I think we may be approaching some state of readiness for the coming cold and damp. Actually it’s pretty cool and wet this morning but clearly only the very first hint of autumn is upon us so far. Our readiness amounts to having the cattle shed clear, grass cutting pretty much done, hay and straw safely in […]
We have two grass fields that aren’t in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. One of these, this year, we have top dressed with nitrogen in order to ensure we get some hay. The other grass, especially the new pasture, is suffering from reducing levels of that most vital element. The grass may be struggling, but, and this is in […]
Nearing the end of the guided walk last Wednesday, we stopped the group of 30 cpre members and gave them a parting round up, thank you and another plug for beef sales, as suggested by all the best training manuals. And I realised that this was very genuine. Of course it’s always a pleasure to talk about yourself, but […]
Almost unbelievably and for the first time on record the hay‘s under cover without having been rained on once. After a cold spell, we’ve had a week of scorching (for the UK) weather which has dried our grass beautifully. Even so we managed to make a meal of it. On Thursday we baled some then […]
Being away from home all day yesterday, I was spared involvement in the annual hay cutting decision. Which was something of a relief as it’s often a bit agonising. A neighbour, Gordon has been cutting and baling our hay each summer since we started and whilst he and his family team do a wonderful job, […]