Smallholding
Cattle moves / RHS & RBST / Cordial / Strawbs
Wednesday 28 June, 2017
Monday 19th June
Hot again, and windy until teatime. Dan’s off to London until tomorrow night, doing proper grown-up work.
Good milking this morning; Blizzard much more settled but with Paul and Gemma on holiday, we have a milk lake.
Pigs are happy about that though.
Tuesday 20th June
Bit cooler this morning but hot again this afternoon. Rain forecast for tomorrow.
John topped another two paddocks this morning – only one to do once the cows come out of it.
Farewell Felix / Paddy / Beer / Beach rugby
Friday 23 June, 2017
Monday 12th June
Dry, sunny and windy today.
Got a message today from Bryn’s breeder confirming that Bryn’s mum is in pup to his dad, with the puppies due around 26th June. Fingers crossed that all goes well and we get a wee sister for Bryn.
Bryn himself was at the vet today with Bertie and Felix for their annual check up and boosters.
Milking was “cowboy style” this morning as Blizzard’s hormones are clearly driving Ace to distraction and he’s continually trying to jump her. Hope it all calms down soon.
Meet Paddy / Courses / New queen bee
Wednesday 14 June, 2017
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Monday 5th June
It’s been wet today. Did I really complain about the lack of rain last month?
Ace has been “babysitting” Panda.
Tuesday 6th June
Just more rain, and more rain. And wind.
I replaced Annie’s missing ear tag this morning – easy, as there was already a hole.
Wednesday 7th June
Looks like autumn here. So many leaves and branches blown off the trees. It’s still windy but the weather is improving. Not quite flaming June though.
Milking / Camembert / Open Farm Sunday / Sky corgi
Friday 9 June, 2017
Monday 29th May
It’s been a showery day.
Annie and Panda are still in a seperate paddock from the others but I’ll let them through tomorrow. Panda has been up and about. She’s small but very active and Ace is fascinated.
Panda.
She’s brindle and white but I guess she’ll go black as her mum did.
Read more on Milking / Camembert / Open Farm Sunday / Sky corgi
Panda is born / Swarm / Shearing
Monday 5 June, 2017
Monday 22nd May
Been a bit showery today, which is good.
Had a spectacular fall today while moving the cheeps – the rope broke just as I heaved on it. I must have gone down like I’d been poleaxed. Bit of a sore shoulder but mainly humiliation.
Firmed up for shearing on Thursday. It’s a good forecast for the rest of the week, so the fleeces should be good and dry.
Ordered a third wool bag and sealing tags. And Clik. Then “found” a full bottle of Crovect in the cupboard.
Cheeps out / Cow bath / Tea cosies
Friday 26 May, 2017
Monday 15th May
Bug’s lame in his near fore. Not very lame and I’m pretty sure it’s not laminitis. Given him some bute and we’ll see what he’s like in the morning.
The owners of the property where we have some our rented grass are selling up. We’re not altogether surprised but it’s a bit of a pain. We’ve got a nice system going with the cattle up there. Hey ho. Sadly, it’s almost certainly going to go as an equestrian property rather than a smallholding.
Grass / Bugsy's harness / Courses / Cheeps / Hedgehog
Tuesday 23 May, 2017
Monday 8th May
Still sunny and windy. There’s rain forecast for Saturday – please, let it rain.
Did the weekly paperwork including a trip to the bank.
Made a smoked fish quiche for dinner – very nice indeed. Finally cracked pastry, I think.
Dan went straight to Astwood from the office, repaired some fencing and moved the steers to a fresh paddock.
Tuesday 9th May
Still dry. We really need some rain. The local farmers are irrigating now, although I have resisted the temptation to put the sprinkler on the veg garden.
Read more on Grass / Bugsy's harness / Courses / Cheeps / Hedgehog
Beltane / Patio / Yurt / Split hive / New bakeware
Tuesday 16 May, 2017
Monday 1st May
So today is Beltane, one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals and traditionally the start of summer and the day the cattle would be turned out.
One ritual associated with Beltane is to drive the cattle over or between sacred bonfires to protect them and to encourage growth. Cattle were also decorated with yellow flowers.
None of that happened here but I did give the cows and Ace a brush after they were fed.
Read more on Beltane / Patio / Yurt / Split hive / New bakeware
Open Farm Sunday / Soup / Yurt / Bees / A birthday
Monday 8 May, 2017
Monday 24th April
Sunny, windy and dry today; the promised rain didn’t materialize and it’s cold – 3°C – tonight.
Ace was very frisky this morning – and that gets the girls going – and Bryn “herding” them didn’t help.
Finally completed the papers for OSCR to register “Smallholding Scotland” as a Scottish Incorporated Charitable Organisation – fingers crossed that we’re accepted. It’s taken far longer than I thought it would.
Read more on Open Farm Sunday / Soup / Yurt / Bees / A birthday
Tooth oot / Weeding / Sunset
Thursday 27 April, 2017
Monday 20th March
So toady is the vernal equinox – day and night of equal length. Hopefully, we’ll see the grass start to come away now.
Jane was here to trim Bug’s feet; the grass may already be coming away, so he’s on restricted access now, poor boy.
Ace’s increased feed seems to be working and he’s a bit less ribby.
Tuesday 21st March
I had tooth extracted this morning. Dentist told me to have a restful day, so I did.
