Oh heck, only a week to go until the big day! Why does everyone go mad under the pressure to produce such a perfect family day? It's only like cooking a big Sunday roast dinner, which I try to do every week. The shops are ONLY closed for one day! If you've forgotten anything or not enough, then tough! We won't starve or miss out because we have all taken one day off!
Well some minority occupations won't have a day off, they have to keep on working throughout! Livestock farmers must tend to their animals every day of the year and Christmas Day is no different. So it's a fairly short event for us. Having milked, bedded, fed and cleaned up after our 190 herd and youngstock BEFORE breakfast, we have a short time to open presents, eat a fairly big meal (always at 1pm sharp) then an after lunch snooze, wake up for the Queen's Speech then back outside before the daylight runs out to feed everything, clean up and milk the herd! As I've said before, it would be so much better to have Christmas in July for us, when the cows and youngstock are all outside feeding and spreading manure themselves. In fact, an antipodean Christmas would suit us better. As I'm about to find out.
For me this year, the festive period is going to be even shorter as I'm off to Australia on Boxing Day afternoon to visit our daughter Charlotte, who's working out there for six months. I fly in to Sydney Airport on 28 Dec, and together we will have three whole weeks of fun in the sun. Unfortunately, I'm leaving Mark hard at it at home with the help of our Kiwi student, Jayden and Harry will be home from College to help out too. So I don't feel guilty at all!!!!
Harry is having the time of his life at College in Cheshire. Tonight he's gone to the Winter Wonderland Ball in his first Dinner Suit! As it's his birthday on Thursday (he turns 17) he got the dinner suit he wanted. My only concern is the food and beer fights that I'm sure will happen during the evening at some stage. He looks fabulously handsome in his DJ, with red bow tie and braces. Those girls at the Ball will be fighting for him I'm sure - then again I would be biased wouldn't I?
Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year! I shall be a bit ahead of you this year celebrating the arrival of 2014 in Sydney Harbour 11 hours before you do. Weird but really looking forward to the experience!
Happy Christmas readers!
Tuesday 17 December 2013
Monday 11 November 2013
Fireworks and thats nothing to do with Guy Fawkes!
As the seasons come and go, life on the farm changes. Work loads change. Thankfully, we have extra help these days with Jayden and some work experience students who are coming regularly every weekend to gain experience and help us out!
Moving calves around this weekend which prompted me to explain to the students, that "there might be some shouting and swearing, so don't take it personally, its just part of the job!" But I need not have worried so. With some careful planning, we moved three calves through to the next door pen, making that pen hold 15, then three from the older pen into the middle pen,(now up to 11) and then fetch in the 5 yearlings from outside, who now live with the older calves (8 months) making them 10 and with the seven in my yard, that makes it 43 heifers for next year!!
I also got the Saturday team (don't forget Harry's home at weekends and he does loads of work with the new tractor, bedding, feeding silage, scraping up muck and loading dump trailer to move the muck away down the fields), to do some physical brushing up, and clearing drains so all this rain water from the roofs goes straight down the drain and not into our mucky yards!
November began last week with a couple of talks. One to Southwell U3A on 5th November to approx 280 in the audience. Wow, that was a big one! On the stage with my headset microphone and the remote for the slide projector, I whizzed through the talk and left 20 mins for questions, which I think worked really well. 2kg of Stilton cheese was sampled and hopefully, everyone enjoyed hearing of my tales from our farm. One lady asked if she could tape record my talk so she would do a write up later. Here is an extract:-
"When I first knew we were to have a talk from a farmer's wife I didn't expect to hear anything of particular interest. Her opening remarks were, ' I am Jane Barnes. I am a farmer's wife from Melton Mowbray in Leics in a village called Somerby. I'm married to Mark and Mark is a rare breed!' I realised immediately that I was about to listen to someone with a good sense of humour who would hold my attention and interest.
I wasn't disappointed!"
That was a relief then!
The next day I visited Trent Valley Mens Probus group of about 60 in Colwick, Nottingham. Mr President stood up and introduced me finishing with the words ".......now listen and learn. Jane commands your attention at all times, I know, I've seen her before......"
Quite worried I've turned into a monster on the stage! Well I've always liked to make an impression and enlighten the room, just like Guy Fawkes!
Moving calves around this weekend which prompted me to explain to the students, that "there might be some shouting and swearing, so don't take it personally, its just part of the job!" But I need not have worried so. With some careful planning, we moved three calves through to the next door pen, making that pen hold 15, then three from the older pen into the middle pen,(now up to 11) and then fetch in the 5 yearlings from outside, who now live with the older calves (8 months) making them 10 and with the seven in my yard, that makes it 43 heifers for next year!!
I also got the Saturday team (don't forget Harry's home at weekends and he does loads of work with the new tractor, bedding, feeding silage, scraping up muck and loading dump trailer to move the muck away down the fields), to do some physical brushing up, and clearing drains so all this rain water from the roofs goes straight down the drain and not into our mucky yards!
November began last week with a couple of talks. One to Southwell U3A on 5th November to approx 280 in the audience. Wow, that was a big one! On the stage with my headset microphone and the remote for the slide projector, I whizzed through the talk and left 20 mins for questions, which I think worked really well. 2kg of Stilton cheese was sampled and hopefully, everyone enjoyed hearing of my tales from our farm. One lady asked if she could tape record my talk so she would do a write up later. Here is an extract:-
"When I first knew we were to have a talk from a farmer's wife I didn't expect to hear anything of particular interest. Her opening remarks were, ' I am Jane Barnes. I am a farmer's wife from Melton Mowbray in Leics in a village called Somerby. I'm married to Mark and Mark is a rare breed!' I realised immediately that I was about to listen to someone with a good sense of humour who would hold my attention and interest.
I wasn't disappointed!"
That was a relief then!
The next day I visited Trent Valley Mens Probus group of about 60 in Colwick, Nottingham. Mr President stood up and introduced me finishing with the words ".......now listen and learn. Jane commands your attention at all times, I know, I've seen her before......"
Quite worried I've turned into a monster on the stage! Well I've always liked to make an impression and enlighten the room, just like Guy Fawkes!
Monday 28 October 2013
Seasons Changing and a break to Sunny Hunny!
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr........ storms, heavy showers and the north wind! So we've just had the worst storm in years, knocking trees and branches about. Having just had our hedges cut, little shelter for the cows and youngstock out there. So tonight the cows are staying inside. Yippeee!!! (for the cows not for us). That means the work load has just doubled.
Mark and I had a short break away from the farm last week in Sunny Hunney (Hunstanton, Norfolk for those that don't know the lingo). The fresh sea air, the clear blue skies, great meals out every night and change of scenery revitalizing our wellbeing. We had a great rest, leaving Harry and Jayden to do all the work at home. (Harry was on half term break from College). Trevor came to do most of the milkings but they had to milk several evenings, so there's a milestone achieved too!
My niece Catherine, has just turned 18 and we were invited round for supper to celebrate on Friday. Met her new boyfriend and watched the first video recordings of Catherine as a new born and my Charlotte (who's just over a year older). It was a very tear-jerking moment for me and one that pulled at my heart-strings because a) she's all grown up and b) I'm missing her now, it's been two whole months since she left us to go to Australia. Thank God someone invented Skype which seems to keep me going and lots of emails and text messages too.
Harry's back at College now and really has settled in well. He seems keen to get on with the work and turning into a thoroughly nice young man! Quite impressed with him at the moment, long may it continue, especially as he's now turned his hand to the odd milking when he's home.
So Monday morning has seen a hive of activity in the farmhouse. We've had the central heating boiler serviced and repaired, new tank of oil arrived, chimney swept ready for lighting the fire in the sitting room, cleared out some dining room furniture to the local saleroom (as the cattle trailer is spotlessly clean after Cousin Tom's power washing it last week) and a new lad Silas has come for a weeks work experience. He wants to be a vet. Haven't we enough vets in the country? We also have a school girl coming most weekends to help out to gain work experience to work in farming! She seems unfazed so far but a long way for her to go. Now I've picked up a message from our local Vicar, who's son is also keen on getting work experience on our farm. Wished we could earn money out of all this "work experience" going on!
Only got one talk this week but it's a first. I'm off to Southwell in Nottinghamshire to give my talk to a WI "Group" so up to 60 members present. I've got a load of Stilton waiting in the fridge to take for them to taste. Always a favourite especially at WI's.
Opening Meet for the Cottesmore hounds tomorrow. Although I'm not hunting this season, I might go along to see them all and say hello. Its always a special meet at Johnny Weatherby's at Preston Lodge. They meet in our village on Saturday too, and the Master has been to see Mark this morning. Oh I wish it would dry up a bit before all those thundering hooves cross our land on Saturday.
Fingers crossed!
Mark and I had a short break away from the farm last week in Sunny Hunney (Hunstanton, Norfolk for those that don't know the lingo). The fresh sea air, the clear blue skies, great meals out every night and change of scenery revitalizing our wellbeing. We had a great rest, leaving Harry and Jayden to do all the work at home. (Harry was on half term break from College). Trevor came to do most of the milkings but they had to milk several evenings, so there's a milestone achieved too!
My niece Catherine, has just turned 18 and we were invited round for supper to celebrate on Friday. Met her new boyfriend and watched the first video recordings of Catherine as a new born and my Charlotte (who's just over a year older). It was a very tear-jerking moment for me and one that pulled at my heart-strings because a) she's all grown up and b) I'm missing her now, it's been two whole months since she left us to go to Australia. Thank God someone invented Skype which seems to keep me going and lots of emails and text messages too.
Harry's back at College now and really has settled in well. He seems keen to get on with the work and turning into a thoroughly nice young man! Quite impressed with him at the moment, long may it continue, especially as he's now turned his hand to the odd milking when he's home.
So Monday morning has seen a hive of activity in the farmhouse. We've had the central heating boiler serviced and repaired, new tank of oil arrived, chimney swept ready for lighting the fire in the sitting room, cleared out some dining room furniture to the local saleroom (as the cattle trailer is spotlessly clean after Cousin Tom's power washing it last week) and a new lad Silas has come for a weeks work experience. He wants to be a vet. Haven't we enough vets in the country? We also have a school girl coming most weekends to help out to gain work experience to work in farming! She seems unfazed so far but a long way for her to go. Now I've picked up a message from our local Vicar, who's son is also keen on getting work experience on our farm. Wished we could earn money out of all this "work experience" going on!
Only got one talk this week but it's a first. I'm off to Southwell in Nottinghamshire to give my talk to a WI "Group" so up to 60 members present. I've got a load of Stilton waiting in the fridge to take for them to taste. Always a favourite especially at WI's.
Opening Meet for the Cottesmore hounds tomorrow. Although I'm not hunting this season, I might go along to see them all and say hello. Its always a special meet at Johnny Weatherby's at Preston Lodge. They meet in our village on Saturday too, and the Master has been to see Mark this morning. Oh I wish it would dry up a bit before all those thundering hooves cross our land on Saturday.
Fingers crossed!
Monday 21 October 2013
Living without broadband.........never again!
Sorry for the delay in getting another blog on my page. It's has been quite a while since I last added some news to life at Southfields Farm but we have been interrupted by broadband breakdowns.
It's half term week this week, so Harry is home for one week from Reaseheath College and Mark and I have taken this opportunity to jet off...........to Hunstanton for the week! Well, Mark's getting a week of lazying about, with 6 morning a lie-ins!
So this morning, up early (5.30am) to leave Hunstanton and return home (did it in 1hr 45mins - hope the highway coppers were still asleep) as there has been a pressing need since Friday to get our broadband up and running again. BT Openreach visited us this morning, to repair yet another loose wire inside the house, making our broadband connect a 100 times better than it was! I'm now a happy person again......phew!
Life without broadband makes you feel you've lost the use of both arms. We have become so used to all its multitasking, I'm sure my computer is a woman! Like all things on our farm, the females are working hard, multitasking and producing the goods, even if sometimes a little tempermental.
However, the boys Harry and Jayden are home alone this week (maybe not, cousin Tom has arrived tonight to stay for a "while"!) Three young men home has brought life back to the place.
In case you're confused....... I've left Mark (not in the sense of marriage separation) in Hunstanton and returned back to do a "Talk" in Southwell this lunchtime. I hate messing my bookings around just to fit in a holiday, so I've returned back for a couple of days to check the farm, the cows, host a farmwalk tomorrow, make sure Trevor our relief milker is OK and feed the boys. They did manage two nights feeding themselves. Oooh and to see our little dog Beattie too and the horses, who are living like kings in heaven, the amount of long grass they've got in their field.
As the nights are drawing in, the chickens went to bed this evening at 5.45pm cos they hate all this rain and very windy tonight. We opened up the cubicle shed to offer bed space for the cows, and they didn't say no. About 30 or so, went straight into the stalls, to relax on the bed of straw even though the gate is open for them to walk out to the fields. It's not cold, just very, very wet! The milk yield is dropping rapidly - we've been feeding our silage from the clamp for 5-6 weeks now and are expecting more cows to calve shortly. Winter is only around the corner, hence Mark's quick break to the "far east" to get him fit and well for the months of hard work ahead!
Hopefully, it won't be too long before I report again, about life down on Southfields Farm.
It's half term week this week, so Harry is home for one week from Reaseheath College and Mark and I have taken this opportunity to jet off...........to Hunstanton for the week! Well, Mark's getting a week of lazying about, with 6 morning a lie-ins!
So this morning, up early (5.30am) to leave Hunstanton and return home (did it in 1hr 45mins - hope the highway coppers were still asleep) as there has been a pressing need since Friday to get our broadband up and running again. BT Openreach visited us this morning, to repair yet another loose wire inside the house, making our broadband connect a 100 times better than it was! I'm now a happy person again......phew!
Life without broadband makes you feel you've lost the use of both arms. We have become so used to all its multitasking, I'm sure my computer is a woman! Like all things on our farm, the females are working hard, multitasking and producing the goods, even if sometimes a little tempermental.
However, the boys Harry and Jayden are home alone this week (maybe not, cousin Tom has arrived tonight to stay for a "while"!) Three young men home has brought life back to the place.
In case you're confused....... I've left Mark (not in the sense of marriage separation) in Hunstanton and returned back to do a "Talk" in Southwell this lunchtime. I hate messing my bookings around just to fit in a holiday, so I've returned back for a couple of days to check the farm, the cows, host a farmwalk tomorrow, make sure Trevor our relief milker is OK and feed the boys. They did manage two nights feeding themselves. Oooh and to see our little dog Beattie too and the horses, who are living like kings in heaven, the amount of long grass they've got in their field.
As the nights are drawing in, the chickens went to bed this evening at 5.45pm cos they hate all this rain and very windy tonight. We opened up the cubicle shed to offer bed space for the cows, and they didn't say no. About 30 or so, went straight into the stalls, to relax on the bed of straw even though the gate is open for them to walk out to the fields. It's not cold, just very, very wet! The milk yield is dropping rapidly - we've been feeding our silage from the clamp for 5-6 weeks now and are expecting more cows to calve shortly. Winter is only around the corner, hence Mark's quick break to the "far east" to get him fit and well for the months of hard work ahead!
Hopefully, it won't be too long before I report again, about life down on Southfields Farm.
Wednesday 25 September 2013
New Toy on the Farm!
Although it looks new, and is new to us, it is in fact 8 years old. But as it's arrived via an Agricultural Machinery firm, they've repaired, cleaned and replaced bits and pieces to make it look as new as possible. Not bad for £38k! (We did have a VERY old Massey Fergusson to part exchange though to soften the blow!) Let's hope the milk price stays above 30ppl for the next 5 years to help pay for it!
Harry besides himself and can't wait until he's back from College this weekend to "play" with it. I wonder how long before its gets dirty?
Boys and their toys hey?
Tuesday 24 September 2013
Stilton Cheese Milk!
The world famous Stilton Cheese from Long Clawson.
We are proud to sell all the milk we produce from our Pedigree Ayrshire herd, to Long Clawson who process it into Stilton. This gets exported all over the world but it can only be made from milk where the cows are grazing in the three counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
As dairy farmers, we have to produce the right sort of milk the dairy wants and at the right time of the year. That time in now. The dairy is in full production because the milk we're sending now, will become the Stilton you will eat this Christmas!
Long Clawson Dairy needs milk with high protein and high butterfat content. We have a standard to achieve of 4.1% butterfat and 3.3% protein and our Ayrshire ladies are producing that in abundance. Thanks to the ideal weather pattern this year and the fact that we now calve most of our herd in March, April, May and June. Once a cow has calved, she will produce the most milk in her daily yield during the first three months of lactation. So all the June calvers are in peak of production in Sept.
I give a lot of talks about dairy farming and also have groups round our farm regularly. At each event I always bring along some Stilton Cheese fresh from the dairy, so my audience can taste it. Everyone loves it and thats because you have to serve it at room temperature. Let the cheese breath!
Long Clawson Dairy has an excellent website, with great ideas for Stilton in recipes and you can even order online! You will find it at www.clawson.co.uk They also have facebook and twitter pages.
So on the run up to Christmas, please buy British Cheeses and give them as gifts but especially Stilton with a bottle of Port perhaps!
Wednesday 11 September 2013
Our farm on Local Radio
Yesterday, a recording made recently, whilst a group visited our farm on a Farm Walk, went live on GravityFM radio station in Grantham, Lincs. I thought it a very good piece so if you wish to hear it, click on the link below!
http://webmail.tiscali.co.uk/cp/ps/Mail/ExternalURLProxy?d=tiscali.co.uk&u=jane.barnes&url=http://www.youtube.com/watch!!v~~07NMG2IebMI^^amp;feature~~c4-overview^^amp;list~~UUojvxvQM-g8pRXqEi-urV9A&urlHash=-1.7981179234359022E195
http://webmail.tiscali.co.uk/cp/ps/Mail/ExternalURLProxy?d=tiscali.co.uk&u=jane.barnes&url=http://www.youtube.com/watch!!v~~07NMG2IebMI^^amp;feature~~c4-overview^^amp;list~~UUojvxvQM-g8pRXqEi-urV9A&urlHash=-1.7981179234359022E195
Thursday 5 September 2013
It's all change down on the farm!
It's all change in our household.
Charlotte is on her "gap year" to life! She's in Sydney, Australia working with a family looking after ponies and horses as a groom. She's been there a week now and has the job for six long months! How am I going to manage without her around? Then the plan is to move on to NZ for three months also looking after horses for a family who show jump and hunt. Her aim there is to hunt in NZ. OMG they jump barbed wire I here!
Back on the farm, we've got Jayden arriving any day now, to live and work with us on our farm. He's visiting the UK from NZ where he's used to milking 1800 Holstein cows! Slightly different here with our 120 Ayrshires! So Charlottes bedroom has had a make over to turn it less pink, for Jayden to live in.
Harry is off to Reaseheath College, to study Agriculture on a three year sandwich course. His middle year will be out on a farm, gaining practical experience on someone else's farm. So we need to pack up his stuff and move into halls this Sunday.
So it's all change on Southfields Farm.
Mark and I will stay at home keeping the place going. Cows are milking extremely well as the grass hasn't stopped growing this summer. Currently in a hot period but rain is due over the weekend to freshen everything up.
The In-Laws have finally got away with their caravan to Sunny Honey! (Hunstanton, Norfolk) for TWO months!!! Hope the weather holds.
I'm typing this with freshly painted nail varnish....... I need to get ready in a moment, as I've been invited to an Awards Dinner tonight with DairyCo. I'm going to the Motorcyle Museum in Birmingham as a guest of DairyCo. Unfortunately, Mark's not included! Its evening dress, hence the nail varnish, and I'm going because Adam Hanson is the MC for the evening. All I know is, the guests are all connected to the dairy industry, not just farmer producers, but industry leaders and alike. (Not too sure why I'm invited, but in for a penny, in for a pound as they say). Never one to miss an opportunity I'm off in half and hour. Will update my blog later to let you know how I get on.
Charlotte is on her "gap year" to life! She's in Sydney, Australia working with a family looking after ponies and horses as a groom. She's been there a week now and has the job for six long months! How am I going to manage without her around? Then the plan is to move on to NZ for three months also looking after horses for a family who show jump and hunt. Her aim there is to hunt in NZ. OMG they jump barbed wire I here!
Back on the farm, we've got Jayden arriving any day now, to live and work with us on our farm. He's visiting the UK from NZ where he's used to milking 1800 Holstein cows! Slightly different here with our 120 Ayrshires! So Charlottes bedroom has had a make over to turn it less pink, for Jayden to live in.
Harry is off to Reaseheath College, to study Agriculture on a three year sandwich course. His middle year will be out on a farm, gaining practical experience on someone else's farm. So we need to pack up his stuff and move into halls this Sunday.
So it's all change on Southfields Farm.
Mark and I will stay at home keeping the place going. Cows are milking extremely well as the grass hasn't stopped growing this summer. Currently in a hot period but rain is due over the weekend to freshen everything up.
The In-Laws have finally got away with their caravan to Sunny Honey! (Hunstanton, Norfolk) for TWO months!!! Hope the weather holds.
I'm typing this with freshly painted nail varnish....... I need to get ready in a moment, as I've been invited to an Awards Dinner tonight with DairyCo. I'm going to the Motorcyle Museum in Birmingham as a guest of DairyCo. Unfortunately, Mark's not included! Its evening dress, hence the nail varnish, and I'm going because Adam Hanson is the MC for the evening. All I know is, the guests are all connected to the dairy industry, not just farmer producers, but industry leaders and alike. (Not too sure why I'm invited, but in for a penny, in for a pound as they say). Never one to miss an opportunity I'm off in half and hour. Will update my blog later to let you know how I get on.
Wednesday 31 July 2013
Jane's Teabread
Many visitors who come on Farm Walks to our farm, enjoy the Tea, Cakes and Stilton refreshments at the end of the visit. Many more ask me for the Teabread recipe and it's so easy to make I usually make 5 or 6 at a time, so here it is!
Jane's Teabread
10oz/275g mixed dried fruit
6oz/175g soft brown sugar
1/2pt/300ml tea
10oz/275g self-raising flour
1 egg
In a mixing bowl, mix together the dried fruits and sugar. Pour on the tea, cover and allow to stand for 4-5 hours or overnight. After soaking, beat in the flour and beaten egg. Stir to mix well. Grease a 2lb/1kg loaf tin well and line the base with greaseproof paper. Put in the cake mixture and level the top. Place in a hot oven (its an Aga recipe so don't know how hot it needs to be - trial and error?) for 45 mins or until its golden brown, cooked in the middle when tested with a skewer!
When cold, slice and I serve buttered. It makes an old fashioned favourite very enjoyable and goes down a treat with a cup of tea.
Jane's Teabread
10oz/275g mixed dried fruit
6oz/175g soft brown sugar
1/2pt/300ml tea
10oz/275g self-raising flour
1 egg
In a mixing bowl, mix together the dried fruits and sugar. Pour on the tea, cover and allow to stand for 4-5 hours or overnight. After soaking, beat in the flour and beaten egg. Stir to mix well. Grease a 2lb/1kg loaf tin well and line the base with greaseproof paper. Put in the cake mixture and level the top. Place in a hot oven (its an Aga recipe so don't know how hot it needs to be - trial and error?) for 45 mins or until its golden brown, cooked in the middle when tested with a skewer!
When cold, slice and I serve buttered. It makes an old fashioned favourite very enjoyable and goes down a treat with a cup of tea.
Big Birthday Month and Peak Milk Production
Three out of four members of my family have had their birthdays this month. We begin on the 7th with Mark's (who had a new number plate for the Golf with "Moo" on it). Then its Charlotte's on the 12th (who whizzed off to Majorca this year) and then finally mine on the 21st. I got my favourite perfume from Charlotte, a new camera from Mark and a "grunt" from Harry! Not to forget that Beattie had her 1st birthday on 24th - now she's all grown up, we've moved her into a dog bed rather than the cage, in the back kitchen.
As it's the last day of July today, we've been calculating our milk yield for the month and it's the best ever on this farm, ever, ever! Looking at a production of just over 80,000 litres of high protein milk, just for July! It's been phenomenal grass growing weather throughout July. Firstly the hot dry spell, then just when the grass needed a drink, the thunderstorms sparked off the rain clouds. Lovely warm rain at just the right time. Long may the sunshine, warmth and rain last through August and September, when this farm usually runs short of grass and dries up. Our grass seeds have proved invaluable in producting milk this year and now plan to re-drill another field this Autumn so its got the winter to establish. Long Clawson Dairies what milk at this time of year as they make plenty of Stilton Cheese now which will be ready for the Christmas market come December. Also the price they pay for the milk goes up in July, August and September to encourage us to produce it now. Happy farmers at the moment!
Each Friday, Beattie and I walk the farm to measure the grass growth for that week. It's been a useful exercise for me and Beattie, not only for the excerise but for evaluating which fields are growing faster than others and which fields the cows like to graze. Hopefully, 2013 is the turning point in this farms profitability and thats what keeps us going!
Also, we've been busy with hosting Farm Walks to groups of WI's or U3As this month. It's always different each time a group visits, asking similar but different questions which I enjoy explaining the workings of a dairy farm. My hope is the visitors go home more informed and able to educate members of their family or friends to the reality of running a typical British dairy farm.
Alas today, Arla Dairies (processing plant for liquid milk) at Ashby de la Zouch has announced it's closing its factory next April. A real blow to the industry as they relocate their liquid milk processing to a brand new factory nearer London! 370 jobs lost but the Leicestershire and Derbyshire farmers milk will still be collected and driven futher down the M1 to the new site. It was on East Midlands Today this evening, interviewing farmers who are in shock of the news.
Meanwhile, at Long Clawson Dairies, they announced proudly a win at the Nantwich Cheese Fair with their new cheese Claxton Smooth Blue. Claxton is the old English word for Clawson and the Smooth Blue, a kind of spreadable Stilton. It's yummy, try it!
As it's the last day of July today, we've been calculating our milk yield for the month and it's the best ever on this farm, ever, ever! Looking at a production of just over 80,000 litres of high protein milk, just for July! It's been phenomenal grass growing weather throughout July. Firstly the hot dry spell, then just when the grass needed a drink, the thunderstorms sparked off the rain clouds. Lovely warm rain at just the right time. Long may the sunshine, warmth and rain last through August and September, when this farm usually runs short of grass and dries up. Our grass seeds have proved invaluable in producting milk this year and now plan to re-drill another field this Autumn so its got the winter to establish. Long Clawson Dairies what milk at this time of year as they make plenty of Stilton Cheese now which will be ready for the Christmas market come December. Also the price they pay for the milk goes up in July, August and September to encourage us to produce it now. Happy farmers at the moment!
Each Friday, Beattie and I walk the farm to measure the grass growth for that week. It's been a useful exercise for me and Beattie, not only for the excerise but for evaluating which fields are growing faster than others and which fields the cows like to graze. Hopefully, 2013 is the turning point in this farms profitability and thats what keeps us going!
Also, we've been busy with hosting Farm Walks to groups of WI's or U3As this month. It's always different each time a group visits, asking similar but different questions which I enjoy explaining the workings of a dairy farm. My hope is the visitors go home more informed and able to educate members of their family or friends to the reality of running a typical British dairy farm.
Alas today, Arla Dairies (processing plant for liquid milk) at Ashby de la Zouch has announced it's closing its factory next April. A real blow to the industry as they relocate their liquid milk processing to a brand new factory nearer London! 370 jobs lost but the Leicestershire and Derbyshire farmers milk will still be collected and driven futher down the M1 to the new site. It was on East Midlands Today this evening, interviewing farmers who are in shock of the news.
Meanwhile, at Long Clawson Dairies, they announced proudly a win at the Nantwich Cheese Fair with their new cheese Claxton Smooth Blue. Claxton is the old English word for Clawson and the Smooth Blue, a kind of spreadable Stilton. It's yummy, try it!
Tuesday 16 July 2013
Tennis Elbow, Housemaids Knee and Home Alone
After watching the success of Andy Murray last week, I've come out with sympathy pains in my right elbow! Or it could be down to the amount of buckets of milk I'm carrying from the parlour to the baby calves twice a day. Boy, have we had some stonking Herefords? They are twice the size of a newborn Ayrshire and drink SO much milk. The bigger, brighter ones are jumping pens and even jumping out into the barn, but luckily, won't go outside the building as they know its "scary" out there. Last night, two jumped out and were found this morning asleep in between the pens, with their mates. I've got 15 babies and 10 weaners to feed twice a day and its hot so they're all getting water too. More buckets to carry! Think I'm going to rename my tennis elbow, Milkmaids Elbow!
Mother-in-law, has just had a knee replacement. The old one is worn out after 85 years so they've replaced the Housemaids Knee. She's been home a week now and walking very well with the crutches around the house and garden daily. Yesterday, she had the village Doctor visit because it was still very swollen. She sent us to LRI to the DVT clinic to get it check out. So I downed my paint brush and changed to take her. Three hours later, no news but another scan on her leg later in the week. And still got some more painting to do in the stables.
Home alone for three days as both Charlotte and Harry are on holiday with my sister, Susan and her family in Majorca (alright for some - but I've got equally great weather for sunbathing if I had time too). Mark has gone to Devon (another holiday spot) for a dairyman's tour of other dairy farms with other dairy farmers! I'd loved to have gone too but someone's got to stay at home and hold the fort.
Being "Home Alone" (although I've got Beattie the dog 24/7) is great but so much to do. Eleven loads of washing, cleaned the kitchen floor, painted four stables, poo picked the paddock, lunged both horses every day, (not to mention feeding and bedding all my calves)and tomorrow attending a Farmers Meeting (as Marks not here) to discuss suppliers for the farm and do the weekly shop down Tescos for Mum-in-Law and ourselves! However, when I speak to people telling them all my family are away, the reply is "how nice, now you can do whatever you want?" Ha Ha. I wish!
Next job to do, is try and sell my beloved horsebox lorry. It's the sensible thing to do. With Charlotte travelling this winter and Harry away at College, I can't see me hunting as there's so much to do on the farm. So it's got to go after four years of fabulous family filled adventures in it.
Looking at our staffing problem, I have offered to be a host family for an overseas trainee. We've made contact with a NZ 21 year old who is from a 500 cow dairy unit in South Island NZ. As I've got a bedroom spare this winter, I thought this could be the answer. Fingers crossed!
Mother-in-law, has just had a knee replacement. The old one is worn out after 85 years so they've replaced the Housemaids Knee. She's been home a week now and walking very well with the crutches around the house and garden daily. Yesterday, she had the village Doctor visit because it was still very swollen. She sent us to LRI to the DVT clinic to get it check out. So I downed my paint brush and changed to take her. Three hours later, no news but another scan on her leg later in the week. And still got some more painting to do in the stables.
Home alone for three days as both Charlotte and Harry are on holiday with my sister, Susan and her family in Majorca (alright for some - but I've got equally great weather for sunbathing if I had time too). Mark has gone to Devon (another holiday spot) for a dairyman's tour of other dairy farms with other dairy farmers! I'd loved to have gone too but someone's got to stay at home and hold the fort.
Being "Home Alone" (although I've got Beattie the dog 24/7) is great but so much to do. Eleven loads of washing, cleaned the kitchen floor, painted four stables, poo picked the paddock, lunged both horses every day, (not to mention feeding and bedding all my calves)and tomorrow attending a Farmers Meeting (as Marks not here) to discuss suppliers for the farm and do the weekly shop down Tescos for Mum-in-Law and ourselves! However, when I speak to people telling them all my family are away, the reply is "how nice, now you can do whatever you want?" Ha Ha. I wish!
Next job to do, is try and sell my beloved horsebox lorry. It's the sensible thing to do. With Charlotte travelling this winter and Harry away at College, I can't see me hunting as there's so much to do on the farm. So it's got to go after four years of fabulous family filled adventures in it.
Looking at our staffing problem, I have offered to be a host family for an overseas trainee. We've made contact with a NZ 21 year old who is from a 500 cow dairy unit in South Island NZ. As I've got a bedroom spare this winter, I thought this could be the answer. Fingers crossed!
Thursday 4 July 2013
Family Day Out @ Livestock Event
Had a great day out with my husband, my son and my father yesterday. We treated ourselves to a day with other dairy farmers at the NEC. It's ridiculous really as you spend most of the time at these shows bumping into and talking to your neighbours from down the road, catching up with the latest news and gossip!
Anyway, we took Harry and he met up with two school friends from Somerset so that took care of him and we didn't have to spend our time looking round new tractors and machinery with him asking why can't we buy one? Of course, we'd rather spend our time around the Ayrshire Cattle breeders and watched our new friends doing the cattle showing. Everyone was pleased to see us again since the AGM in Kintyre and they all remembered our names. Impressed! Harry has now finished his schooling at Somerset after three wonderful years. Last Saturday we had our last trip to Brymore for the Schools Open Day. We had to take a trailer to fetch his DT project. Whilst most boys made a tool box or hen hut, our lad decided to make a feed bin for the calf food. It was a hugh 1m x 1.2m x 1.5m checker plate and angle iron welded box! Needed a tractor to load it up and unload once we got home. Anyway its a useful item to have and we needed one!
Later on I found my way onto the DairyCo stand, and attended the launch of their new campaign #discoverdairy which I hope you'll support. Is a campaign I'm already involved with - teaching the general public about what goes on on a dairy farm. Everyone's familiar with the end product, but just how do we farmers actually produce this food everyday? It's right up my street and I'm happily taken the "bull by the horns" (excuse the pun) and started "tweeting" messages about what we're doing now on the farm. Go on, take a look and follow me or at least do some "likes" and give me some support!! DairyCo have managed to get Adam Henson as their ambassador to head the campaign which is aimed at 18-35 year olds. Hence the social media interaction!
By the way, look out for my profile on DairyCo's website www.thisisdairyfarming.com under Meet the Farmer tab. Quite impressed - like the picture too.
They announced their website will be upgraded at the end of July making it more picture stories rather than words and asked me to do some guest farmer blogging! Hey, getting with it now!
Getting to the NEC is easy pezzey down the M42. Parking free and an easy walk to the event. Air conditioning was exactly right, we weren't too cold or hot. All was perfect until we went to buy some lunch! Wow, how can it be that in a permanent exhibition centre it takes 40 minutes to queue up to order and pay for a hot roast pork pannini costing a whopping £6.95 each!! Ouch, that's beyond counselling! This year I took my own bottle of water as I remember being charged £1.95 for 50ml bottle last year. We've only been getting 24.19pence per ltr for milk in June!
Here's a picture of "Somerby Sunflower" during milking this morning. She loves cow cake but hasn't learnt to shut her mouth to eat it! Ha Ha!
Anyway, we took Harry and he met up with two school friends from Somerset so that took care of him and we didn't have to spend our time looking round new tractors and machinery with him asking why can't we buy one? Of course, we'd rather spend our time around the Ayrshire Cattle breeders and watched our new friends doing the cattle showing. Everyone was pleased to see us again since the AGM in Kintyre and they all remembered our names. Impressed! Harry has now finished his schooling at Somerset after three wonderful years. Last Saturday we had our last trip to Brymore for the Schools Open Day. We had to take a trailer to fetch his DT project. Whilst most boys made a tool box or hen hut, our lad decided to make a feed bin for the calf food. It was a hugh 1m x 1.2m x 1.5m checker plate and angle iron welded box! Needed a tractor to load it up and unload once we got home. Anyway its a useful item to have and we needed one!
Later on I found my way onto the DairyCo stand, and attended the launch of their new campaign #discoverdairy which I hope you'll support. Is a campaign I'm already involved with - teaching the general public about what goes on on a dairy farm. Everyone's familiar with the end product, but just how do we farmers actually produce this food everyday? It's right up my street and I'm happily taken the "bull by the horns" (excuse the pun) and started "tweeting" messages about what we're doing now on the farm. Go on, take a look and follow me or at least do some "likes" and give me some support!! DairyCo have managed to get Adam Henson as their ambassador to head the campaign which is aimed at 18-35 year olds. Hence the social media interaction!
By the way, look out for my profile on DairyCo's website www.thisisdairyfarming.com under Meet the Farmer tab. Quite impressed - like the picture too.
They announced their website will be upgraded at the end of July making it more picture stories rather than words and asked me to do some guest farmer blogging! Hey, getting with it now!
Getting to the NEC is easy pezzey down the M42. Parking free and an easy walk to the event. Air conditioning was exactly right, we weren't too cold or hot. All was perfect until we went to buy some lunch! Wow, how can it be that in a permanent exhibition centre it takes 40 minutes to queue up to order and pay for a hot roast pork pannini costing a whopping £6.95 each!! Ouch, that's beyond counselling! This year I took my own bottle of water as I remember being charged £1.95 for 50ml bottle last year. We've only been getting 24.19pence per ltr for milk in June!
Here's a picture of "Somerby Sunflower" during milking this morning. She loves cow cake but hasn't learnt to shut her mouth to eat it! Ha Ha!
Saturday 22 June 2013
Silage is made and another busy week!
Here we are at the end of another very busy week. These farm walks and talks I run as a sideline to the farm, are just crazy. The demand is so high and this week alone I've done two farm walks and two farm talks to U3As and a trip to Somerset and back!
Monday afternoon, blessed with sunshine, I hosted 9 visitors from the Vale of Belvoir U3A Natural History group for two hours finishing with a good cuppa and a nice freshly baked cake.
Tues morning I whizzed up to Mansfield U3A with 120 in the audience, I entertained for well over an hour, answering all their questions. I'm sure they'll want to visit the farm later this year too.
Tues evening, I drove Harry to Somerset, back to school for one night as his final GCSE exam was on Wed afternoon. At his Prize Giving Assembly, Harry won an award for Best English student! Took this picture as the cup doens't actually leave the school! #veryproudmum . Meanwhile I visited Clarks Shopping Village in Street, and did have a relaxing time doing some retail therapy - not something I usual enjoy but as the sun shone, and the seagulls flew overhead, it felt like a mini holiday! I found all sorts of bargins which is always a bonus.
Drove back home on Wed afternoon with Harry after a tearful farewell from the teachers and matrons at Brymore School. I can't believe I've no children at school now. Where has all the time gone?
Ed Foy, a good friend of Harry's, came back with us to do some "work experience" on our farm. The two of them get on really well and he's a proper Somerset lad, with his accent and work ethic. He's really keen to milk cows, something alien to young lads in this part of the world!
Thursday morning, another U3A group this time in Carlton & Gedling in Nottingham. Another 130 people all eager to ask questions and learn about my life on the farm. I love the interaction of a larger group and making them laugh!
Then Friday morning I hosted a school visit from Leicester High School. 22 young ladies from Year 7 visited the farm on a damp morning. Many of the girls were taken by my puppy, Beattie but some from an Indian background very cautious of her. Interesting?
We have christened our new silage clamp this week. The contractors arrived to make our clamp silage on Monday afternoon. First the mower man arrives to mow the first two fields of grass, then its left to wilt for 24 hours. Then one tractor rows the mown grass into a row for the forage harvester and four tractors with silage trailers to start picking up. The weather was perfect, sunny, dry and slightly windy. It's crucial to make silage when the sun shines as all the sugars in the leaf are at there highest and that's what makes silage palatable to the cows in the winter. Much happier and much better crop than the wet soggy stuff with made last year. So all 140 acres of grass in one clamp we estimate to hold 1500 tonnes worth £40/tonne, making it a valuable and important crop for the cows milk yields this winter!
Now its the weekend, so staying at home for a couple of days is bliss to me. It's really strange to share a meal with Mark and the children once in a while, as all our lives are so hectic and busy.
Monday afternoon, blessed with sunshine, I hosted 9 visitors from the Vale of Belvoir U3A Natural History group for two hours finishing with a good cuppa and a nice freshly baked cake.
Tues morning I whizzed up to Mansfield U3A with 120 in the audience, I entertained for well over an hour, answering all their questions. I'm sure they'll want to visit the farm later this year too.
Tues evening, I drove Harry to Somerset, back to school for one night as his final GCSE exam was on Wed afternoon. At his Prize Giving Assembly, Harry won an award for Best English student! Took this picture as the cup doens't actually leave the school! #veryproudmum . Meanwhile I visited Clarks Shopping Village in Street, and did have a relaxing time doing some retail therapy - not something I usual enjoy but as the sun shone, and the seagulls flew overhead, it felt like a mini holiday! I found all sorts of bargins which is always a bonus.Drove back home on Wed afternoon with Harry after a tearful farewell from the teachers and matrons at Brymore School. I can't believe I've no children at school now. Where has all the time gone?
Ed Foy, a good friend of Harry's, came back with us to do some "work experience" on our farm. The two of them get on really well and he's a proper Somerset lad, with his accent and work ethic. He's really keen to milk cows, something alien to young lads in this part of the world!
Thursday morning, another U3A group this time in Carlton & Gedling in Nottingham. Another 130 people all eager to ask questions and learn about my life on the farm. I love the interaction of a larger group and making them laugh!
Then Friday morning I hosted a school visit from Leicester High School. 22 young ladies from Year 7 visited the farm on a damp morning. Many of the girls were taken by my puppy, Beattie but some from an Indian background very cautious of her. Interesting?
We have christened our new silage clamp this week. The contractors arrived to make our clamp silage on Monday afternoon. First the mower man arrives to mow the first two fields of grass, then its left to wilt for 24 hours. Then one tractor rows the mown grass into a row for the forage harvester and four tractors with silage trailers to start picking up. The weather was perfect, sunny, dry and slightly windy. It's crucial to make silage when the sun shines as all the sugars in the leaf are at there highest and that's what makes silage palatable to the cows in the winter. Much happier and much better crop than the wet soggy stuff with made last year. So all 140 acres of grass in one clamp we estimate to hold 1500 tonnes worth £40/tonne, making it a valuable and important crop for the cows milk yields this winter!
Now its the weekend, so staying at home for a couple of days is bliss to me. It's really strange to share a meal with Mark and the children once in a while, as all our lives are so hectic and busy.
Thursday 13 June 2013
Fun time in Kintyre!
All went well at home, so no disasters on the farm whilst we were away. A couple of new calves arrived and their mothers looked after them in the "maternity" paddock until we got back.
Now June has arrived I'm really busy with my Farm Walks. Over the past year when I give my talks, I invite groups to visit the farm for a tour. This is the time of year to do them, when the cows are grazing the fields and all the yards are cleaned out and tidy. As well as adult groups, I also get a lot of school groups. Unfortunately the weather turned very showery for Martinshaw Primary School's visit the last Friday in May. As they were all about 5 years old, it was difficult to entertain them for two hours indoors, as it wasn't fit to run about in the fields. It's amazing how the cubicle shed (bedroom for cows in the winter months) can double up as a make-shift play ground complete with climbing frames! It was slightly worrying when one lad (who had his arm in plaster and a sling) tried to climb the cubicles, so I was relieved when the male teacher suggested it was not such a good idea in his condition!
We made it through another busy weekend at the beginning of June which began with a knees up at the Cottesmore Hunt Farmers Ball on Friday night using the Members Marquee at Rutland Agricultural Show which is held on the following Sunday. I volunteered to do the floral table decorations (as in my past life I did floristry for 16 years - albeit using silk flowers) and we used exotic Orchids in single stem vases. We had a "ball" (forgive the pun) dancing til the early hours (thank God we booked the relief milkman for Sat mornings' milking). It was slightly different this year as Charlotte (now 18) has come of age to attend too. She looked stunning with her fake tan and mini skirted dress! Many friends of mine commented on her and boy, did that make us feel proud and old! Then to finish the weekend, we went to the Farmers Party, held in the same marquee on Monday evening for supper. It's hosted by the Hunt and its intention is to thank all the landowners and farmers for allowing the hunt over their land. This also is where we sold the orchids! All in all, it was a hectic but very sociable weekend.
Harry is currently doing his GCSEs at school in Somerset. He finishes on 19th June for good. End of an era as I'll have no children at school any more. Harry will go to agricultural college in Sept at Reaseheath in Cheshire. Charlotte is finishing off her apprenticeship in August then plans to travel to Australia for six months or so. With her horse Jester, we're spending most weekends eventing at various events locally and Jester is learning fast and getting fitter by the day. Charlotte is so keen and rides/trains every night to get him fit. I'm enjoying our mother/daughter time together and will keep Jester for the winter as a "carrot" to entice Charlotte back home again after her travels!!
Today we had 10 students from Longslade Community College in Birstall, Leicester come for a Farm Walk. During the walk, Mark wanted us to move 6 x 6 month old calves from a paddock back into the farm buildings (as we're silaging shortly and they're in the way of the contractors). What a laugh!! I tried to give clear instructions to the novice farmers, all but 2 calves went in the right direction, one even jumping a huge hedge! But the two that escaped us just ran straight through our electric fencing! It was very traumatic for the calves and for the students. We decided to leave them to cool down and try again later (when the students have gone home). All in a days work. Ahhhh just another 9 walks and talks to go til the end of June! Busy, busy!
Tuesday 14 May 2013
A Wet and Windy May........
What a difference a week makes with the weather! A wet and windy May, fills the barn full of hay! So they saying goes. How true! So we've got what we wanted some drizzle!
Off to Scotland tomorrow with Mark for a "holiday" looking at six herds of Ayrshire cows in Kintyre. When I looked on the map, I said I'm not driving all that way, so we're flying at 11.50am from East Midlands tomorrow. Back on Monday. Hotel looks nice and there's some sightseeing trips if I don't want to go round EVERY herd! Looking forward to it but boy, its hard getting ready and everything done to leave the farm.
Had a busy day today. Awoke to find a cow down with milk fever. She's an old Friesian cow and calved herself sometime last night. However, she was at deaths door at 8am this morning when Mark found her. So called our vet out, Mike Thorne, who had to puncture her rumen to let out all the gas as she'd blown up, then give her loads of calcium. Out in the field, it felt just like a scene from "All Creatures Great and Small" when James Herriot worked his magic to all the hill farmers who were amazed at the speedy recovery these cows can make. Not sure its going to be that quick as she was on her way to heaven but its heart warming to see her sit up this afternoon. Her big bull calf was fine, just hungry so we've removed him back to the farm to be fed with the others. Isn't it amazing that some of the treatments vet make haven't changed in sixty years.
Good day at Melton market too. We've had to move our Hereford Bull on as we no longer want to breed from him. Ferdinande was 4 years old and we've had him for the past two years. He cost £1600 and we've just sold him for £1200! Another farmer will use him as a stock bull for breeding. Mark also took 3 baby bull calves which also made a good price. In June, we'll get our new Ayrshire bull from Derbyshire which I wrote about in my last blog!
This afternoon, I entertained 25 visitors from Kettering NHS Retirement group on a farm walk. We walked and talked around the fields, looking at the dry cows, taking in our wonderful views, met Mulberry our Ayrshire Bull and saw a new born calf with its mother in the field. Then back to the buildings to see the weaners, 18 baby calves and watch Mark milking! After a hot cup of tea, some cakes and Stilton Cheese, they returned home with red cheeks and a full stomach. Just like a load of happy, contented cows!! (Sorry ladies.... nothing personal!)
While we're away, Trevor our relief milker will take the reins, together with Marks parents, Noel and Barbara and Charlotte our daughter who will keep house and look after the horses and chickens!! I love going away on holiday but I love coming home more. It's such a hassle just leaving the place as unexpected things happen when you least expect. Fingers crossed we make the plane tomorrow! I'll fill you in upon my return.
Off to Scotland tomorrow with Mark for a "holiday" looking at six herds of Ayrshire cows in Kintyre. When I looked on the map, I said I'm not driving all that way, so we're flying at 11.50am from East Midlands tomorrow. Back on Monday. Hotel looks nice and there's some sightseeing trips if I don't want to go round EVERY herd! Looking forward to it but boy, its hard getting ready and everything done to leave the farm.
Had a busy day today. Awoke to find a cow down with milk fever. She's an old Friesian cow and calved herself sometime last night. However, she was at deaths door at 8am this morning when Mark found her. So called our vet out, Mike Thorne, who had to puncture her rumen to let out all the gas as she'd blown up, then give her loads of calcium. Out in the field, it felt just like a scene from "All Creatures Great and Small" when James Herriot worked his magic to all the hill farmers who were amazed at the speedy recovery these cows can make. Not sure its going to be that quick as she was on her way to heaven but its heart warming to see her sit up this afternoon. Her big bull calf was fine, just hungry so we've removed him back to the farm to be fed with the others. Isn't it amazing that some of the treatments vet make haven't changed in sixty years.
Good day at Melton market too. We've had to move our Hereford Bull on as we no longer want to breed from him. Ferdinande was 4 years old and we've had him for the past two years. He cost £1600 and we've just sold him for £1200! Another farmer will use him as a stock bull for breeding. Mark also took 3 baby bull calves which also made a good price. In June, we'll get our new Ayrshire bull from Derbyshire which I wrote about in my last blog!
This afternoon, I entertained 25 visitors from Kettering NHS Retirement group on a farm walk. We walked and talked around the fields, looking at the dry cows, taking in our wonderful views, met Mulberry our Ayrshire Bull and saw a new born calf with its mother in the field. Then back to the buildings to see the weaners, 18 baby calves and watch Mark milking! After a hot cup of tea, some cakes and Stilton Cheese, they returned home with red cheeks and a full stomach. Just like a load of happy, contented cows!! (Sorry ladies.... nothing personal!)
While we're away, Trevor our relief milker will take the reins, together with Marks parents, Noel and Barbara and Charlotte our daughter who will keep house and look after the horses and chickens!! I love going away on holiday but I love coming home more. It's such a hassle just leaving the place as unexpected things happen when you least expect. Fingers crossed we make the plane tomorrow! I'll fill you in upon my return.
Monday 6 May 2013
May Day Bank Holiday - What a perfect day? Or as Pa Larkin would say "Perfeck!"
How beautiful has today been? Really perfeck (as Pa Larkin would say). At last some real nice warm and sunny weather to warm the heart. Thank goodness it's May. One of my most favourite times of the year. Although we could do with some rain in the forecast, as we're not seeing the grass grow quick enough for the cows to eat it!
I've just come in from sitting in my garden with a glass of wine, thinking over how lovely life is at the moment. (You have to savour days like this or you'll forget them). It's past 8pm and all the farm is quite. All the milking ladies out in the Home Field, munching on grass or lying in the evening sun. Our five down calving cows in the Dairy paddock right in front of our house, so we can keep a watchful eye on them. I did see one Ayrshire lady walking quietly away from the others, to find a spot under the hedge, with her tail lifted. I'm sure she'll calf during the night - they often do when all's well in their world.
We've now got 21 baby Ayrshire heifer calves in the shed, who I've been feeding milk to morning and night. No blarting now. They're all quite now with their belly's full and content to snooze. The eldest ones are seven weeks old tomorrow, so soon time to start weaning them off milk. They've always got water, corn and hay available in between milk feeds so some are trying the hard feed now.
I've been shepherding our dry cows and young stock in the fields across Owston Road this afternoon, after fetching the milking ladies in for afternoon milking around 3.30pm. Again, they were happy and lying in the grass, basking in the calm sunny afternoon weather we've all been longing for all year.
My daughter Charlotte has just returned from the YFC AGM at Blackpool having driven her little Punto up the M6 for the first time on Friday and back again today. She's had a wonderful time which brought back many happy memories of my experiences at National AGM weekends. The weathers helped too! Now she's in bed trying to catch up on sleep ready for work in the morning.
Harry has had the weekend in Somerset with a good friend Ed and his family. They've been to Bath shopping, cinema and today was spent at a County Show. Again, many happy memories in the making of his last term in the South West. I'm sure he'll look back in years to come and say "those were the best years". Next are the dreaded GCSE exams from now til mid June, then he'll come home and work all summer!
Mark and I did have an afternoon off this weekend on Sat! We went bull shopping!! A quick trip to Bakewell (where the tarts/puddings come from) to an Ayrshire breeder/farmer to look for our next bull. The plan is to sell Ferdinand (the Hereford) at Melton market next week and then in June, we'll fetch our new young Ayrshire (not sure of his name yet). Although we'll have two Ayrshire bulls on the place, care will be taken they never meet! Jealousy and rivalry between young bulls, could result in a massacre. Anyway we need to swop them over every three weeks, when the time comes to start bulling the cows again for next years calves.
We are thrilled to tell you we've got 21 new Ayrshire heifers born so far this spring. All since 18 March. Most are by Mulberry and some from using sexed semen by artificial insemination. Another 20-30 cows to calve yet, so more to come. Will keep you posted.
So all in all, a very satisfactory start to May 2013. Did I just hear the weatherman say rain is on its way? Perfeck!
I've just come in from sitting in my garden with a glass of wine, thinking over how lovely life is at the moment. (You have to savour days like this or you'll forget them). It's past 8pm and all the farm is quite. All the milking ladies out in the Home Field, munching on grass or lying in the evening sun. Our five down calving cows in the Dairy paddock right in front of our house, so we can keep a watchful eye on them. I did see one Ayrshire lady walking quietly away from the others, to find a spot under the hedge, with her tail lifted. I'm sure she'll calf during the night - they often do when all's well in their world.
We've now got 21 baby Ayrshire heifer calves in the shed, who I've been feeding milk to morning and night. No blarting now. They're all quite now with their belly's full and content to snooze. The eldest ones are seven weeks old tomorrow, so soon time to start weaning them off milk. They've always got water, corn and hay available in between milk feeds so some are trying the hard feed now.
I've been shepherding our dry cows and young stock in the fields across Owston Road this afternoon, after fetching the milking ladies in for afternoon milking around 3.30pm. Again, they were happy and lying in the grass, basking in the calm sunny afternoon weather we've all been longing for all year.
My daughter Charlotte has just returned from the YFC AGM at Blackpool having driven her little Punto up the M6 for the first time on Friday and back again today. She's had a wonderful time which brought back many happy memories of my experiences at National AGM weekends. The weathers helped too! Now she's in bed trying to catch up on sleep ready for work in the morning.
Harry has had the weekend in Somerset with a good friend Ed and his family. They've been to Bath shopping, cinema and today was spent at a County Show. Again, many happy memories in the making of his last term in the South West. I'm sure he'll look back in years to come and say "those were the best years". Next are the dreaded GCSE exams from now til mid June, then he'll come home and work all summer!
Mark and I did have an afternoon off this weekend on Sat! We went bull shopping!! A quick trip to Bakewell (where the tarts/puddings come from) to an Ayrshire breeder/farmer to look for our next bull. The plan is to sell Ferdinand (the Hereford) at Melton market next week and then in June, we'll fetch our new young Ayrshire (not sure of his name yet). Although we'll have two Ayrshire bulls on the place, care will be taken they never meet! Jealousy and rivalry between young bulls, could result in a massacre. Anyway we need to swop them over every three weeks, when the time comes to start bulling the cows again for next years calves.
We are thrilled to tell you we've got 21 new Ayrshire heifers born so far this spring. All since 18 March. Most are by Mulberry and some from using sexed semen by artificial insemination. Another 20-30 cows to calve yet, so more to come. Will keep you posted.
So all in all, a very satisfactory start to May 2013. Did I just hear the weatherman say rain is on its way? Perfeck!
Thursday 18 April 2013
TB Testing. A testing time!
Happy, happy day! Thrilled at this mornings news. Our vet William, came this morning to read the TB test results on the cows, youngstock and bulls. All were clear!
Huge relief felt by all of us. Now we can get on and turn some stock out to grass! Enough of all this work, bedding, feeding and feeling tired! Then we can get to the smelly jobs like muck carting all the dung out of the sheds and heap in the field to rot down until Autumn. Fertiliser coming this week so we can spread on the silage fields, helping it to grow into lush green leafy silage for next winters feed. Although we've had a long winter, we still have some straw and silage bales left. So that will keep until next winter.
Tuesday was market day in Melton and Harry helped Mark take 8 baby calves and a cull cow. They came back happy with the sales and much needed injection of cash income. These calves were either beef breeds (Aberdeen Angus, Hereford) or Ayrshire bull calves. The oldest was 4 weeks a bull calf made £82 each and the heifer calves made £70 a piece. The Ayrshire bull calves were only 2-3 weeks old but still made a respectable £32 each. (Better than culling them I suppose). The milking cows have picked up their yield although we're very below our predicted targets for April so far.
Todays typical April showers but with very gusty winds means the land is drying out rapidly. Harry has a brand new John Deere tractor on trial this week and is spending many hours rolling the fields. It has all the modern knobs and whistles that probably only Harry is excited about. Sadly it will have to go back on Friday as we've certainly no funds to buy it. Harry goes back to school next Monday too. He's been such a useful help these past three weeks. I know we're paying him by the hour now but his attitude and interest has certainly been better than before. We've also had his Maths GCSE result today and he's passed his Maths and so pleased with himself. A real boost to his confidence ahead of all the other GCSE's to do this term.
Yesterday we three visited Reaseheath College near Nantwich, Cheshire for his interview. They were happy to give him a conditional place and the Maths result helps enourmously with that. So come September he'll be enrolled on the "sandwich" course, year at college, year out on farm (working) and year back at college. Really pleased as punch for him.
Huge relief felt by all of us. Now we can get on and turn some stock out to grass! Enough of all this work, bedding, feeding and feeling tired! Then we can get to the smelly jobs like muck carting all the dung out of the sheds and heap in the field to rot down until Autumn. Fertiliser coming this week so we can spread on the silage fields, helping it to grow into lush green leafy silage for next winters feed. Although we've had a long winter, we still have some straw and silage bales left. So that will keep until next winter.
Tuesday was market day in Melton and Harry helped Mark take 8 baby calves and a cull cow. They came back happy with the sales and much needed injection of cash income. These calves were either beef breeds (Aberdeen Angus, Hereford) or Ayrshire bull calves. The oldest was 4 weeks a bull calf made £82 each and the heifer calves made £70 a piece. The Ayrshire bull calves were only 2-3 weeks old but still made a respectable £32 each. (Better than culling them I suppose). The milking cows have picked up their yield although we're very below our predicted targets for April so far.
Todays typical April showers but with very gusty winds means the land is drying out rapidly. Harry has a brand new John Deere tractor on trial this week and is spending many hours rolling the fields. It has all the modern knobs and whistles that probably only Harry is excited about. Sadly it will have to go back on Friday as we've certainly no funds to buy it. Harry goes back to school next Monday too. He's been such a useful help these past three weeks. I know we're paying him by the hour now but his attitude and interest has certainly been better than before. We've also had his Maths GCSE result today and he's passed his Maths and so pleased with himself. A real boost to his confidence ahead of all the other GCSE's to do this term.
Yesterday we three visited Reaseheath College near Nantwich, Cheshire for his interview. They were happy to give him a conditional place and the Maths result helps enourmously with that. So come September he'll be enrolled on the "sandwich" course, year at college, year out on farm (working) and year back at college. Really pleased as punch for him.
Monday 8 April 2013
Cows let out today for the first time!
We've given up on Spring arriving by the calendar date. Our cows were allowed out into the field for a couple of hours after morning milking and boy did they skip and jump their way up the track. Although the fields are fairly dry now thanks to the east wind, there is definitely no grass growing out there! Even so, the cows had a hop, skip and a jump and seemed pleased to be let out of their winter housing. Doesn't do the milk yield any good though as they spent most of the time playing about rather than eating. They were brought back in by 11.30am and sulked! I feel like doing that most days at the moment.
Isn't it funny, I feel exactly the same as the cows. We're so in tune with them, I'm sure we have the same emotions. Last Friday, the sun was out and I raced about doing housework, cleaning the kitchen and back kitchen floor thoroughly (almost a total Spring Clean). Hung washing on the line, tidied up the log shed and dustbins and the mound of snow still stacked outside our back door (it's due north so never sees the sun). In fact we still have loads of snow under the hedgerows and along side the lanes where it drifted. Then the next day it was dull and I didn't do much and just wanted to sit by the fireside all day trying to keep warm.
Back to work this week with a bang. Seven talks this week in four days. Just hosted my first Farm Walk for 2013 this afternoon and although the sun was out, it was bitter cold on top of Telly Tubby Hill - the highest spot on our farm with fabulous views. My visitors were from Arnold in Nottingham and I did mention they'd need to wrap up warmly for the visit as we're always 10 degrees colder than anywhere else. They enjoyed seeing Mark milk the cows and helping with feeding the baby calves. We've got 18 babies that we feed fresh warm milk to twice a day and a newborn arrived this morning. I think there's 10 Ayrshire heifer calves so far which we'll rear on farm and the rest are either bulls or beef calves so will go to market to be sold.
Harry's home and very useful too! Noel is feeling low with the cold and not so well in himself at the moment. He's 82 and its been a VERY long winter! Charlotte and I have a chesty cough and my mother-in-law is limping as due to have a new knee this summer! Only Mark is keeping going as he has too. No choice.
Roll on warmer weather.
Isn't it funny, I feel exactly the same as the cows. We're so in tune with them, I'm sure we have the same emotions. Last Friday, the sun was out and I raced about doing housework, cleaning the kitchen and back kitchen floor thoroughly (almost a total Spring Clean). Hung washing on the line, tidied up the log shed and dustbins and the mound of snow still stacked outside our back door (it's due north so never sees the sun). In fact we still have loads of snow under the hedgerows and along side the lanes where it drifted. Then the next day it was dull and I didn't do much and just wanted to sit by the fireside all day trying to keep warm.
Back to work this week with a bang. Seven talks this week in four days. Just hosted my first Farm Walk for 2013 this afternoon and although the sun was out, it was bitter cold on top of Telly Tubby Hill - the highest spot on our farm with fabulous views. My visitors were from Arnold in Nottingham and I did mention they'd need to wrap up warmly for the visit as we're always 10 degrees colder than anywhere else. They enjoyed seeing Mark milk the cows and helping with feeding the baby calves. We've got 18 babies that we feed fresh warm milk to twice a day and a newborn arrived this morning. I think there's 10 Ayrshire heifer calves so far which we'll rear on farm and the rest are either bulls or beef calves so will go to market to be sold.
Harry's home and very useful too! Noel is feeling low with the cold and not so well in himself at the moment. He's 82 and its been a VERY long winter! Charlotte and I have a chesty cough and my mother-in-law is limping as due to have a new knee this summer! Only Mark is keeping going as he has too. No choice.
Roll on warmer weather.
Monday 18 March 2013
Mulberry has become a first time father!
Well today has been a good day!
At last, our first calves by Mulberry have arrived today! Two lovely Ayrshire heifers, one bull (unfortunately) and a strong black Aberdeen Angus bull from a recently bought in cow. This we hope will be the busy calving period we've been waiting for since Christmas!
After an awful weekend of yet more rain and even a covering of snow on Sunday, have we reached the light at the end of the tunnel? Things can only get better from now on, surely, Spring is only round the corner and we can get some of these cows out to good grazing as soon as it drys up.
Our milk yield is only 1000 ltrs a day, the lowest ever on this farm. With freshly calved cows, milk should go up now and better quality too.
This afternoon, whilst it wasn't raining, I decided to get aboard Jester and go for a hack down the road. Having a nosey about, see what sheep were out or how the grass was looking on parts of our farm not recently visited! By the time I got back, (wait for it!) the sun was shining and it was a glorious glimmer of Spring, if only for half an hour. It did lift my spirits!
I'm now back from the first of seven talks this week. Unbelievably, I've got three this Thursday. One at 10.30am at Southwell, another in Nottinghamshire at 1.30pm and another 64 miles into Northamptonshire at 7.30pm. Looking forward to Friday night as I'm the after dinner speaker for a Gardening Club at Burdells. I'm taking my Mum too as she's into gardening and has her own garden open during June for NGS.
I wish my camera was working, so I could add a picture of our first baby calves of 2013! Will try to do better next time!
At last, our first calves by Mulberry have arrived today! Two lovely Ayrshire heifers, one bull (unfortunately) and a strong black Aberdeen Angus bull from a recently bought in cow. This we hope will be the busy calving period we've been waiting for since Christmas!
After an awful weekend of yet more rain and even a covering of snow on Sunday, have we reached the light at the end of the tunnel? Things can only get better from now on, surely, Spring is only round the corner and we can get some of these cows out to good grazing as soon as it drys up.
Our milk yield is only 1000 ltrs a day, the lowest ever on this farm. With freshly calved cows, milk should go up now and better quality too.
This afternoon, whilst it wasn't raining, I decided to get aboard Jester and go for a hack down the road. Having a nosey about, see what sheep were out or how the grass was looking on parts of our farm not recently visited! By the time I got back, (wait for it!) the sun was shining and it was a glorious glimmer of Spring, if only for half an hour. It did lift my spirits!
I'm now back from the first of seven talks this week. Unbelievably, I've got three this Thursday. One at 10.30am at Southwell, another in Nottinghamshire at 1.30pm and another 64 miles into Northamptonshire at 7.30pm. Looking forward to Friday night as I'm the after dinner speaker for a Gardening Club at Burdells. I'm taking my Mum too as she's into gardening and has her own garden open during June for NGS.
I wish my camera was working, so I could add a picture of our first baby calves of 2013! Will try to do better next time!
Monday 11 March 2013
March Madness!!
I know I didn't like February but March isn't much better. What's happened to the weather now we're officially in Spring? Not seen any March hares running about the fields yet. Even they think it's still winter.
Nearly a month as passed by since my last blog and guess what? We're covered in a layer of snow again, blustery powdery white stuff! We've had floods and a short dry spell since my last blog and even a couple of days where the birds singing from the branches of the trees made it feel like spring had sprung! Only a few snowdrops dare show there faces so far.
Oh well, the winter routine on the farm continues. This morning it was me, Mark and his father Noel on duty. Mark out there at 5.30am to start milking, Noel and I outside by 7am, Now it's light in the mornings we can get on at bit better. Having milked 90 cows, scrapped out the dung from the cubicle sheds, bedded 96 cubicles with straw by handfork, hayed and corned the young 10 weaners and horses between us, then it was time for breakfast in the warm.
Out again at 9am to scrape out the dung from the feed shed, then Mark fetches 5 round bales of silage (the clamp silage ran out two weeks ago). We fed the bales into the feed manger, then fed the dry cows (which we've got a lot about at the moment, due to start calving next week in earnest - can't come quick enough as we desperately need more milk in the tank). Having taken the tractor with a load of silage down the field to Alama Bank to feed Mulberry the bull and 10 in-calf heifers (who have wintered outside all winter), then it was back to bed down the youngstock (30 inside now) and all the dry cows. I then mucked out two stables for the horses, collected the eggs, our dog Beattie has been outside with us all morning (travelling in the tractor and running about with the cows so now she's covered in cow muck!) and finally coming into the house for coffee at 11am!
We are awaiting 8 in-calf heifers to arrive this morning as they are due to calve shortly and need to be on farm before they do! They've passed the pre-movement TB test a week ago so we know they were coming but thought we'd have some stock outside by now. Alas the weather has different plans for us.
Some dairy farmers in the area, have completely run out of fodder so have had no choice but to turnout some stock and even the dairy cows during the day. Just think of the mess when its wet! Even the grass hasn't got going yet, grass needs warmth and sunlight to start to germinate and grow. Experts are telling us to get used to extremes in the weather so we've just got to get on with it and muddle through somehow.
Yesterday it was Mothering Sunday and I invited my parents to come out with us for Sunday lunch at nearby beauty spot, Launde Abbey. We had a marvellous three course lunch in such a fabulous building. My parents do love this part of Leicestershire and marvel in the undulating terrain we work and farm in. As we awoke to snow yesterday I wondered if we'd get out, but as usual once out of Somerby, the rest of the world has far less snow to worry about. Even with a covering of snow, the countryside looks spectacular on a bright sunny but very cold morning.
Charlotte spent the weekend at Skegness with the Young Farmers Club and had a brilliant time. Harry's at school in Somerset, and didn't realise it was Mothers Day! I did get a bunch of lillies from Charlotte though on her return so that was a nice surprise.
Can't believe we had a Fete meeting last week. Both Mark and myself are on the committee as we host it in a small paddock in front of our farmhouse. This will be the fifth year we've hosted it and each year seems to gain in popularity. It's planned for July 14th - hope the weather improves by then!
.
Nearly a month as passed by since my last blog and guess what? We're covered in a layer of snow again, blustery powdery white stuff! We've had floods and a short dry spell since my last blog and even a couple of days where the birds singing from the branches of the trees made it feel like spring had sprung! Only a few snowdrops dare show there faces so far.
Oh well, the winter routine on the farm continues. This morning it was me, Mark and his father Noel on duty. Mark out there at 5.30am to start milking, Noel and I outside by 7am, Now it's light in the mornings we can get on at bit better. Having milked 90 cows, scrapped out the dung from the cubicle sheds, bedded 96 cubicles with straw by handfork, hayed and corned the young 10 weaners and horses between us, then it was time for breakfast in the warm.
Out again at 9am to scrape out the dung from the feed shed, then Mark fetches 5 round bales of silage (the clamp silage ran out two weeks ago). We fed the bales into the feed manger, then fed the dry cows (which we've got a lot about at the moment, due to start calving next week in earnest - can't come quick enough as we desperately need more milk in the tank). Having taken the tractor with a load of silage down the field to Alama Bank to feed Mulberry the bull and 10 in-calf heifers (who have wintered outside all winter), then it was back to bed down the youngstock (30 inside now) and all the dry cows. I then mucked out two stables for the horses, collected the eggs, our dog Beattie has been outside with us all morning (travelling in the tractor and running about with the cows so now she's covered in cow muck!) and finally coming into the house for coffee at 11am!
We are awaiting 8 in-calf heifers to arrive this morning as they are due to calve shortly and need to be on farm before they do! They've passed the pre-movement TB test a week ago so we know they were coming but thought we'd have some stock outside by now. Alas the weather has different plans for us.
Some dairy farmers in the area, have completely run out of fodder so have had no choice but to turnout some stock and even the dairy cows during the day. Just think of the mess when its wet! Even the grass hasn't got going yet, grass needs warmth and sunlight to start to germinate and grow. Experts are telling us to get used to extremes in the weather so we've just got to get on with it and muddle through somehow.
Yesterday it was Mothering Sunday and I invited my parents to come out with us for Sunday lunch at nearby beauty spot, Launde Abbey. We had a marvellous three course lunch in such a fabulous building. My parents do love this part of Leicestershire and marvel in the undulating terrain we work and farm in. As we awoke to snow yesterday I wondered if we'd get out, but as usual once out of Somerby, the rest of the world has far less snow to worry about. Even with a covering of snow, the countryside looks spectacular on a bright sunny but very cold morning.
Charlotte spent the weekend at Skegness with the Young Farmers Club and had a brilliant time. Harry's at school in Somerset, and didn't realise it was Mothers Day! I did get a bunch of lillies from Charlotte though on her return so that was a nice surprise.
Can't believe we had a Fete meeting last week. Both Mark and myself are on the committee as we host it in a small paddock in front of our farmhouse. This will be the fifth year we've hosted it and each year seems to gain in popularity. It's planned for July 14th - hope the weather improves by then!
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Wednesday 13 February 2013
I hate February, roll on March!
Having made a nice cuppa, throwing jacket potatoes in the Aga and some Pork and Stilton sausages and stoked up the front room fire, I've just enough time to write another blog page!
I've just come in from a snow blizzard happening outside! Boy the wind is cold and the little tiny snowflakes feel like tiny pebbles hitting your cheeks! Definitely the coldest and nastiest day so far this winter. The snow is drifting and swirling through the yard and into all our buildings. The horses were keen to come in tonight as they were shivering. They've got an extra warm fleece rug on tonight.
This morning I went to Wellingore U3A in Lincolnshire to give one of my talks "Tales from a Farmers' Wife" and not a drop of snow anywhere, but jolly frosty and very, very cold. It was very cold in the village hall too, but the audience were extremely friendly and made many great comments about my talk. I do seem to meet the nicest of people doing this job.
Also, Mark is getting very tired and almost fell over going upstairs today, misjudging the steps. And this was in the house not outside!! Even with all the extra help and with Harry home for two weeks half term break, it doesn't take the pressure off milking at least 10 times per week. Tomorrow the relief milker is coming for afternoon milking so Mark can stay indoors in front of the fire. And does he need it. As we had a very hard frost this morning, everyone got excited about getting the muck out of the farm buildings and up into the fields, out of the way, without making any more mess than usual. They did nine loads and emptied all the sheds, then bedded the cattle with fresh straw. Now that's quite an achievement
Talking of Harry Barnes, in between playing on the quad bike in the snowy fields, he's meant to be revising for the dreaded GCSE's. His first Maths paper is the week he goes back at the end of February, so after lunch everyday (including weekends) "we" have been doing Maths papers and struggling to understand each question. Luckily Charlotte did A level Maths so when she returns home is able to help us out.
Today is also Ash Wednesday (who forgot to make pancakes yesterday?). I've announced to my family that I'm going to give up bread for lent! The choice was bread or chocolate and I think bread will be easier!
I hate February! Roll on March.
Sunday 3 February 2013
Thank Goodness the Snow's Gone!
Hurrah the snow has gone!
Over the past two weeks we had snow on the ground. It does cause so much MORE work on our farm. For instance, our staff find driving conditions early in the morning quite dangerous getting to our village on top of a hill when the snowploughs and gritters haven't heard of Somerby let alone serviced the roads around here. Frozen pipes, hoses and milking parlour add another half hours delay in getting started at 5.30 in the morning spending time defrosting before Mark can turn the machine on. Then scraping out 100 cows worth of dung from the cubicle shed outside to the muck store, pushing it all into 6 inches of powdery snow, makes the tractor wheels skid round quite a lot, I've found. When it comes to the thaw last weekend we found we were under water again! This time ia river flow found a way into the milking parlour pit, then out in the feed shed where the cows stand (and deposit dung) eating their silage. Consequently the flow of water washed out all the dung into the outside yards where it stood for a day or too! Again, couldn't scrap out the cubicle shed into 6 inches of standing water! All in all, the pressures on the family to do all the necessary work, at this stage of the winter, had its toll on us after two weeks.
So, through social media, we got the word out we were looking for more help in the form of a lad or two to help us. Think we had about 4 phone calls, and invited all of them to come over and see us and show them what we wanted them to do. One man said he could milk and do the tractor yard jobs. Our spirits were raised and after exchanging payment terms, we asked him to come in for 7am the very next day. Alas, it was 8am when the house phone went saying he couldn't get to us as his car wouldn't start! I went to see Mark in the parlour, who was furious at being let down and his hopes were dashed again. After seeking references, we decided not to pursue this guy any more.
Where are all the unemployed around here who are desperate for work? Does no one want a regular outdoor job working with animals? A few months ago, I asked an 18yr old local lad in the village, if he would come round at weekends to do the tractor work in the yards for the winter. He'd be finished by 9am so could get on with other things. Couldn't believe his response. He said he'd rather have a lie in bed at weekends due to spending Friday and Saturday evenings in the pub!
Anyhow, we now have two young student lads, taking a few days each to help with all this winter workload. All I can say is, thank you guys, we need all the help we can get. Hope they stay till the end of winter - whenever that may be.
Over the past two weeks we had snow on the ground. It does cause so much MORE work on our farm. For instance, our staff find driving conditions early in the morning quite dangerous getting to our village on top of a hill when the snowploughs and gritters haven't heard of Somerby let alone serviced the roads around here. Frozen pipes, hoses and milking parlour add another half hours delay in getting started at 5.30 in the morning spending time defrosting before Mark can turn the machine on. Then scraping out 100 cows worth of dung from the cubicle shed outside to the muck store, pushing it all into 6 inches of powdery snow, makes the tractor wheels skid round quite a lot, I've found. When it comes to the thaw last weekend we found we were under water again! This time ia river flow found a way into the milking parlour pit, then out in the feed shed where the cows stand (and deposit dung) eating their silage. Consequently the flow of water washed out all the dung into the outside yards where it stood for a day or too! Again, couldn't scrap out the cubicle shed into 6 inches of standing water! All in all, the pressures on the family to do all the necessary work, at this stage of the winter, had its toll on us after two weeks.
So, through social media, we got the word out we were looking for more help in the form of a lad or two to help us. Think we had about 4 phone calls, and invited all of them to come over and see us and show them what we wanted them to do. One man said he could milk and do the tractor yard jobs. Our spirits were raised and after exchanging payment terms, we asked him to come in for 7am the very next day. Alas, it was 8am when the house phone went saying he couldn't get to us as his car wouldn't start! I went to see Mark in the parlour, who was furious at being let down and his hopes were dashed again. After seeking references, we decided not to pursue this guy any more.
Where are all the unemployed around here who are desperate for work? Does no one want a regular outdoor job working with animals? A few months ago, I asked an 18yr old local lad in the village, if he would come round at weekends to do the tractor work in the yards for the winter. He'd be finished by 9am so could get on with other things. Couldn't believe his response. He said he'd rather have a lie in bed at weekends due to spending Friday and Saturday evenings in the pub!
Anyhow, we now have two young student lads, taking a few days each to help with all this winter workload. All I can say is, thank you guys, we need all the help we can get. Hope they stay till the end of winter - whenever that may be.
Friday 18 January 2013
All work and no play!
It's been a bad week! Firstly, Monday we said goodbye to 4 barren cows (2 old Friesians and 2 young Ayrshires) after the vet had been the previous week to PD (pregnancy diagnosis) test about 30 dry cows. Happy the two Friesians were going as they had worked hard producing calves and therefore milk for the past ten years or so. But the younger Ayrshires had only had one calf! Monday also saw the arrival of the first snow of the winter.
Tuesday, the snow was still with us and as we'd had a frost overnight too, the milking parlour froze up taking half an hour to defrost before morning milking could start. Mark also found another Ayrshire cow looking poorly and called the vet out. She wasn't going to get any better after suffering grass staggers in Sept and not really recovering from it, so we said goodbye to her.
Wednesday - the snow still on the ground and frosty overnight again, so more to defrost in the milking parlour and all the water troughs for the cows, youngstock and calves needed sorting too. My horses go out into the field for some excercise and fresh air(!) to stetch their legs but soon want to come back inside to hay and shelter. Still suffering from mud fever on their legs too, so best to keep in the dry. During the morning, Mark noticed an older Friesian had fallen over when Ferdinande tried to mount her. The cow had broken her leg so end of the road for her. Another goodbye cow!
Thursday morning, Mark found ANOTHER Ayshire lying dead in the cubicle shed! What's happening this week???? That's 7 cows gone in one week! Luck is not on our side at the moment. Mark is constantly milking and feeding and cleaning out cows with very little let up. The current weather isn't helping, just slows all the jobs down. Lauren comes in every morning to help Mark but still so much to do.
Friday - Noel's 82nd Birthday! How does he keep going? Out every morning come rain or shine! Alert, keen and to some extend still 'able' at his age! He still drives the tractors and climbs on and off with no problems. Feeding the milk to baby calves is his joy everyday, twice a day.
Snowing again! Forecast for more on Sunday. I know its winter and we should expect it, but life down on our farm is getting tougher by the day. Roll on Spring!
Tuesday, the snow was still with us and as we'd had a frost overnight too, the milking parlour froze up taking half an hour to defrost before morning milking could start. Mark also found another Ayrshire cow looking poorly and called the vet out. She wasn't going to get any better after suffering grass staggers in Sept and not really recovering from it, so we said goodbye to her.
Wednesday - the snow still on the ground and frosty overnight again, so more to defrost in the milking parlour and all the water troughs for the cows, youngstock and calves needed sorting too. My horses go out into the field for some excercise and fresh air(!) to stetch their legs but soon want to come back inside to hay and shelter. Still suffering from mud fever on their legs too, so best to keep in the dry. During the morning, Mark noticed an older Friesian had fallen over when Ferdinande tried to mount her. The cow had broken her leg so end of the road for her. Another goodbye cow!
Thursday morning, Mark found ANOTHER Ayshire lying dead in the cubicle shed! What's happening this week???? That's 7 cows gone in one week! Luck is not on our side at the moment. Mark is constantly milking and feeding and cleaning out cows with very little let up. The current weather isn't helping, just slows all the jobs down. Lauren comes in every morning to help Mark but still so much to do.
Friday - Noel's 82nd Birthday! How does he keep going? Out every morning come rain or shine! Alert, keen and to some extend still 'able' at his age! He still drives the tractors and climbs on and off with no problems. Feeding the milk to baby calves is his joy everyday, twice a day.
Snowing again! Forecast for more on Sunday. I know its winter and we should expect it, but life down on our farm is getting tougher by the day. Roll on Spring!
Wednesday 2 January 2013
TV Programme "Wild Weather of 2012" - see for yourself!
As promised, the TV programme "Wild Weather of 2012" can now be viewed on YouTube on the following link:
http://youtu.be/A0JcbTFiAs4
So to catch the three generations of the Barnes family down on the wet, soggy farm, then tune in and see for yourself how we got through 2012!
I would love to hear your comments, add to blog page or email to: jane.barnes@tiscali.co.uk.
Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/A0JcbTFiAs4
So to catch the three generations of the Barnes family down on the wet, soggy farm, then tune in and see for yourself how we got through 2012!
I would love to hear your comments, add to blog page or email to: jane.barnes@tiscali.co.uk.
Enjoy!
Tuesday 1 January 2013
Happy New Year and welcome to 2013
Well, we've got through to the end of 2012 rather soggy but still here. What a relief and nice change it was to have the sun shining on us this morning with a slight touch of frost in the air as the sun rose.
All the family are slightly tetchy this evening, as we all had various NYE parties to go to last night. Our children went to a themed Young Farmers Party and we had a fabulous dinner party at one of our oldest friends home. But no one had a lie in this morning as all the animals are still expecting to be fed and milked as usual. Poor Mark, who went to bed at 1am only to rise again at 5am. He's looking forward to a night in, in front of the log fire and TV. The festive season is OK if we had time! I still think Christmas would be better for us in July.
Now we've made it to New Years Day and with the sun shining it brought a fresh new start of hope for 2013.
We wish for a better year of weather - drier and a more temperate climate please? We wish for greater milk yields from our 120 cows. We wish for a better milk price as we're currently on 27.376 pence per litre. We wish for our relief milkman to come back and help us asap. (He's recovering from a broken arm).
Then there was the infamous TV appearance on Sunday. What a laugh! Daughter Charlotte was cross she wasn't included in this project at first, but on Sunday night, she was laughing at her family's debut and glad not to be on it. What does that say about our performance? Anyway, for those who didn't view it I'm hoping to get it linked to my blog page/website at some stage. Our wider family thought it was great and many positive comments about all four of us. We got the message across on the difficulties of farming in the wet, but also showed we had hope "that things can only get better"!
No phone call from Countryfile though. There's still time. Our best friends Helen and Charles visited us on Sunday too. They've recently been filmed for Countryfile on the Schmallenberg disease which will be shown on 20 January. Can't wait to have a laugh at them on TV.
To all my followers, I wish you all a very Happy New Year and better weather where you live too!www.farmwalks.vpweb.co.uk
All the family are slightly tetchy this evening, as we all had various NYE parties to go to last night. Our children went to a themed Young Farmers Party and we had a fabulous dinner party at one of our oldest friends home. But no one had a lie in this morning as all the animals are still expecting to be fed and milked as usual. Poor Mark, who went to bed at 1am only to rise again at 5am. He's looking forward to a night in, in front of the log fire and TV. The festive season is OK if we had time! I still think Christmas would be better for us in July.
Now we've made it to New Years Day and with the sun shining it brought a fresh new start of hope for 2013.
We wish for a better year of weather - drier and a more temperate climate please? We wish for greater milk yields from our 120 cows. We wish for a better milk price as we're currently on 27.376 pence per litre. We wish for our relief milkman to come back and help us asap. (He's recovering from a broken arm).
Then there was the infamous TV appearance on Sunday. What a laugh! Daughter Charlotte was cross she wasn't included in this project at first, but on Sunday night, she was laughing at her family's debut and glad not to be on it. What does that say about our performance? Anyway, for those who didn't view it I'm hoping to get it linked to my blog page/website at some stage. Our wider family thought it was great and many positive comments about all four of us. We got the message across on the difficulties of farming in the wet, but also showed we had hope "that things can only get better"!
No phone call from Countryfile though. There's still time. Our best friends Helen and Charles visited us on Sunday too. They've recently been filmed for Countryfile on the Schmallenberg disease which will be shown on 20 January. Can't wait to have a laugh at them on TV.
To all my followers, I wish you all a very Happy New Year and better weather where you live too!www.farmwalks.vpweb.co.uk
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