Hazel, willow, beef and storytelling from Bedfordshire

Monthly archives for April, 2011

Poppy’s heifer – at last

Poppy’s heifer – at last

The first calf our herd produced, all the way back in 2003 was a beautiful heifer that we called Poppy. She has over the years grown into a lovely cow who resembles her mother, Nancy. Since her first, she has borne a succession of excellent bulls including the notable “Elvis” so-called because of his first few very […]

Life and death

Life and death

Things were a bit on the low side during the latter stages of the winter and in March, Copper, a cow that we’d been nursing since October had a final visit from our vet, Caroline. Having tested negative for a whole range of conditions, we were hoping she might somehow recover. This was not to be and Caroline, […]

A flock of kites

A flock of kites

I spent yesterday morning sitting in the sun outside our barn making obelisks for an order that needs to be ready this week. The barn begins to double as a workshop very early in the year when temperatures rise enough for it to be bearable and our store of hay and straw for the cattle has diminished sufficient […]

A festival of violets

A festival of violets

Every year I enjoy the violets that appear all around the village. I don’t remember seeing so many anywhere else although Jane tells me that there used to be more when she was a kid; sounds like a rose-tinted memory to me. I think these are common dog-violet, Viola riviniana, although I stand to be corrected […]

Everyone’s in the garden

Everyone’s in the garden

Spring has arrived with a flurry of orders for pea sticks, bean poles and obelisks of all sorts destined for the gardens of those who are rather more prepared for the coming season than us. Some years we never quite reach a state of preparedness. I’ve made a huge obelisk today, which is an order for […]