[judee]

Hi. We have a nearly 10 acre holding on Exmoor. We breed Ouessant and Boreray sheep, and have chickens, ducks, goats, alpacas etc at present we are slogging away at everything and are just reaping the tiny benefits of our hard work (to a small degree). We have been here nearly 5 years. At the moment I am waiting for the local contractor to second turn my hay! Yes I know ..... but you know what a year it,s been and there is a good field of grass there. I don,t know if it will make hay that's any use but if we use it for bedding... or hayledge. My animals are basking in the sun, thank goodness for this lovely weather..they must all be short of vitamin D. I know I am!

[Roxy]

   Hello and welcome from the Peak District in Derbyshire.

Everyone here is getting another crop of hay this week.  Hotter now than its been most of the summer.  I am sure we will be grateful for this extra hay once the winter weather sets in.  The last two years we got September hay, and it was nice.

[SallyintNorth]

Hello judee 

I used to live in Exmoor.  You and I maybe crossed paths on the motorway, it's very nearly 5 years since I moved up here to the frozen wastes... 

You probably know a lot of people I knew down there - have you joined DASH?  (Devon Association of Smallholders.)   

Even up here there's grass cut, and there're combines out too.  We've had three good days and another three forecast.  We've been kinda wishing we hadn't finished all ours a few weeks back!   

Welcome to the forum, looking forward to hearing more about all your enterprises.

[JulieS]

Hello and welcome from not too far from you 

[Cinderhills]

Hi and welcome from North Yorkshire. 

[ty capel flock]

Hi there and welcome.

[Blinkers]

Hi & Welcome from Sunny South West Wales 

[Hazelwood Flock]

Hi from Darzet! not all that far away! 

[wytsend]

Welcome from orth edge of Dartmoor.

What part of Exmoor... I know it very well indeed.

[melodrama]

Hello from sunny Forfar 

[sabrina]

Hello from Banff in Scotland 

[judee]

Many thanks for all the greetings! I don,t feel so daft with my nearly October haymaking. I really dread not having enough hay and every year (since we have had animals) the tension mounts as to how we will either make or buy some! Never in a million years did I ever imagine that hay would become my annual obsession. Fingers crossed that the weather holds, it,s looking very misty early mornings.....
We have lived on Exmoor for 20 years but came new to smallholding 5 years ago. We love it but sometimes regret that we didn,t start earlier. The weather has become VERY important to us, and the seasons have REAL meaning. We do sometimes hanker after moving to the Highlands of Scotland, so I,m extremely interested in how things are going for members that have "taken the plunge".
I am a member of DASH, but I find that with the animals, children and other family commitments that I don,t get to meet people. Thanks again for all the good wishes.

[Rosemary]

Hello and welcome from Carnoustie 

[Miss Piggy]

Hi and warm welcomr from West Wales   

[plumseverywhere]

Hello from WOrcestershire 

I missed out on making any hay this year and our grass is shocking as we've been in drought but luckily I've found a lovely man who's still selling for £3 a small bale phew!! will have to keep stocked up as these goats eat like its going out of fashion 
Like you I am juggling children, smallholding and running a small business making goats milk soap as well as caring for a disabled mum - its not always easy to meet people in the flesh so TAS is a godsend 
Lisa