Horse Shoe Cottage Smallholding.

Piggy Boys.

2011-05-27T01:10:00.001-07:00

New baby pigs have arrived. They have got the duck house as a tempory house to sleep in as the big girls are still here.

More Ryelands

2011-05-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

7 more pedigree white Ryelands have come to join us. 3 ewes, each with a female lamb at foot, and a lovely ram called Leonard to keep them happy.

More Lambs.

2011-03-25T03:01:00.000-07:00

2 more new lambs born last night. Girls again. Mum is a Ryeland x Icelandic, so she is bigger than the pure bred Ryelands and with a huge fleece.

Happy Geese.

2011-03-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

The geese are delighted to have been moved down to the pond. Still laying well and free from aggravating from the dog. I do believe that they are 'on duty' watching the new lambs too. I'm sure they will raise the alarm if Mr. Fox is about.

First Lambs.

2011-03-22T01:56:00.000-07:00

Our first lambs arrived a week early on a frosty Saturday morning. Quickly brought into the stable to dry and warm up. 2 lovley pedigree Ryeland girls. 1 white and 1 black with a white moustache.

Digger

2011-02-25T23:43:00.000-08:00

The Digger has been in to flatten out the earth hillock, to resculpture the ground and to dig holes for planting fruit trees and so on.

Pork

2011-01-30T00:37:00.000-08:00

First pig from this batch has come back from the butchers in the form of sausages, chops and roasting joints, all for sale at competitive prices. You just can't beat slow grown, free range meat from contented animals.
Let the feasting begin.

Bare ground.

2011-01-08T06:59:00.000-08:00

The pigs have done a good job clearing the ground and turning it over. The hillock is stripped bare and nearly all the ash tree saplings have been removed. Once the pigs have gone a digger can come in and flatten out the land to make better use of the space.

Cold January 2011

2011-01-08T06:56:00.000-08:00

The sheep are looking hopeful for some nuts on this cold January afternoon. There still seems to be quite a bit of grass and they are not touching the hay now that the snow has gone.

Geese

2010-12-09T03:33:00.000-08:00

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

Turkeys

2010-12-09T03:28:00.001-08:00

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

Ram.

2010-12-09T03:25:00.000-08:00

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

2010-09-11T10:06:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-08-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-07-27T01:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-22T01:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-07-07T06:55:00.001-07:00

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.

2010-07-04T04:52:00.000-07:00

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

Ducks @ 8 weeks.

2010-07-03T05:29:00.000-07:00

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

Hay field.

2010-07-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

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

Geese.

2010-07-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

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

Pigs @ 5 months.

2010-07-03T05:04:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-28T01:34:00.001-07:00

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

More goslings.

2010-05-27T12:56:00.001-07:00

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

Shearing.

2010-05-27T12:48:00.001-07:00

Before, during and after group-haircut.

Sheep are feeling much more cool and comfortable now.

Mrs. Fox comes to call

2010-05-21T01:05:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-15T09:07:00.001-07:00

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'

2010-05-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

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

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

Agility Training area

2010-05-15T09:03:00.001-07:00

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

Pekin Ducklings

2010-05-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-12T11:47:00.000-07:00

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

The New Girls

2010-05-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-11T03:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-04-22T00:53:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-04-22T00:34:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-04-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

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

Hens:

2010-03-27T09:16:00.001-07:00

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.

2010-03-27T09:07:00.001-07:00

20 March 2010:

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