Autumn is here and, having been on holiday to sunny climes, it was a rude shock to return to colder weather and turning trees. However, the animals made us feel back at home very quickly, each in their own way. Cody brought us a pheasant for dinner (not quick enough off the mark, he was grabbed by the tail-feathers and dispatched posthaste), sheep wandered out into the lane after someone left the gate open, and later in the evening a cow and calf made a bid for freedom through a dodgy bit of fence.
While we were away, Ann held the reins. Her notes for us of farm-related happenings deserve a guest spot on the blog, so here are some highlights…with explanatory comments from me in [brackets]. A lovely flavour of the ebb and flow of the farming week.
Wednesday 10th. You have been gone for two hours and the calves are breaking out between Cathy and Paul's and Rabbity Gate. Was on my way to wish Cathy a Happy Birthday, but changed into wellies and went off, armed with baling twine!
Thursday 11th. Awake at 4am worrying about calves getting out and being away from the farm until lunchtime before feeding the stock. So got up and fed the cows at 5:30! I still got to market on time. Dad came out to mend the fence. Horrendous rain – for the second time in 20 years the backyard flooded.
Friday 12th. Waited until daylight today, and yet more rain. Went to check stock, but dad had forgotten to turn off the battery, so no tractor! And no quad bike as it was behind the tractor as usual. OK, so I thought I'd use Peanut [the pickup truck] and jump leads, but we now need to add them to the list of things that were stolen. Wheezy ram is not looking very well. On a much lighter note, Sonny has just moved the lambs from 5 Acres to 7 Acres in a very steady fashion. 10 out of 10.
Saturday 13th. Everything OK today except the calf is still lame. More rats in the cake bag [not Victoria sponge, but nuggets of goodies for stock], so I had a session venting my fury at yesterday. Banging rats with a plastic tube is very effective. Three dispatched and one escaped.
Sunday 14th. Wall-to-wall sunshine! Well almost. Cows and calves all lying on the hillside.
Monday 15th. Yet more rain, particularly after lunch. Dad came up to inject the lame calf, although it was not as lame as Saturday. We put up the creep gate [to let calves in and keep cows out] on the left-hand side of the sheds. Went back later to make sure all was OK. All calves lying in a bed of straw with their eyes shut!
Tuesday 16th. We did 15 Acres calves for worms and 3 lambs for maggots. The weedy lambs are now in 4 Acres, and the black-faced 2ths [last year's ewes that were kept for breeding, pronounced tudduths] are in Cleeve.
Wednesday 17th. The lippy lamb [swollen lip – obvious, really!] came for cake this morning, so I hope he will make it. Mr Trick came to trim the road hedges. Two cows and their calves arrived from Catcombe Auction – very good looking.
Thursday 18th. Still a few showers. Lippy lamb not going to make it.
Friday 19th. Dad came to do everything today as I had to be elsewhere. Lippy lamb died – sorry!
Saturday 20th. A lovely day after the fog cleared!
Sunday 21st. Just a bit of fog, then wall-to-wall sunshine. Everything now basking in the sun at last. Barney [Ann's name for all bulls, so this is Comet] has been coming to the crossroad gate for cake, and we usually manage to do it without the cows seeing!
