Farewell and welcome

This morning the boeuf went off to the abattoir, after being trained to go in the trailer for his cereal and hay for a few weeks before hand the final time of entering the trailer went very calmly. He was munching hay as the gates and back were lifted and didn't flinch at all.

Farmer J always takes each animal to the abattoir a job he does not enjoy but is as about as stress free as he can make it. Being organic ours cows are allowed to go early in the morning rather than having to stay the night, they are also first in line to be dispatched. We liked to think he had a good stress free three years with us and as his time had come the hope that our customers will enjoy their beef at Christmas. The carcass will hang for three weeks before coming back to us butchered and ready to vacuum pack and box up.

Later this morning farmer J drove the trailer down the road to our friends farm to pick up two nine month old male Limousin calves that we have brought to join our herd to grow on for three years. Happy to get out of the trailer they ran off down the field where our herd met them, initial smelling of newbies from each member then following the two boys around for a while they settled down after a short period and carried on every day life of a cow, which at the moment is waiting for breakfast and tea of hay.

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Happy cattle

For five months the cattle have been eating hay twice a day but today was their time to go back to pasture, they were more than ready. With two loads in the trailer going to La Contie the rest, the naughty but nice ones stayed at La Singlarie. Calves are on green grass for the first time following the herds around. Now for Spring time jobs to get started - so much free time for farmer J. Fencing, tidying around the farm, getting machines ready for hay cutting, getting the gites gardens ready for Summer and a new bathroom to fit, his feet won't be touching the ground.

Rabbit proof fence

In the hope of not loosing anymore greenery in the veggie patch today was spent today taking down an old fence which was put up around eight years ago. As it had a few holes in it this could be where the rabbits are getting through. On the other side of the fence a chicken run was constructed were table chickens grew to a really good weight until we got a batch that had been, what we think were contagious with Mareks disease. Subsequently we stopped using it for chickens putting a litter of pigs in the area to get them use to electric fencing (which they did). It has been left empty for around 18months now with Gorgon and the girls have made break trough's through it last year gaining access into the veggie patch but now there's a lot of weeds. On the other side of the veggie patch is another old holey fence which has now got the recycled one that was taken down put in front of it, new posts and a trench dug to lower the wire in, earthed up and stones put on top

Parisot lake

As it is a holiday today here in France (Bastille Day) we took the afternoon off an popped over to Parisot lake for a walk with Sorrel. It has all changed, since the lake was emptied and cleaned up this year you can now swim in it, as well as inflatable toys to play on, a life guard, bikes to hire, a new fenced in play area for small people and a total spruce up. But there is a price we were charged! 3 euros an adult, which I guess is OK if you are using the facilities but Sorrel didn't fancy a dip. The cafe is still open but that would of been too much for Sorrel to cope with being so close to people and music so we opted for a bench to sit on in the shade before walking around the lake. Sorrel opted for being Billy no mates and laying by herself, if be it for a short period of time before bikes and people went by. We are now waiting for the free firework celebrations over the chateau tonight - if we can stay up that late.😃

The English Paysanne

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