks – bloody sheep are inhaling them – and some shopping for us.
Dan worked in the orchard for a wee while then helped me bath Annie with the pressure washer. She was absolutely fine and we got a lot of muck off her. We tried the washer on me first, to make sure it wouldn’t hurt her.
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Lambing prep / Fruit & veg gardens / Spring cleaning
Monday 26 March, 2018
Monday 19th March
Spring’s back – although nor sure for how long, but we’ll enjoy it while it lasts.
Bug has been breaching the electric fence, so that was a top job today. I think I’ve beaten him.
Turned out the two young steers at EP; they were very excited. I’ll feed them some sugar beet for a week or so, to get them used to coming to the call and car horn.
Our next door neighbours were in their veg garden today and kindly donated some blown Brussel sprouts to the sheep – they were gratefully received.
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Heifers away / EYF! / Tom / Ponies
Monday 19 March, 2018
Monday 12th March
Grey and overcast, but at least it’s dry. Did paperwork and caught up with emails.
Arranged a visit from our local EHO to discuss selling home baking – we’re due an inspection anyway.
Delighted to see Whyte, the limpy calf, now bouncing about!
Had a bit of a run-in with Urquhart, our tup. Now, he’s usually pretty amenable and he needs to be, because he weighs about 110kg. Today, he butted me when I went to put hay in. Then he did it again. And that was plain daft.
Thaw / Steers out / Hogget / Orchard
Monday 12 March, 2018
Monday 5th March
Most of the snow has now gone; it’s been grey and rainy and miserable but at least the taps have unfrozen. After the thaw, the flooding.
Culvert our fields eventually drain into.
Feeling a bit sorry for the sheep; the four single bearing ewes, the tup and the wether are in the pig pen. It’s pretty wet and there’s no grass – but they have the hay rack and a licky bucket.
Beast from the east
Monday 5 March, 2018
Monday 26th February
Wee bit of snow on the roofs this morning but none on the ground. Not looking forward to “the Beast from the East”. We’re usually at the tail end of any weather fronts but looks like we’ll be in the frontline of this one.
Linda tidied up where the wood’s been cut – all looking very neat!
Tagged Missy this morning; she was tagged as a calf of course, but managed to lose both tags, which is quite an achievement.
Willow / Sheep / Freezers / Icing / Rugby
Monday 26 February, 2018
Monday 19th February
Grey and damp, but much warmer. Not as much rain as forecast.
Took three barren ewes to the abattoir then brought the remaining eleven plus the tup and wether home. Used the last movement license in the first book of licenses. The new owners of Astwood move in on Thursday.
Split the sheep into two groups – twins in one and the four singles, plus Urquhart and Ted in the other; filled the hay feeders as there’s no grass to speak of.
Heifers weaned / Conference / Willow bed / Sheep prep
Monday 19 February, 2018
Monday 12th February
Glorious day – frosty, but sunny. Paperwork day – including final arrangements for the Smallholding Scotland Conference, which is on Friday, and my Powerpoint presentation for Longforgan W.I. on Wednesday.
Tom was out and about on his own - he's really coming on.
Tom out and about.
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Holiday / Piglets / Fencing / Edin Yarn Fest / Washing
Monday 12 February, 2018
Monday 5th February
Put a new bale of hay in for the steers and gave them a fresh bed. Dosed them with Closamectin pour-on.
The two wee ones have some bare patches but they don’t look inflamed – the Closamectin should take care of any external parasites, if that’s the cause.
Friday 9th February
Phew, ever been on holiday and within an hour of being home, you feel like you’ve never been away?
Just home; been for two loads of hay and straw.
Read more on Holiday / Piglets / Fencing / Edin Yarn Fest / Washing
Sheep scanning / Hedge / Cakes / Imbolc
Monday 5 February, 2018
Monday 29th January
Picked up two loads of hay, one for here and one for East Pitkerro.
Caught up with paperwork then made “Mary’s Ginger and treacle spiced tray bake” – and very nice it was too.
Tuesday 30th January
Martin and I had a trip down to Caledonian Market today – it was bitterly cold but stayed dry.
Tom continues to make progress – he’s desperate to be part of the family but is awful scared of the dogs. Which is nuts because he has far better weapons than them – and isn’t afraid to use them.
Hurdies / Apiary hedge / Cattle shenanigans / First sock
Tuesday 30 January, 2018
Monday 22nd January
Nice and warm today – up to 5C, but damp and that made it feel raw.
The cows must have had a party last night and invited the neighbours – what a mess in the shed this morning.
Caught up on paperwork including the minutes of the last Smallholding Scotland meeting.
Saw Ian the “back man” about my achy back.
Tuesday 23rd January
Windy, grey and damp. Pretty much finished the potting shed – just a few things to identify before deciding on their fate. I need to buy labels and seed compost – other than that, I think I’m good to go!
Read more on Hurdies / Apiary hedge / Cattle shenanigans / First sock
