Winter maintenance
Posted: Sunday 15 November, 2020
Monday 9th November
Overcast and damp after heavy rain last night but brightening up a it by lunchtime.
Woke up determined to focus and get through the list, then decided to strip our bed; that lead to the examination of all the pillowcases. Oh dear, some are pretty threadbare. The sheets and duvet covers were replaced a wee while back when we bought the bigger bed but the pillowcases, being unaffected by this change, were not. Counting up, they must be 25 years old. No wonder they’re threadbare.
Tuesday 10th November
Grey and murky, but mild. It was 11C on the car when I took Diesel to the vet for his annual check up this evening (he passed with flying colours although the vet said it was hard to hear his heartbeat as he was purring so loudly).
With high path Avian Flu now in the country and us being in a high risk area, we’ve decided that I’ll be the only one to go up to the hens and we’ll put a foot bath at the gate. Hope it comes to nothing. Cleaned out the hens – it was gross. There are only seven hens in the caravan now – six black and one White Leghorn. They’re moulting and look pretty awful. The To Do list says they should be culled but they still lay a few eggs and don’t eat much so I think they have a reprieve.
Fed the steers at East Pitkerro - they’re looking well. I’d like to keep them out for another month, so I can wean Albie and Afton down there, if the Inverurie swap isn’t on.
Wednesday 11th November
Rain. Not heavy but persistent. Cattle wouldn’t go out this morning. Smart animals.
Smokey out for a wee walk on his own.
Thursday 12th November
Lovely day; cattle out and the calf was very skippy. She’s a right bonny wee thing – it’s funny seeing her next to her two much bigger siblings.
Tara and I took Smokey and Euro for a walk across the golf course paths. It was very windy, but that will help dry things up.
My landlord, from whom we rent the ten acre filed, wants to review the rent. I’d guess it’s not going down. Seasonal lets are a shit way to farm.
Friday 13th November
Took Smokey and Euro out again, along towards Carnoustie this time. Moved the hurdles to give the tup lambs a wee fresh bite. Spent a couple of hours in the veg garden weeding and tidying up. Note to self – don’t grow so many runner beans next year.
Saturday 14th November
Dismal day – grey and damp and mild. Cattle went out for a wee while, then brought themselves back in. Eggs are getting in short supply – orders are still OK, but not much surplus.
Dan did a bit of general tidying up – raked leaves and sorted the leaf mould beds and then we took some rubbish to the skip. Then we pretty much emptied the left loosebox – the right one will be much more challenging.
Sunday 15th November
Not a bad morning – sunny showers, but heavy rain by sunset. Rode Smokey with Ave and Rebecca. Dan got on with some winter maintenance – clearing gutters and ivy now that all the leaves are off the trees. We did a bit of rearranging in the byre, ready for the beef coming back Wednesday. I did tomorrow’s paperwork, Dan went off knitting then it was dark.
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