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!
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