Cheeps out / Cow bath / Tea cosies
Posted: 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.
Picked up a couple of bales of hay today for buffer feeding the cows and the bull. I put out a big hay net full – maybe 10kg – at night and they are eating most of it by morning.
Moved the meat cheeps into the box in the paddock.
Meat birds out onto grass.
They’re quite well feathered, and I’ve been turning the light off during the day and now at night too, for a few days but it must still be a shock.
The other shock will be Ace scratching himself on the box.
And we have rain – so hopefully, the grass and the veggies will start to come away.
Tuesday 16th May
Bug is still a wee bit lame. His feet have been trimmed and there’s no pulse of any obvious sign of an abscess and he seems perky enough in himself, so we’ll see how he goes.
Moved the cows and Ace to a fresh paddock – Saturday and Tuesday are moving days for them; Monday is moving day for the steers and Winnie.
Overcast but no actual rain.
Wednesday 17th
Spent most of the day volunteering for RHET at the Kinnordy Estate Day.
One hundred and eighty P6 pupils from Dundee schools today; same again from Angus schools tomorrow. I’m only doing the one day though.
Thursday 18th
In the entire field, Blizzard has to lie in the shit. I give the four cattle a brush every morning to remove any dried poop on their bums – it must be uncomfortable for them, but today I had to get a bucket of water and a soft brush and give Blizzard a bath. She quite enjoyed it though.
Put in 17 pea supports, weeded the strawberry bed and pulled some other weeds in the veg garden. Very satisfying.
Found time for a lie down in the grass with a couple of the cats too. :-)
Sunbathing with the cats.
Friday 19th
Baked fruit loaves, almond biscuits and coconut cookies, so that’s the tins filled again.
Dan brought back all the fencing materials left at Astwood, tightened up some wires, replaced some staples and put on some hog rings, so it looks a bit tidier. More rain today.
Saturday 20th
And more rain today.
Dan finished the fence in the Triangle; it’s been nearly finished for a few weeks, so that’s it off the list now.
I tidied up round the hayracks in the ponies’ field and dug out some ragwort.
Dan and Paul started to floor the roof space above the freezer room, so that the additional insulation can go down in the classroom’s roof space.
Roof storage.
One job becomes half a dozen – but creating more storage will allow the byre to be emptied – and I need that done very soon because I milk in there, Annie’s due to calf on 3rd June and I want them used to it beforehand.
Dan moved a rubble bag of sand from the garden to the barn – part of “The Big Tidy” for the wedding.
Gemma planted out the first peas – further plantings are imminent.
I made beef stroganoff and rhubarb & sour cream tart for dinner.
Rhubarb & sour cream tart.
Loads of rhubarb ready for picking.
Sunday 21st
Found Annie wrapped in a loose fence wire this morning. Thankfully, she’s not a panicker, so I untangled her and Dan sorted the fence.
When I went up check the steers, Fraser was chewing on a tree guard – I was quite worried that he was going to swallow it but access to fresh grass induced him to drop it. Doofus.
Visited Comrie Croft to meet friends for a cuppa and a cake. It’s a great place, and a great example of successful diversification.
Comrie Croft tea cosies.
They also have amazing tea cosies in the Tea Garden. :-)
Back to baking – Treacle and Oat Soda Bread today. Lovely with cheese.
Had a tidy up round barn and feed store, which always makes me feel happy.
Dan made pizza for dinner. That made me happy too.
