Geese

Geese are also looking good. Lots of work for me to do before Christmas...

Turkeys

The Turkeys are looking great. Only about a week to go for them....

Ram.

Ryland ram 'Dolwen Limelight' visiting for 6 weeks to keep the girls happy. Hopefully the patter of tiny hooves in 5 months time.

The early snow has meant early hay feeds. Hope we have enough to see us through the winter.

Turkeys

4 Norfolk Black Turkeys have arrived. Already 1/2 grown. I'm told they love stinging nettles... Let's hope so.

We shall be spoiled for choice at Christmas... Turkey or goose?

New pigs

The new batch of piglets have come. 3 Large Black boys again as I was so pleased with the last lot. They are settling in nicely, eating and sleeping to their hearts content.

Hops

Hops are looking good so I'll pick them and hang them up to dry. Whether there will be enough to make some beer I don't know.

Pigs.

I took the pigs for the chop last Thursday at the age of 6 1/2 months. They were calm and not at all stressed, happily walking up into the trailer after a few pig-nuts.
The carcasses were delivered to my local butcher today. They weighed in at 68Kg and 60Kg with just 14-15 mm of back fat, which is quite lean. They will now be divided up into roasting joints and sausages and the hams and backs sent off for curing and smoking for gammon and bacon.

Hog Roast.

The first pig became our first Hog roast. Weighing in at 54kg. he took 6 hours to cook. Absolutly delicious and the best crackling you've ever had. He was enjoyed by many.

Hebridean sheep

6 new girls have come to Horse Shoe cottage. Hebridean sheep are fine black sheep from Scotland with beautiful horns. Much more skittish than the Ryelands so more reactive to the dogs. Lots of fun ahead.

Make Hay Whilst The Sun Shines.

86 bales of prime quality hay safely gathered in. Phew! Big sigh of relief. Many thanks to my friends the Bates family for their sterling efforts and strong armed help.

Cutting the Hay.

Hay is being cut today. Lovely warm, dry weather with a southerly wind like lion's breath. Perfect.

Ducks @ 8 weeks.

The ducks are fat and content. Not long now...

Hay field.

Lots of clover in the hay field. A number of bumble bees working but not as many as I'd like.

Geese.

The geese are stunning. They love posing for the camera, little show-offs.

Pigs @ 5 months.

Pigs are growing well. As they 'run to fat' easily they have to forage for their own food most of the time, although they do get some nuts morning and evening.

Note the hops growing up the fence behind . I hope we might get some for beer later in the season...

Early morning dip.

Early moring dip for ducklings, now 2+ weeks old.

More goslings.

More gosling arrive bringing the number up to 8. Quite a little gaggle.

Shearing.

Before, during and after group-haircut.

Sheep are feeling much more cool and comfortable now.

Mrs. Fox comes to call

Mrs. Fox has found us and has taken 3 hens in two days. She's coming up the ditch behind the stables where she has good cover.
I'm going to have to try harder to keep the poultry protected and leave a dog loose as a deterrent.

Ducklings 4 days old.

Ducklings are now 4 days old and no casualties to date. Eating and drinking for England and growing at an amazing rate.

Fire beside the pond.

I've burned up a huge heap of brambles next to the pond. It has opened up the area so we can now enjoy sitting in this sheltered spot.

A beef cassarole is simmering away in the Aussi, cast-iron pot set in the hot ashes. That's tonights supper taken care of.

The dogs love swimming and paddling in the water, which today is sprinkled with apple blossom.

'The Birds'

We've all seen Hitchcock's 'The Birds.'

The geese are trying to get into the house!!!

Agility Training area

The Agility training area is up. Not sure when I'm going to have the energy to do any running!

Pekin Ducklings

30, day-old Pekin ducklings collected today. Set up under a ruby, heat lamp to keep tham warm and cosy. All had a drink and chick crumbs to peck at.

Pekins are 'heavy ducks' for meat and some eggs.

Donald Duck was modeled on this breed.

The plan is that they will go down to the pond when featherd-up.

2 Raised Beds.

2 raised beds filled to date. One planted up with strawberries that are all snuggly tucked up under fleece. Unfortunatly the runner beans in the other bed have been nipped by the frost. :0(

The piggieboys @ 4 months

The 3 little piggies are growing on well, enjoying more space and various herbage and roots.

The New Girls

6 sheep were delivered yesterday evening. 3 Ryeland girls and 3 Ryeland x Icelandic girls.

They are making themselves at home attending to the grass. The shearer is booked in a couple of weeks time to affect haircuts..

Gosling's progress.

The goslings are feathering up at an amazing rate.

As you can see, they are already getting in training for fitting into the roasting dish.

Compost

4 tons of spent mushroom compost was delivered. I can now, at last, start to fill the raised beds for the veg.

Rain water harvesting.

2 enormous (1500 Litre) water butts (that previously held concentrated orange juice) were delivered. They will be plumbed into the down pipes at the back of the stables to store rainwater.

Goslings.

3 Emden goslings arrived. Sweet but ugly babies. Will eat out of my hand and enjoy a little stroke. Grass and duckling crumbs for them.

Hedges and fencing.

Hedges are cut. Stock fencing is up and the field has been harrowed. Getting there.

Hens:

27 Feb. 2010: The Hens have arrived. 8 rescue, ex-battery hens collected from Little Red Hen rescue. Not in bad condition considering. Very friendly girls who quickly settled in and began to enjoy their new life. Not completely free-range as they need to be kept safe from the dogs, but they have a couple of hours out of their pen, free ranging. Laying 5-7 eggs daily between them.

3 Little Pigs move house.

20 March 2010:

8 week old, rare breed, "Large Blacks" arrived. They are now enjoying a life of food, food, food.