week 11

First of all, an update to last week - we had the 'mole catcher' here last Thursday...and he showed the all of us how he catches moles (they are rife here, and do so much damage to the limited field space ....do you know one mole can dig up over 100 yards!) it is instantaneous - so over very quickly.  Most of the students seemed more interested in his quad bike that he used to get round the farm!

our increased 'flock' of wiltshire horns!

This week, we have put up the feed to one lb per Ewe (4 x kilos) each day - as they are only 3 weeks off lambing - in fact some of our original four ewes are already 'bagging up', so we are keeping a close eye on them - especially 'June' who's having triplets.

two visitors to the garden!

Today was the last day until our Summer session starts on 8 April, so everyone worked really hard, to make sure we have everything ready for lambing, and all the raised beds ready to sow once we start back.  The students have been making frames to go over the raised beds to hold the bird/butterfly netting - i'm afraid our lovely bantams love clambering all over the beds; turning the soil over for worms!   It was Mark's birthday today, so he brought in some delicious cup cakes, made by his sister for break....and he helped groom 'Patch' this afternoon.  I was very impressed how confident Mark is getting around the horses.

This afternoon, everyone helped get all our 'produce' ready to sell at the Car Boot Sale THIS SUNDAY - let's hope the weather cheers up by then....!  We have lots of eggs to sell, and bird feeders made by the students, and a tombola, and bricabrac, and of course Bacon Butties!

Saturday in the garden!

Weeks 9 and 10

We started feeding the Ewes this week - they need 'hard' food as well as grass and hay, to make sure they get all the right nutrients for the best lambing results.  We have bought a new trough for feeding time, as we are due to have 5 more Ewes arriving at the end of the week....all shiny and new!   Helen helped Alan put up a fence to reduce the field size till after lambing - resting part of the field, which will hopefully give us a bit more grass for the Ewes once they've lambed.  We have leaky gutters on the covered yard, so are trying to get them fixed before we bring the Ewes in....
Thursday we had decided to all go hedge trimming down on our bank field but.....the weather was terrible,so in the morning we made butter with the students!   Lucy (sister) had been lent a butter 'churner' - beautiful glass container with a paddle - we put double and single cream into it with water, and set to.....it took nearly an hour to 'churn', with all the students having a turn at winding the handle!   We ended up with a good size 'pat' and the students all took a little bit of butter home with them!     We spent the afternoon in the poly tunnel, planting lots of seeds!  Only trouble is now there's been such cold weather that they may not 'take'...!

Mothering Sunday - i should have been lying in bed, having a day off, but we got the call to go and collect our 5 new 'in lamb' Ewes - bought with funding from the Rotary Club!   I had to choose 5 Ewes out of a flock of about 20- fingers crossed i've done ok - they haven't been scanned, so it's pot luck what we get - let's hope they all lamb ok!  They are due two weeks after our other four, which is good - not so rushed that way.  They are all pedigree Wiltshire Horn Ewes the same as ours, so i hope they all get along ok.
We managed to get stuck in the field in Chedworth and had to be towed out!

Weeks 7 and 8

At last we seem to be getting some dryer weather - although it is unbelievably cold...!  Still the sheep don't seem to mind - they are looking blooming!  All the students are getting really excited about the impending lambing season - let's hope the sun's out by then!

We have been re-organising all the raised beds - moving the soil around and generally refreshing them, ready for planting spring vegetables and salads in the poly tunnel.   The students planted the first onions out on Thursday, and we are potting up sweet peas inside.   Next week we hope to plant some mixed salads in the poly tunnel to sell as cut and come again salad bags.

yet again it's gone sidesways on me....!
Helen cleaning the field with Alan & Hilly.

One very important job the students did on Thursday was to 'poo pick' the entire field where our 4 Ewes are...!   We are conscious that we don't have much grass, and need to keep it clean and as healthy as possible for them.   We have moved the last year lambs to another field close by, in order to keep as much grass for the Ewes as possible.  We will start giving them a little bit of hard food next week (about 1/2 lb each per day)