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.
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
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!
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