Piglets and calf arrival

Sandy gave birth yesterday evening.Twelve piglets, three were still born and one didn't make it through the night. At the moment there are eight, time will tell if we have any Casualties. Pigs are very clumsy and do tend to roll on piglets, the only way to stop this is using a farrowing crate which is totally against our principles of animal welfare.

8082 entered the world yesterday evening as well. The first of this years calves to a very protected mother. It will have ear tags in either today or tomorrow and if a male castrated very soon as they become very mobile in a short period of time, meaning a run around the field for farmer J. Our cows know where they have left their calves so it is a sneaky job of catching calf when mum is not around and being as quick as possible before they give a cry out and mum and herd come running to see what's going on.

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Snap shot

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Another steer went off on Wednesday. After spending 3 years with them it doesn't get any easier when they leave.

Weeding

Potatoes A sad looking patch Hunting for carrots The weather has now gone from one extreme to the other from rain, rain and a bit more rain to hot, sunny and hotter. Time to access the veggie patch after I planted everything in one hit and then it got very damp and soggy. Well the potatoes are growing well, although they are going to be a lot later this year, kind of Earlie's for late ones and late ones maybe ready for Christmas dinner ( if they survive the bugs, rabbits and moles). The weeds have and still are growing really well, this morning was spent finding the carrots and parsnips, which I have with no help from Sorrel, who after a quick sniff lazed under the shade of the apple tree (which by the looks of it hasn't got hardly any apples on it?) The poor herb seeds sowed don't look to good or the french and runner beans, think a hungry mouse have nibbled on them so I will have to resow (once I have weeded -again)

A problematic Ewe

While Master C and Miss F were here over the weekend we took the opportunity for their help in moving the two ewes, Gorgon and Thumberlina to the field where the donkeys had been. What with all the rain we have had lately the grass grow super quick. The only problem was Miss Fatty did not want to move from her safe field (if only she knew she was moving to new lush grass). It took farmer J and Master C to try moving her after pushing from me and Master C had failed and she fell to the floor not moving an inch. There try also failed so they were both lead through the field in another direction. Of course once in the new field there was no looking back. Gorgon on the other hand was a breeze to move, as long as you have food he will follow, you just need to make sure you have enough food!

The English Paysanne

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