Strawberries / Pizza / Beech
Posted: Monday 22 May, 2023
Monday 15th May
Sun, interspersed with ninja showers of rain and hail. Desk day and started work on the Festival. Seemed like a good time to scatter some grass seed on the bare bits in Sheepfold, now that it’s been harrowed again.
While I was grass seeding, Dan was trimming the mats in the cow shed. Over time, they’ve lifted a bit and become a trip hazard, so he trimmed them to fit perfectly. Or near enough.
Dan sorting mats in the cow shed.
I like this photo of Blizz and Skip.
Blizzard and Skip.
Tuesday 16th May
Weatherwise, same as yesterday. Temperature up to 16C, dropping to 11C in the rain. Our cattle foot trimmer phoned this lunchtime to see if he could come today – I said yes, of course. Blizzard was still a bit lame and the heifers, Baby and Bronte in particular, had long feet.
In the “ease of going in the crate” stakes, Rora (surprisingly) was the clear winner, but Bronte was a fairly close second. Baby tried walking sideways and Blizzard did her usual break back before submitting.
Blizzard had a wee ulcer on her off hind, so Nik’s cleaned it up, treated it and put on two blocks to ease the pressure. She was easier immediately. Apart from the ulcer, he said she’s got the best feet and an excellent udder.
Baby gets her pedicure.
In preparation for coming into the shed, Dan put up the three strand electric fence to form a walkway through Near Ditch. Opened the gate and the three biggest calves went straight through it. Little beggars. Only one – Legs, of course – went through it on the way back.
Found one of the meat chicks dead this afternoon. Face-planted in the feeder. I guess it died happy.
Wednesday 17th May
Probably the warmest day we’ve had this year – the breeze dropped this afternoon, and it was just lovely. The dogs are feeling the heat and the pace.
Dogs feeling the pace.
Then, the clouds rolled in and it started to feel a bit stormy.
The calves didn’t go through the electric fence today, either coming in or going out. Alistair came over and ringed Bronte’s bull calf while they were in. He was much less bothered than Blizzard’s boy was. What a mess they make when on lush grass – liquid shit spreads far. Grey’s proving to be a nice calm boy; he gets tied up for his bucket, just as he did over winter. I gave his belly a scratch with the show stick – he liked it a lot.
Dan took down the posts for the ponies’ track in Sheepfold. Most of the posts are in good condition so we’ll reuse them in Home, when we plant the new hedge in Home
I finished the hanging baskets and watered all the ones I did at the beginning of the week. Fingers crossed that they come on well. I also ate the last biscuit, so I need to bake
Fleece lined hanging baskets.
Thursday 18th May
First strawberries! Delicious. And I made maple and pecan cookies.
Strawberreis.
Friday 19th May
Dan loves to bake bread so we decided to invest in a wood-fired oven. We got it set up and cured today and there’s dough ready for pizza and bread tomorrow.
New wood fired oven.
He’s got his stash of hardwood logs hidden away.
Dan's wood stash.
He cut the grass and took the strimmer out to tidy up the edges. It’s all looking quite good.
The tatties are all through.
Tatties Caledonian Rose.
Saturday 20th May
Fab pizza; not so good bread. Tasted brilliant but looked a bit odd.
Wood fired pizza.
I did some weeding and Dan got the strimmer out again, as well as lots of other wee jobs.
Our new washing machine was installed. Hoping for good weather next week for a washfest.
Sunday 21st May
Quite a lot of rain overnight – good for grass growing. Moved the cows to Far Top today; they were in Near Top for a week, and it looks well. Dan’ll have the topper on in the week to cut our neighbour’s paddocks, so he’ll top the rushes in Near Top at the same time, then the harrow will be back on. I don’t think we’ll get a week out or Far Top, but we’ll see.
Took the afternoon off to watch the football and bake ginger nuts. And the ponies had a beech browse.
Smokey browsing new beech.
