The English Paysanne

With temperatures rising the time had come for Miss Fatty to reduce in size and weight to reveal her summer look. Gorgon hung around for a bit of moral support but even he got bored as farmer J sweated and swore as he cut through matted wool and debris she had collected in her fleece during the year. Miss Fatty resigned to the fact that it had to be done just kind of sat upright until she slid down and laid on her side as her wool was snipped away. A couple of kilos lighter she has become a new sheep with more of a spring in her step, still taking her daily dose of rosehip to ease her arthritic joints she may be around for another shearing next year.

Sadly last night Robsewe passed away., named as she was brought from a man called Rob. She had been fine, her usual eating her cereal as quickly as possible so she can go and intimidate Gorgon who is the slowest eater ever. She was a little snotty but had been all her life, or so we had had her at around thirteen years old she had a good life munching on lush grass and hay. She will be missed (but maybe not by Gorgon).

Last week our old sheep, Miss Fatty showed signs of pain in her back legs. She found it difficult to get up, became very slow and moved as each steep was hard work and painful. After many years on her feet and possibly a little on the large side old age has steeped in with what we think is arthritis/ rheumatism in her joints. We could of called the vet out but her diagnosis would probably of been old age, with a course of anti inflammatory injections. These would of given relief for a short period of time but something she can't take for ever so we tried a natural remedy that worked on a couple of pigs we had ages back who had joint ill and something we take daily. Rose hip. Each Autumn I pick the hips of wild roses and boil them up to make a syrup, taken daily this relieves joint pain and believe me it works. Now we had run out of syrup so have had to buy pills for now which are crushed into her breakfast and tea. Within the week she is moving a lot easier breaking out...

A moment from the week at La Singlrie It's that time of year again.

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!

Oh it's been a tad hot here with no rain predicted and fields looking a lot less green than in June it may mean grass will be running out and the cows will be munching hay. If this dry spell carries on our cows at La Contie will be heading home as although the grass seems very nutritious it is a lot sparser than here. The pigs are feeling the heat. It is a constant job of filling their water troughs for them to tip over or lie in straight away. Even though they have been given water in their wallows and either hosed down or a bucket or two thrown over them it does get a little tiring. Were on mains water now our source has run dry for the moment until the next rain.Two lots of pigs are suppose to be moving to new enclosures, we tried so hard to move them to but no amount of bread or coaxing would they budge, I think its just to hot they cant be bothered. We just got very hot and bothered trying to move them. Rob's ewe has also been shorn, she's beginning ...

This afternoon the pigs shelter was moved to the field behind our gites followed by the two sheep, Gorgon, Thumberlina and Esmeralda. It was time to move them from their winter field to eat down the spring grass that is rapidly growing. A pot of food and bowls shaken done the trick of moving everybody through the old fields barn down the drive and through the gate to lush grass, Gorgon and piggies started on the old acorns under the oak trees as the sheep were left cramming tufts of grass into their mouths. \only hope they will all be in the field tomorrow and not in the barn where our five week old chicks are(and their bins of  food). They were moved to rest the field they were in and eradicate the build up of parasites leaving the chickens and ducks,who are still grounded to the field in case of fox attacks (the cheeky fox was seen by gite guests on their balcony last week) so hopefully the fowl will be able to keep up with eating the green, green grass as qu...

Around the beginning of each year our cows and sheep have their annual obligatory blood test and today was the day. One of our vets came along bright and early, well it wasn't that bright being a bit damp and foggy today but she turned up with her box of empty sample vials and needle. The animals are tested for Brucellosis and IBR (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis) here in the Aveyron, which is free. If you go two minutes in the car over the border to the Tarn et Garonne farmers have to pay, but here in the Aveyron we must be poorer farmers, or maybe more livestock farmers who would cause an outcry if they had to pay for an imposed test. All bovines over the age of 24 months have to be tested, locked down while feeding Anne the vet went along the line lifting tails, inserting a needle and drawing a small amount of blood. Farmer J's job was to tie non co operating cows heads, which calms them down a bit and to shout out their individual number as I wrote it on the...

June, it's a busy time of year with lots of different things needing attention on the farm. The gites are occupied so deep cleaning has been needed with the gardens also needing attention, grass is growing at an incredible rate, good for the pigs as they eat the clippings not good for me as I end up hot, sweaty and with green feet due to getting too hot and having to wear the faithful summer Birkenstock's I love so well. The hay is ready to be cut, farmer J has to grease up the machines while keeping an eye on the weather forecast for five days of unbroken sun/ dry weather in order to cut, turn, return, line up and bail. Also ready to cut are the sheep's fleeces, when we had a small herd a sheerer done the job for 2 Euros a piece, a bargain for the amount of time and back ache farmer J suffered from but now with only two old girls, one who's fleece probably counts as half a fleece now as bits are falling off her as I write we would be hard pushed for a shearer...

 The beginning of the week found Miss F and myself back in Essex staying with farmer J's mum in our home town. A trip to Southend for last minute buys with a stop at Leigh on sea on the way back for ice creams before our fish and chip supper. We had a great time in the UK catching up with old friends, eating and shopping. A day trip by train to London to visit to the Tate for Miss F to help her find inspiration in finishing her thesis to be handed in for May when she finishes her five years of being a student at Toulouse.  Five days away saw changes around the farm leaves emerging on the trees and bushes,the grass is looking lush and those weeds are growing at an alarming rate.  The sheep have been moved back to their old field to start eating away at the grass, it may be too much for two old ewes to cop with we may have to find a few friends for them.  The wisteria that is growing taking over climbing up the house is in full bloom, a lovely delicat...

As the weather continues to be wet we felt a little sorry for the two pet sheep stuck out in the small field with no shelter so a break from the rain this afternoon we decided to give them a bit of shelter. The corrugated metal shelter had been in use when we had a small herd of sheep, which have long been gone it stood empty in the field far to big for two sheep. So we moved the shelter and the sheep into Gorgons field, he does not know yet as he has spent all day in the barn- bit of a fair weather pig is Gorgon. Unbolted in half the Valmet tractor made lite work of moving the two halves. By the time the last half had been pushed into place the rain had come turning into sleet. By the time the sheep were moved snow was falling, just in time for tea under a roof and they can be viewed from the kitchen window. Tomorrow he shelter will be bolted back together in case Gorgon may wish  to move it around turning it  into his day bed.

It's that time of year again. Sheep shearing.  Our two retired ewes fleeces are not the best of quality that's for sure. I have tried spinning and felting with but it is too bouncy. The only place for our two's is the bin or compost. Even then last year I tried to compost them (the fleeces not the sheep) do you think they would rot down - no. I was left with smelly sheep fleece all over the veggie patch and warm mice for the winter. Best place for them the bin. (that is the fleeces, if you talk to farmer J he will say the sheep!) One year before we sold our small flock we called in a shearer with his electric shears, quick and efficient (and cheap, €2 a fleece) with the shearer taking the fleeces away (to sell for insulation).  It was far easier for farmer J as anyone who has sheared a sheep will know it is a bit tough on the old back. So the shearer turned up, sheep at the ready it was over in a very short period of time. Some did look as they were tur...