Farm Update - March 2022

Labour preparations … 

The spring like weather seems to be coming and going with beautiful sunshine combined with gales and rain storms, but all the signs of spring and new life are in full flow on the farm. The cattle are due to start calving next week so we have given them a full shed clear out with masses of clean straw to keep them cosy in the run up. The calving gates are in situ, which are a special gate which holds a cow still. These help massively if we need to assist a cow in labour, or help a calf to feed. A fantastic piece of equipment that makes things so much safer for us and the cow ... but fingers crossed we won't need to use them and we'll have plenty of straight forward, independent births! 

Sheep … 

We are also well on our way to welcoming this years lambs in to the flock. The sheep are getting significantly rounder, with lambing due to start in only 5 weeks. You may remember that last time we mentioned the balancing act of nutrition … not over feeding those expecting only one lamb, whilst ensuring those expecting multiples get all the nutrition they need. As such we will separating out the ewes this week, removing the singles (those expecting 1 lamb) to graze some thinner pasture, whilst giving those expecting multiples some additional pre lambing mineral buckets and better grazing. We will also be treating the flock with Heptavac - this is an immunisation that aids the control of multiple diseases in sheep. It is given 4-6 weeks prior to lambing as it transferred in utero and therefore helps to control disease in the lambs also. Whilst we try to minimise the use of any medications it is essential that both the ewes and lambs are protected to ensure they remain fit and healthy, and to prevent any unnecessary illness. 

Rain, rain go away … 

On the arable front there are likely to be some delays to drilling, which we were hoping to start imminently with the spring beans. As you can imagine, farming the flood plains means we are wet at the best of times but add in the recent rainfall and the fields are just too wet to access. We'd quite like it if the rain stopped now please Mother Nature! 

On the weather theme, we have also spent quite a bit of time clearing away trees that have fallen in the recent storms. Some of the wood we will use as fire wood, some will be disposed of on bonfires, but where possible we will leave larger branches and boughs in appropriate places on the farm for wildlife and minibeasts to live in. A simple way of supporting our invaluable ecosystems. 

Educational Access Visits …

We have a number of school children coming to visit us during March and April and we can't wait to welcome them to the farm! From littlies in Reception to bigger kids at secondary school, we are welcoming a real spectrum of children. We have lambing, bottle feeding, tractor and trailer rides, farm walks, and regenerative agriculture Q&A sessions planned, as well as many other activities. If you are affiliated with a school or home educate your children and would like to visit please drop us an email.

That's it from us for now. Hopefully the next time we email we will have news of new arrivals! 

Thanks

James & Fi