Freddy Dingo - missing you old friend
We have started a new venture - raising calves! Bought in from the stock market, they are all boys taken from dairy cow mothers to be raised by hand - initially on milk, and then onto calf cake. It started quietly - Colin the Calf (a Friesian) arrived and took up residence, sucking milk directly out of the bucket in almost a single mega-suck. The next day, he was joined by two Friesian/Belgian blue crosses - who of course had to have French names - Jean-Marc and Pierre.
The trickle turned into a flow - with three more Friesians (me being a Gleek, they were named Sam, Finn and Puck) and three more crosses, with the Belgian theme leading to Tintin, Snowy and Haddock. Finally, an assortment - the very English Hereford cross George, a Charolais cross Barney, and a couple of Simental crosses, Wolfgang and Snout (guess which one has the dark face with a very white nose...)
The very handsome Wolfie
Once they get used to using a bottle or the multi-teated hanging feeder, there is no stopping them. Despite being the smallest, Pierre has worked out that if he puts his head under the neck of the next chap along the line, and pushes up, he can sneak in and steal more tucker - vigilance is required constantly!
Finn, Sam, Haddock, Puck and Snowy make the most of feeding time
I came out clean this morning...
Just up the slope from the sheds, where the thirteen boys are settling in, there is to be a change - we finally have planning permission to build a bungalow by the sheds and a big hole is about to be dug...although we may end up living in the hole itself if we don't manage to sell our house to raise the money for walls, ceilings and a roof!
The scene of future construction...
...it's all about the view!
