Smallholding

Diary

New field for cattle / Barn progress / Tup moved

Monday 20 November, 2017

by Rosemary at 10:08am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 23rd October

Utterly miserable here today – as dreich as it gets, but at least not cold or windy.

Fed the steers in the catching pen, ready for Wednesday.

Blizzard is behaving like she’s in season – or at least, Ace is behaving like Blizzard is in season. Had an email exchange with the vet – and the manipulation of the uterus during the ultrasound could have caused a release of prostaglandin, which brings cows into season.

Apparently, palpation of the uterus is sometimes used on organic dairy farms to bring cows into season – but the palpation associated with an ultrasound would be much less than in those circumstances. Prostaglandin is also the hormone that’s used to stop unwanted pregnancies L

Cows in calf / Barn prep / Baking / Tupping prep

Monday 30 October, 2017

by Rosemary at 10:20am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 16th October

Wet and miserable here today. Jane was out to trim Bug’s feet so he’s looking better all the time. He seems to quite like his boots.

I was up early this morning so made spiced iced buns – they were pretty random in shape, but tasted lovely, with cinnamon icing.

Tuesday 17^th October

Very windy today but grateful that we’re not being hammered like Ireland and other parts of Scotland.

Alistair, our vet, was out today to scan the four cows and all are in calf, so that’s good news. Especially for ACE!

To Bute / Pork / Apple pressing / Tree survey

Monday 23 October, 2017

by Rosemary at 10:12am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 2nd October

Wet and windy today. Spent the day in the office with routine paperwork but also had the foreword for a new book on smallholding to write.

Met with Martin and Dan to discuss future plans for the Festival.

Started feeding some straw to the cattle.

With the wind, we’ve a lot of windfall apples and pears so Dan juiced some of the apples. It’s lovely juice.

Dan, Paul and I had a look at the barn and firmed up on the plans for that. It will be top priority after we get back from holiday. Time wears on and I really want the cattle in by 1^st November.

Bugs feet / Home cooking / Apple harvest / To-do list

Friday 6 October, 2017

by Rosemary at 10:09am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 25^th September

Pretty dismal here today. The roofers arrived to repoint the chimney and do some minor roof repairs but were rained off; they came back when it cleared up in the afternoon, and the work is now complete.

Vet came to X-ray Bug’s sore feet this morning and to take a blood sample to check for Cushing’s and Equine Metabolic Syndrome. He was tested two years ago and was fine, but Robert wants to check again. The X-rays will help Jane, the trimmer.

Apiary / Barn / Wood store / Gwenna's ear / Bug lame

Monday 25 September, 2017

by Rosemary at 9:41am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 11^th September

Not as nice as forecast – and we need to cut the front lawn so that the pup can negotiate it safely – and visibly. The vegetable garden needs cut too. Hopefully, tomorrow.

Spent an oddly satisfying couple of hours cleaning the ponies’ field and digging ragwort.

Gwenna is proving to be a bin raker and scatterer of paper!

Processed more apples and roasted more tomatoes.

Roasted tomatoes for freezing.

Bertie's stump / Gwenna / Rosie's neck / Wood store

Monday 11 September, 2017

by Rosemary at 11:04am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 28^th August

Dry, overcast and windy – but warm. Feels a bit stormy.

If you read last week’s diary post, you’ll know that Bertie Cat had part of his tail amputated this morning.

Bertie's stump Bertie and his stump, confined to barracks.

He’s home and seems fine but is confined to barracks at least until Thursday – and he doesn’t like it.

Meet Gwenna / Wood store / Apiary / Bertie's tail

Wednesday 30 August, 2017

by Rosemary at 9:49am in Smallholding 6 comments Comments closed

Monday 21^st August

Dry today. Paul collected the timber for the wood store and is cracking on with that.

Wood store site ready for construction.

Limpy Pig is less limpy but not yet sound.

Popped to Forfar to pick up some feed – I’m having a few days “off” after we pick up the puppy on Friday, so need to be sure that there are sufficient stores in.

Limpy pig / Carnoustie Show / P&K / A2 results

Thursday 24 August, 2017

by Rosemary at 11:12am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 14^th August

More heavy rain showers but thankfully, they aren’t prolonged enough to cause any standing water in the fields. In fact the fields are pretty good.

The contractor arrived today to spread P&K on five of the six paddocks. He had a wee problem with low branches at one of the access gates – his GPS was on the tractor roof.

Spreading P&K Spreading P & K.

Plums / Grazing / Milking cracked / Wood store started

Tuesday 22 August, 2017

by Rosemary at 9:50am in Smallholding 1 comment Comments closed

Monday 7^th August

Dry, sunny and windy today. Got news that we won’t have the grazing at Ravensby any more. That’s a real blow, especially with losing the grazing at Astwood as well. To be honest, my head has been right up my bum today. Didn’t even milk the cows.

We don’t have enough grass at home for the small herd of cattle and small flock of sheep in the numbers we have at the moment so I need to think hard about what we keep and what we sell. It was tears and snotters at the prospect of selling Rosie and Winnie.