Steers out / Fence / Ark
Posted: Tuesday 19 March, 2019
Monday 11th March
Sunny, with a cold wind. Despite putting rugs on the ponies last night, Ave was rugless this morning. How do they do that? Smokey and Leo had their feet trimmed.
Ave, rugless.
Rug, all buckles and straps intact.
Most of the day spent in the office, as per usual Monday.
Dan made lovely bread with toasted sunflower seeds on top. Yummy.
Seeded sourdough.
Tuesday 12th March
Cold, raw and windy. Did a bit more sorting out of the byre, in preparation for lambing. I can’t do any more now – Dan needs to sort through the bee stuff.
Having a think about what to do with fleeces; we have eleven coloured and three white from 2018 and, if none die before end of May, we’ll have another fourteen coloured and six white this year. Contacted the Natural Fibre Company for more bags - at least I’ll get ahead in one job – and they aren’t taking any more fleece before May, so I’ll send both clips together. Decided to have one all coloured batch done as DK and a “white with a few pale coloured” done as a second DK batch.
Picked up a bale of hay and one of straw – put the straw in the ponies’ haybell.
Wednesday 13th March
Very wet and windy overnight, as forecast, but mild and sunny today, but still windy.
Water levels in ditch.
Bit of standing water.
Picked up another two plastic pallets so Dan finished the last muck heap. Dropped into the vet to pick up Bravoxin; I need to vaccinate the three cows in the next week or so.
Thursday 14th March
Glorious sunny day and I’m poorly. Slept all day – wish I could say I felt better for it, but still choked with the cold.
At least I had perfect company.
Bryn and Gwenna.
Friday 15th March
Another sunny, day and windy day. March has certainly come in like a lion - hope it goes out like a nice, gentle lamb.
Went for sheep and pony feed; applied flea treatment to the dogs and cats. They really do hate it and Tom has drawn me dirty looks all day.
Dan and Andy did a bit more of the pig pen fence; all the wire on, just the rails to go on now. The gate into the field now hangs the opposite way – I wonder how long it will take me and the dogs to get used to it.
Saturday 16th March
Heavy, persistent rain all day.
Dan and I tidied up round the new fence, pulling nettles and sorting the wood out for reusing, firewood or the bonfire. We came in when the rain soaked through our clothes.
Tidying up after fencing.
The pig ark is going to need some repairs next year but it’s done well, considering it’s 16 years old.
Pigs' scratch corner.
Rugged the ponies as it’s so miserable.
Sunday 17th March
Dry, windy and sunny intervals – hopefully, the fields will dry up quickly. All three ponies still rugged. Amazing!
Walked the field at East PItkerro – it was surprisingly dry but pretty bare. We turned the steers out but we’ll put a bale of hay in for them tomorrow.
Steers turned out.
Took the afternoon off – well, did some Smallholding Scotland stuff and Monday’s paperwork, so that I can get into the polytunnel tomorrow.
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