Last weekend we happily contributed
our flock of yellowhammers to the RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch, but
unfortunately, the massive influx of starlings was just over the fence in the
field so didn't count...
...neither did the ravens,
buzzards, sparrowhawk, red deer or fox (yes, I know they are not birds...but
BGBW records more than just our feathered friends). Spring is springing, and
our bulbs are coming up, while along the roadside, Ann and Ian M's granddad Edwin's
"Snowdrop Alley" is doing well...
On the farm, the sheep are now mostly
in the sheds in preparation for lambing - time to relax, stay warm and dry, and
eat good quality silage to produce healthy lambs. Conversely, not time for us to relax.
While cleaning out the sheds, Ian
let the cows and calves wander in the field - so much for "poor cattle
kept inside" when all they did was hang around by the gate, and come
charging back in one he was done to sit on their lovely fresh straw. There is a lot of dung to move each week...
While we were away for the weekend,
Ann took over the reins and looked after the dogs as well as the stock (brave). An extract from her farming notes, with some
decoding...
Saturday
All good today. I had an alarm call from Cody at 4am, but I
think it was on Sonny's behalf as he was out for quite some time! Silage bales were needed in Race Ground and
Gratton - I put the waste from the old bale in the shed for the cattle to pick
over. The lean-to and cubicles also had
a bale this evening. The sun had gone
this afternoon, so it's not quite as pleasant. I've been picking up stones in 6
acres while the boys investigate...I could have done with Fred to help find
some for me1. I saw a barn
owl by the orchard on my way home - certainly worth putting up another owl box. The partridges came for some shelter this
afternoon when the sun disappeared. I've
enjoyed the last of the tarte tartin tonight, and a glass of white wine I found
in the fridge...I hope it wasn't something special that you were saving!2
Sunday
A damp, but warm morning. The
ground was really slippery on top.
Silage bales needed in Big Field, Edwin's and the Silage Pit today. I had a really crap bale for the top shed, so
there is quite a lot of rough stuff piled up after the cows had picked over it.
The cubicles have had one tonight.
Hopefully I won't have quite as much to do tomorrow as I need to go
swede napping!3 I heard an
owl this morning towards Birch Wood as I was out with the boys.
Monday
A stunning morning today. I managed
to get finished with the tractor when Geoffrey came to spread dung, and on my
way round the sheep I came across David trimming the inside hedges. Your "foreign" sheep4
has turned her toes up this morning, and I have left her for you. Race Ground is all fine, but there is no
water except puddles. This afternoon I
have bedded the sheep and they have had another bale of silage. I have opened
the gate between 6 Acres and 8 Acres so that the ewe lambs can go back for
silage. I haven't shut it again yet as I had the boys with me. Sorry, didn't get round to cleaning out the
cows.5
1 - dear old Fred used to carry
stones around, leading to chipped teeth; no worse than Sonny, who cracked off
his canine biting the quad tyres.
2 - nope, it wasn't.
3 - armed with swede net and woolly
hat, Ann kidnaps swedes from our neighbours (with permission of course,
although she does look pretty dodgy...)
4 - not ours - found wandering the
roads with no markings and no ear-tags (tut tut), a sorry specimen if ever
there was one.
5 - sensible woman.
