It is suddenly time to be thinking about hay making. We need the rain and some good, warm sunshine to get as much bulk into the grass as possible. Then a long spell of dry and hot to get it cut and baled. Our grass is, from the hay point of view, none too brilliant. As most […]
Last February saw our third not quite annual hedge laying weekend attended by a group of mostly local people, some already well practised in the craft; others eager to learn. It was a grim weekend of irregular snow flurries and bitter north-easterly wind but despite such unpleasantness, a dozen or so people turned out […]
The last few days have been filled with cattle. Thursday morning last week was our first chance to get ear tags into the three calves born the previous Saturday. We try to get tags in within 48 hours because after that time, calves are quick, agile and strong and rather tricky to catch. And so it […]
Up and out by 5am on a May morning. It’s good to have some company to share the secret time. After some early May frosts, it’s 18 degrees and there’s a red fringe to the cloud cover in the east; no mention of concerned shepherds though. Martin’s keen to add some rabbit meat to his diet […]
The waiting’s over and we have five lovely Red Poll calves. Four heifers and one bull so far; three to come. Pepper was the first last Sunday, followed by her half-sister, Copper on Wednesday. Just to add excitement to an already packed Saturday schedule two were born in the early hours and a third, to ace mum […]
At this time of year, when we finally reach the first due date (9 months after the day Admiral, our Red Poll bull, walked off the trailer to meet his heifers and cows for the first time) we start to fret and discuss and examine and try to remember exactly what a cow that will […]