Farm Update - July 2023

The months roll round and all of a sudden we are well in to summer, and the school holidays are just around the corner. Has it crept up very quickly on anyone else, or is it just us?! Having said that, we are looking forward to having our 2 little helpers (?!) back out on the farm with us, especially now that Martha is a dab hand at electric fencing! The weather continues to be an enigma - from last summers drought, to this winters extreme rainfall, to a strange combination of heat, wind, and heavy rain over the past month or so. Mother Nature continues to throw plenty of challenge our way, but one thing is for sure ... the grass is growing well (which we will never complain about!). 

Cattle

This is a quiet time of the year for us cattle wise. The herd is out grazing the meadows, the bulls have recently joined the ladies, and the spring calves are enjoying their first summer of fresh grass and sunshine. Other than daily checks, and regular moves on to fresh grass the cattle are fairly self sufficient over the summer months. 

We had our last TB test back in June, and I am sorry to say that we failed yet again. Another 4 animals have been taken from the farm, and we remain under TB movement restrictions. This marks over 4 years of being down with TB now (apart from one short clear spell in the middle). We continue to feel somewhat lost and really don't know of a way out. We will continue to lobby and advocate for the farming community in finding a solution to this nightmare situation. Surely a bovine TB vaccination is the way forwards? And surely this needs some acceleration in development, sign off and roll out? 

Sheep 

The sheep are also enjoying grazing in the meadows. They will be breathing a sigh of relief having just had their fleeces sheared. A task we do not only to help them stay cool in the warmer temperatures, but also to prevent fly strike - where flies lay their eggs on the sheeps fleece, resulting in a maggot infestation in their wool and sometimes under the skin. This can be incredibly nasty and is therefore something we keep a very close eye on and work hard to prevent. 

The lambs have recently been vaccinated to ensure they stay fit and healthy, and will be weaned from their mothers in early August. 

Grass, Arable & Environmental Mixes

As we said at the start, the warm, wet weather has been great for growing grass - a stark contrast to the dry conditions last year! We have plenty of grass in the fields for the sheep and cattle to graze over summer, we have been able to make a good load of first cut silage which will be used for winter fodder for the cattle, and we have begun hay making. 

We do not cut our river meadows for hay until mid July, which is late in hay making terms, but this enables ground nesting birds to safely fledge their young before we cut. What is does mean is that we are now battling with the unsettled weather, and will not be able to make the hay until we have a sustained dry period. Fingers crossed that happens soon so we don't loose too much quality. 

The late drilled spring barley seems to be doing fairly well. It is slightly behind where it would be normally (which is no surprise!), but it is starting to come in to ear and is standing strong. Like the grass, the warm, wet weather is good for growth, but it is also good for disease which can compromise both quality and yield of the crop. So we are keeping our fingers crossed that we avoid any nasty barley diseases. 

Over the past few weeks we have been planting our environmental mixes which will provide a habitat and food source for many bugs, bees, birds, butterflies and other farmland animals, as well as creating a safe wildlife corridor to help wild animals move safely around the farm. 

In other news ...

Over the past few months we have hosted a number of school visits to the farm. A couple of these were organised in conjunction with a charity called the Country Trust, an organisation that supports disadvantaged children to learn about food, farming and the environment. We have worked with the trust for a few years now and last week one of our visits was observed by their Chief Executive and one of their key funders. This was a nerve wracking experience, but it seemed to go well and hopefully brought to life just how magical these visits are for children, many who have never left an urban environment.

 We had 2 classes out over 2 days - we foraged for wildflowers, made bookmarks, listened for birds, ground wheat in to flour, rode in the tractor & trailer, visited the cattle, used the cattle crush, planted seeds, and SO much more. They were the MOST inquisitive and engaged bunch - it really was a pleasure. And I do hope it results in future funding being secured to support similar visits across the country. 

Well if you've made it to the end, well done! Thank you, as always for your engagement and support. Don't forget to email us your order if you fancy stocking up on fresh beef at the end of the month. 

Many thanks,

James & Fi