Currently away from the farm this week attending for the third time the National Ayrshire Cattle Conference in the beautiful county of Cumberland! Up north on the borders of Scotland, we're spending the daytime visiting several well bred herds of pedigree Ayrshires and spending the evenings socialising at the bar before dinner and usually afterwards too.
It's great to get off the farm for a break but especially this year as our children (if you can call them that now they're 20 & 18) to look after everything. So pleased and extremely proud of them even though Mark has phoned home at least once a day especially as we're in the middle of our spring calving block. We've had 11 out of our 38 new heifers calved so far and probably 30 of the milking cows. Only problem is we've had more bull calves than heifers. Milk yields are up on this time last year, grass is growing well and plenty of it. Now that milk quotas have gone, no limit to production so pleased with our new grazing system. We've also built a new track to the fields and done miles of electric fencing and the cows have adapted well.
Getting back to the Conference. We are staying at the fabulous Crown Hotel in Wetheral near Carlisle and it's very pleasant indeed. The large comfortable bed and relaxed surroundings are making our visit most enjoyable. Not to mention the contents of the bar each evening!
