Smallholding
End of 2017 / Dead ewe / Tom settling-in
Monday 1 January, 2018
Monday 25th December
Sadly the ewe died overnight. Phoned the knacker re collection – really just looking for a message about opening hours, but spoke to the man (apologised for disturbing him on Christmas Day, but he said I wasn’t the first) and arranged collection of the carcass on Wednesday. Hope it stays cold.
Tom has left the house but not the smallholding. We put food outside and Dan saw him eating, so he’s around.
Then the most remarkable thing happened. Dan noticed Diesel sitting on the kitchen windowsill, meowing. This is unusual. Pen sits at the window and meows to get in but D just lets himself in through the cat flap. So Dan went to open the boot room door, and there was D. With Tom just behind him. Honestly, it was like D was bringing Tom home.
Solstice / Deer / Byre / Hay / Sick sheep
Monday 25 December, 2017
Monday 18th December
A bit milder today but the ground (and the water) is still frozen.
Got a message to say that one of our ewes had got her head stuck in the licky bucket – the handle over the back of her head. But just as we arrived, we got another message to say she was fine. Still, gave me the chance to check the licks – one was almost finished so I opened up the new one – and cut the handle to prevent a repeat.
Tom’s more relaxed today – happy to have lots of strokes, with lots of purring. He’s eating well and using his litter tray.
Meet Tom / Meet Whyte & Mackay / Boot room
Monday 18 December, 2017
Monday 11th December
Not much diary this week unless Dan writes it as I’m off to for a wee break with our daughter.
While I'm away Dan's redecorating our 'boot room' - the unheated room at our back door where dirty boots, wet clothes etc have always been taken off and stored.
Boot room before.
The terracotta floor was never properly sealed and it's filthy!
Meet Tom / Scotland the Bread / Cold snap
Monday 11 December, 2017
Monday 4th December
Not a bad day – mild but a bit raw by nightfall. Received some photos of Winnie and Paddy looking quite content.
Did the routine paperwork in front of the woodburner.
Started a mix for Christmas cake – this is going to be mini cakes for the Solstice gathering.
Made cottage pie for dinner- so good to have mince again.
Dan’s made fab bread with the new flour.
Scotland the Bread Hunter's Flour boules.
Rugby / Beef / Green raddle / Sycamore
Tuesday 5 December, 2017
Monday 20th November
Very wet this morning – must have been a lot of rain overnight – and it’s been pretty persistent all day, although it’s not hugely cold. So glad that we managed to get the cattle in over the weekend.
Lucy bagged the best spot in the field shelter.
Lucy, boss equine.
Farewell to Winnie and Paddy / Scotland the Bread flour
Monday 4 December, 2017
Monday 27th November
Nice morning but cloudy at lunchtime and with a rising wind.
Did the usual bill paying and paperwork then made mincemeat. Christmas is coming!
Tuesday 28th November
Mild and sunny today. Put a halter on Paddy, our steer calf, today for the first time.
Paddy and Blizzard.
Read more on Farewell to Winnie and Paddy / Scotland the Bread flour
Tupping / Smoking / Steers housed / Cattle in for winter
Tuesday 28 November, 2017
Monday 13th November
Grey and wet here but none of the snow other places have had.
Niamh has a very yellow bum; she’s seven past in April and didn’t lamb last year, so I wasn’t sure if she’d be OK this year. But hopefully she will be.
Tuesday 14th November
Damp and cold again. Up early this morning and made egg custard tarts.
Egg custard tarts, yum.
Read more on Tupping / Smoking / Steers housed / Cattle in for winter
Tupping underway / Bug improving / Florentines / Forfar FM
Tuesday 28 November, 2017
Monday 6th November
Frosty start – really enjoying this good, dry spell though. Caught up with paperwork this morning then up to Astwood to check the sheep.
Found one ewe couped – could see the legs waving in the air when I arrived. She obviously hadn’t been over long and was fine once I turned her the right way up.
Four yellow bums – including the two that he “surprised” yesterday, so I’m not sure if they are genuine yellow bums or pretendy ones.
Read more on Tupping underway / Bug improving / Florentines / Forfar FM
Barn floor laid / Cattle winter quarters / Tup out
Wednesday 22 November, 2017
Monday 30th October
Ooh, big frost this morning, freezing the water to the fields but it clouded over by lunchtime. Still nice and dry though.
Dan shoveled even more Type 1 into the barn floor.
Bug was a bit lame this morning.
Much sheep flirting going on at Astwood, which is good.
Tup teasing.
Read more on Barn floor laid / Cattle winter quarters / Tup out
New field for cattle / Barn progress / Tup moved
Monday 20 November, 2017
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
Read more on New field for cattle / Barn progress / Tup moved
