Farm Diary
FEBRUARY/MARCH
Down on the farm it is very cold and icy with snow. The days seem longer due to the weather but the birds are singing in the mornings which is a sign of spring on its way. We have seperated the older calves from their mothers this month and the x factor auditions only went on for 3 days, normally it is about a week until the calves stop singing. Badger, the eldest calf was sounding like Elvis on the first day and by the time the third day arrived he was sounding like Kate Bush. The mothers were happy to be away from their babies as they are going to calve again in April. We had one escapee who we have named Stinker because he went for a morning swim in the slurry pit and came out smelling of roses, so the rest of the herd thought. People were telling us that we had a loose calf running around the farm but we assured them its ok as it wont go to far as its mother is close by and it has the advantage of feeding as the others move away from him and give him plenty of space to eat, i think he has the Lynx factor.The baroness has come in season again and so she will be going to the high coral in spring. Clint has been telling everyone who the boss is inside his quarters and everybody respects him, he is now counting the days to july 1st, this is when he will start his summer holidays with a lot of holiday romances ( 65 to count in total and so he will be very busy). We have a steer ( male ) which is not very well at the moment and so we will keep a close eye on him during the coming weeks but i think he might be joining twiglet at the high coral. Cattle are very expensive to buy at the moment and so we hope that we will have a healthy herd of calves born during the spring time. The next two months we will be checking the fencing on the farm before turnout and this time we will have to put electic tape around the fields to keep the calves in with their mothers because if the calves escape there will be a huge row with the cows and calves and nobody will get any sleep. The cattle are still fed on adlib sialge and straw with mineral blocks whilst still being housed but we do not want the pregnant ladies getting to fat as then they will have difficult births.
At the cottages we now have 30 ducks on the pond but how long they will stay will be anyones guess. The moorhens are being fed wheat and have the fatball scraps which the birds are leaving behind during this cold spell. I think the rabbits have eaten the snowdrop and crocus bulbs as we cannot see any poking their head through yet. During the strong winds we had last month, one or two tiles were blown off the roof and some maintanance will have to be done. A rose arch is going in Oaktree gardens as we have got a lovely vigorous rambling rose and this will help train it onto the house wall. Both cottages now have broadband internet and this will prove useful with guests for finding additional information on all the visitor attractions we have.
Maggie and Macey are still well and are asking if we will allow guests dogs onto our farm. We have thought about it but would guests take their dogs back to the cottages which we do not allow due to the wildlife and fowling the areas where children play such as the gardens and lawns which is not very healthy for children. We are fully insured and vet inspected for dog boardings but we will see if we can give guest dogs a holiday on the farm, this means that they will stay with us and i will walk them twice a day and feed them and if owners would like to take their dog out for the day, they can, providing they bring their dog back to us and not to the cottages. During this cold snap, Macey has been staying in the house with us during the day but not at night as she will start her own muck spreading business during the night shift and have a odd shoe chew. Nelson has now started dressage lessons and is enjoying it, but he is very laid back, thus i have aching legs and so my instructor has advised me to get a longer crop and so we will see if this works, i hope so, we are aiming for a competition next month but we dont aim to get placed, its just for the experience of seeing other horses and seeing those white boards and mirrors ( this is where he might freak out and thinks that he is going cross eyed with the other black horse).
Bye for now.
The Briarhill Gang
Bye for now
Mark, Bev, Maggie, Macey, Nelson and the Oakpond Ladies/herd
