Smallholding
Stumps / Sweetcorn / Grey
Monday 14 August, 2023
Monday 7th August
Having no sheep has made such a difference to our grass supply – and the weather this year has helped. I’m trying to move the cattle round the five paddocks on a weekly basis but because they have access to the shed during the day, we only have one electric fence and the layout of the paddocks, it’s not always possible to exclude them from Near Ditch. But we’re doing our best. The ponies will be in Near Ditch in the winter, so will hopefuly reduce any worms on the sward.
Genetsran / PCHS / Orkney
Monday 7 August, 2023
Monday 24th July
Today was blood sampling day for the cattle. Calves had samples taken for BVD testing and the cows and bull had samples taken for disease testing for the Premium Cattle Health Scheme. And *whispers* we tagged the three remaining calves. The four cows were jagged with Genestran to bring them back into season, then they were all turned out, along with Grey, who was very, very happy. Now he gets extra sex.
It all went fine; I get really anxious and overthink it, even though we’ve done it multiple times. Results won’t be back or two weeks; assuming they are OK, I can then advertise Baby and Bronte and their calves for sale.
Harvest / Grass / Pears
Monday 24 July, 2023
Tuesday 18th July
Blackcurrants and white currants. I didn’t even know we HAD white currants here.
Wednesday 19th July
We killed and cleaned this year’s meat birds today. We bought 12 day olds; lost one a couple of days in and one at maybe six weeks. So ten to kill; total cleaned weight 28.09kg, average 2.81kg, top weight 3.68kg, bottom weight 2.42kg. Sadly, I didn’t keep very good notes of inputs – feed mainly – but the price has rocketed. I reckon that each bird cost about £10 to raise.
Grey / Kirriemuir / Harvest
Tuesday 18 July, 2023
Wednesday 12th July
We shut Grey in his pen today. It’s quite big, with plenty hay and water, a salt lick; he gets fed twice a day, so he can be tied up for mucking out and replenishing hay and water. But he’s not a happy boy without his herd. But it’s only until the 24th July, when we’ll be doing our PCHS blood testing on the cows and Grey, BVD blood testing of the calves and jagging the cows to bring them back into season. The he gets out for extra sex. No gain without pain.
Penfold
Tuesday 11 July, 2023
Monday 3rd July
The recent rain and sun combo have made the vegetable garden burgeon. And the weeds.
Everything is growing!
Must get the blueberries covered.
Blueberries.
Highland Show / Strawberries / Toes
Sunday 2 July, 2023
Monday 19th June
There’s been a fair bit or rain overnight; today has been intermittent cloud and sun, and windy.
Dentist this morning – nothing needing done, thankfully. I’ve spent most of the day at my desk doing Festival stuff and other bits and pieces.
Dan moved two sinks from the patio to the classroom door. I will plant them up with geraniums or something equally hardy.
Pleasingly, Skip had drawn Socks into his sugar beet addiction.
Doors / Docks / Rain
Monday 19 June, 2023
Monday 12th June
Rain early this morning, and then warm sun so hopefully the grass will get a bit of a boost.
Dan spent an hour in the sunken garden. Found a pipe. Don’t know where it goes or what it’s for, so we shall leave it undisturbed.
Office day and a Zoom call, then a meeting in Arbroath in the evening. My head’s a bit all over the place – I received a message from the son of an old friend to say that his sister, her daughter, had died. L was thirty-eight years old and she leaves a seven-year-old daughter. I’ve known the family since the late 1990s and they are the best and nicest people. Funeral is tomorrow. Dan and I will go. L was so full of life and joy and adored her daughter; she was a talented singer and dancer; she could probably have been a professional but chose instead to become a teacher. She sang at our wedding – “One hand, one heart” from “West Side Story” and “Secret Love” from “Calamity Jane”. She will be so missed. A light has gone out.
Sweet Peas / Potting Shed / Escaped calves
Monday 12 June, 2023
Monday 5th June
Summer seems to have moved on – it’s cold, well 12C, and dry. Grass has stopped growing or is growing imperceptibly slowly.
Rebecca and I walked the ponies out this evening. Heard Tree Sparrow and Reed Bunting, as well as Blackbird, Wren and Robin.
Tuesday 6th June
The polytunnel is filling up; we’re getting a couple of handfuls of strawberries every day and the sweet peas are starting to flower.
Polytunnel.
Garlic bread / Calves / Treasure
Thursday 8 June, 2023
Monday 29th May
Office day, mainly. Dropped the car at the garage for its MOT with more than a little trepidation, but it passed first time. Bills paid, spread sheets updated, website diary done. Not bad considering TBDG (that bloody dog, Gwenna) had me up at 4.30am. Let the dogs out, let the hens down, fed the wild birds and Penfold, then fed the dogs. Took a cup of tea back to bed – at 7.30am, when the alarm went off, my eyes were glued shut. Gwenna, was back in HER bed by 5am, and sound asleep.
Brassicas / Merlin / Sunken garden
Monday 29 May, 2023
Monday 22nd May
The week started well when I have the opportunity to save a bumblebee. It had fallen in the ponies’ water bucket; I thought it was dead but it’s legs were still moving, so I swept it up and gave it a saucer of sugar water. When I returned, half an hour later, it had gone, so I’m counting that as a save.
I registered the heifer calves; it’s a D year, so Baby’s calf is Rosedean Duibhe, which is Gaelic for black and Rora’s is Rosedean Dorcha, which is Gaelic for dark.
