Fun time in Kintyre!

Our trip to the Ayrshire Breeders Cattle Society conference (aka our holiday this year) was a huge success.  We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and met some very nice people with a shared passion for Ayrshire cattle!  For those who have experienced Young Farmers weekend in Blackpool in their early youth, this Conference was exactly the same but for "older" married young farmers.  The biggest problem for Mark was how to get his wellingtons to Scotland?  As we flew in a plane, we had only booked in one suitcase and I wasn't having Marks wellingtons in as well.  So Mark came up with the answer.  He wore them on the plane all the way there and all the way home again! Problem solved.   Having been asked many times on the final day, will we attend another conference?  The answer was most certainly "yes" and already looking forward to a trip to Falmouth next May.

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!