Double birthday / Weaning / Topping - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 1 July, 2024

by Rosemary at 9:47am in Smallholding 1 comment Add your own

W/e Sunday 30^th June

Short entry this week; weather changeable, warm, cool, wet, windy

On Monday 24^th, after the Highland Show, Alistair weaned the lambs and took them home, but added the gimmers to the ewes, leaving us 24 sheep. They’re in Home, browsing happily. Most, but not all of them will go to the tup later in the year.

Ewes and gimmers.

Loving the beech hedge.

And on Sunday 30^th, Alistair was here to vaccinate his gimmers against enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis. They’re now in Far Top, where there is loads of grass. Then they’ll be in Near Top then back into Sheepfold.

Dan’s been out on the tractor and topped Sheepfold, Far Top and Near Top, battering the rushes but just taking seed heads off the rest. Hopefully, he’ll get Home topped on Monday, all things being equal. And then swap topper for harrow and give them a good brush

Between us, Dan and I weeded all the vegetable beds and Dan planted out the leeks.

Heavy rain on Wednesday had the ponies very excited; Mickey cantering in quite small circles on his lead rope, when I was turning them out.

Friday was Gwenna’s seventh birthday and Dottie’s first.

Happy birthday, Wee Dot.

Happy birthday, Gwenna.

Front garden development has slowed a bit, but the plants are growing.