A relatively quiet week on the farm. We are starting to think we shall have to buy in feed – fortunately we have a neighbour who is organic and has said he can help us out if needed.

We have also had to buy in yet another load of straw in readiness for lambing. We really must get the cattle out very soon so that the barn area can be cleaned and arranged for lambing which is now no more than three weeks away. At our regular Friday farm meeting we agreed that priorities for next week include putting all the ewes through the race to check for condition and to split out the ewe lambs and those carrying multiple foetuses, giving the calves their second clostridial ‘jab’ and possibly moving some if not all the cattle out. Sometimes in farming one just has to accept needs must.

A rather busy weekend: on Saturday morning we agreed that a neighbours son could do an element of his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – bronze – with us over the next six months. Later Christopher took the Landrover and trailer out to collect the sacks of litter volunteers had cleared from the roads in the parish and today we were very happy to see Al and Elaine – she for the first time – and to have confirmation that life will allow Al to certainly give us weekend support over the lambing period and they, after a hot drink and chat, went off on a tour of the farm coming back with two guinea fowl eggs, the first! Flash was very happy to have the additional exercise but for the second time in the day came back in a very muddy state.

There has been weekend action on the business park as well. Chris and Paul with the aid of a so-
called all terrain ‘cherry picker’ have been cleaning out and repairing gutters. Quite a task when it comes to the big barns. I say so-called because an early task on Saturday was using the Landrover to rescue it from a particularly muddy patch.

Becky and Jasper were very busy both in the greenhouse and in the vegetable garden since, despite the current cold snap, spring is all but with us.

We had our first order for Demeter baby foods on Friday (only went live that day) and more over the weekend. So good to know we are not alone in thinking what one eats matters!

– Farmer Adrian