May…usually a lovely warm month that lifts everyone’s spirit as many outdoors activities become possible again. Alas, this year May was very wet and at times extremely cold too with fires still burning in the grate, not usual to be mowing lawns and stocking fires at the same time! However, the rain is most welcome as the grass fields were resembling billiard tables and the cattle were highly unimpressed at being turned out to no grass.
What a difference 2-3 weeks has made, the grass grew like mad, dandelions and buttercups are now in full flower and the cows and young stock are now content with the abundance of grass to eat. The calves are responding well to the milk yields increasing, with plenty of time to play their racing games whilst their mothers eat. The bull that was put on at the end of May (a different bull this year called Piggy) we are hoping that his offering will start arriving around 1st March next year. The yards are now empty outside and indoors are beginning to look thinned out in numbers too. The dung has been cleaned out and in the usual heap left in fields to rot down a bit, before being spread over the fields after harvest as fertiliser.
The spring crops have (due to the recent rain) romped away now with the beans up to shoulder height and full of pods indicating hopefully a good yield ahead. Our peas are sadly struggling a little as they do not like too much of the wet, however with some luck they will get over it with the now warmer weather. Linseed is about a week away from flowering and always looks a picture at this stage, a whole field of shimmering lavender blue with very pretty, delicate flowers of daisy size proportions.
The winter crops are just taking off now with the majority looking quite well, odd fields are a little disappointing but at least we have a decent amount of winter cereal crops this year, so different to last year.
The sheep have just about finished lambing and the early crossbred lambs are about to be drawn for the market. Shearing has begun with the odd few being slotted in when weather and time allows; the main flock will be done by the contract shearers which is better for the back but can be a little stressful as you are never quite know when they are going to land on your farm as you only get given a few days’ notice. Our sock lambs are growing well, and the little gang are now in the garden grazing happily. We have had many happy customers help bottle feed the little ones whilst enjoying their stay with us in our Shepherds Huts.
Mid-summer day is just around the corner, always a significant day as it marks the longest day and that halfway point of the year.