We are now starting our 4 week break....where has this year gone to??
The Cotswold Christmas Fair at Andoversford turned out to be a rather quiet affair - mainly due to it being 'Black Friday'....and so we didn't get the foot fall we would normally. Still the stall ended up being ok, and we only have a few trees left, along with a few jars of jellies and jams.
The pork, gammon, bacon and sausages are all back - we have virtually sold out of pork, but the gammon and bacon are still available - it does look fantastic!
We had our end of term lunch last thursday here at the house. It was a great affair again, with all the volunteers pitching in to help cooking with me, and producing puddings galore! The students so enjoy getting together - it's a great end to their year. We also invited the head chef from The Bathurst Arms, Ben and Sue, one of our Trustees, so it ended up with 25 of us squeezed into the hall and round the dining table. Of course we had pork, slow roasted over night and it was delicious!
We are one of two charities that Tescos have given a 'helping hand' to this week. They had a cheque presentation at the large Tesco store in Kingsmeadow on Friday, and Johnny came with me to the photo call. We all had to wear silly Christmas hats....not looking forward to that photo! We are putting the cheque towards a set of livestock scales to weigh the sheep and pigs during the year.
Today, Alan (volunteer) came with me to pick up 'Perry' the boar. We have very kindly been lent him again by Gary Salter. Gary has started producing delicious salamis and parma hams with his Oxford Sandy and Blacks. Perhaps we will be able to build on a 'butcher's and cutting room' next year...it would be great to start producing our own specialities too. As we parked the trailer next to the woodland, Sandy and Perry were calling out to each other, and they almost walked off hand in hand - it was lovely to see!
i don't want to speak too soon, but the ducks are back laying again...not sure if it's the khakis or the older Aylesbury, but our customers are very happy! We also appear to have happy hens back laying. One of our new volunteers did a bit of research, and discovered that hens like laying low down, and the houses we bought from Countrywide have all their nesting boxes really high up. So we have put some nesting boxes on the floor for them, and moved the purches up higher - result...we are definitely getting more eggs!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE, and do keep spreading the word.
with festive wishes, for a peaceful time and a prosperous New year,
Emma x
Monday, 15 December 2014
Friday, 14 November 2014
November!
We have been busy here getting our weaners ready to go off. We have been given some whey to feed as an extra boost, and the pigs love it! we will be sending off three of our biggest weaners the last week of November, ready for Christmas Hams and sausages. Do get in touch to book your pork.
The students have been tidying up all our raised beds in the poly tunnel and outside for the winter, whilst also planting more winter salads inside, to sell to the pub. We have some lovely red celery still growing outside, but other than that the poly tunnel is the best place to be from now on. They have also been making newspaper pots to plant the sweet peas in; they will also over winter inside.
The Christmas Trees are looking great in our colourful red, green and white pots, and they will be 'dressed' next week, ready for the Fair.
We have the two horses back now, so the students are very happy. They seem to especially like helping to put them out; doing their rugs, and bringing them in at the end of the afternoon, and brushing off some horrendous mud! It's a great opportunity for some therapeutic bonding, as Manny particularly likes being cuddled.
We have had some kind of sickness in the hen run - 4 hens have keeled over and died recently, so i took one poorly one along to the vets to see if they could shed any light on the mystery. Rob (vet) thinks it could be a bronchial problem, so we are putting anti biotics into their water, and also worming them for good measure. Fingers crossed we don't lose any more. Unfortunately 3 of them were Ella's new bantams.
Our flock of Wiltshires are doing really well - all the ewes are down on the bank with 'Baxter', and the rest of the ram lambs are up here at the Care Farm, having a bit of 'finishing food' to help them on their way. We supplied the local pub with their first lamb last month, and apparently they had really good 'feed back' from the customers, and so are having another one next week.
Don't forget to put 28 NOVEMBER in your diary for the Cotswold Christmas Fair at the Frogmill Hotel, as they are raising money for the Care Farm.
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| happy pigs! |
The Christmas Trees are looking great in our colourful red, green and white pots, and they will be 'dressed' next week, ready for the Fair.
We have the two horses back now, so the students are very happy. They seem to especially like helping to put them out; doing their rugs, and bringing them in at the end of the afternoon, and brushing off some horrendous mud! It's a great opportunity for some therapeutic bonding, as Manny particularly likes being cuddled.
We have had some kind of sickness in the hen run - 4 hens have keeled over and died recently, so i took one poorly one along to the vets to see if they could shed any light on the mystery. Rob (vet) thinks it could be a bronchial problem, so we are putting anti biotics into their water, and also worming them for good measure. Fingers crossed we don't lose any more. Unfortunately 3 of them were Ella's new bantams.
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| 'Baxter' joining his girls! |
Don't forget to put 28 NOVEMBER in your diary for the Cotswold Christmas Fair at the Frogmill Hotel, as they are raising money for the Care Farm.
Saturday, 1 November 2014
HALF TERM BREAK
Ella came home for half term, so while she was here, we went to pick up the Wiltshire Horn Ram, from Adrian Andrews in Stanton st Quinton. He is called Baxter, and is very handsome. Let's hope he performs as well as Neville from last year!
We have moved our lambs into the Orchard here at the farm, at the end of my parent's garden. They love it down there, and look quite at home. We will probably send another 2 or 3 off to the abattoir within the next week; having already sold 3. The local pub, The Bathurst Arms, in North Cerney, have our lamb on the menu this weekend! www.bathurstarms.com
Ella was given some little bantams by Lucy, her aunt, as a late birthday present. They look a bit like her favourite bantam, 'Fiver' that sadly got eaten by the fox this summer (along with all those others) They have little top knots, and are terribly tame. One keeps trying to sit on my arm when i'm feeding them - i had to take it up with me to feed the pigs this afternoon! I am hoping that Ella might be able to take them with her to The Orchards, where she is moving to in a couple of weeks time. It's still at The Orchard Trust, but more independent, and has a good bit of garden at the back - perfect for a little hen arc!
I discovered that the quail had been eaten yesterday - i think by rats...there was a tell tale 'run' in the corner of their arc - so disappointing...we'd managed to keep them out all summer. So, no quail left now. I think it is probably too late to incubate any more eggs; especially as colder weather is forecast for November. We will have to start again in the Spring.
ps has anyone seen November's issue of 'Small holder' magazine? There is an article about the care farm in it!
We have moved our lambs into the Orchard here at the farm, at the end of my parent's garden. They love it down there, and look quite at home. We will probably send another 2 or 3 off to the abattoir within the next week; having already sold 3. The local pub, The Bathurst Arms, in North Cerney, have our lamb on the menu this weekend! www.bathurstarms.com
Ella was given some little bantams by Lucy, her aunt, as a late birthday present. They look a bit like her favourite bantam, 'Fiver' that sadly got eaten by the fox this summer (along with all those others) They have little top knots, and are terribly tame. One keeps trying to sit on my arm when i'm feeding them - i had to take it up with me to feed the pigs this afternoon! I am hoping that Ella might be able to take them with her to The Orchards, where she is moving to in a couple of weeks time. It's still at The Orchard Trust, but more independent, and has a good bit of garden at the back - perfect for a little hen arc!
I discovered that the quail had been eaten yesterday - i think by rats...there was a tell tale 'run' in the corner of their arc - so disappointing...we'd managed to keep them out all summer. So, no quail left now. I think it is probably too late to incubate any more eggs; especially as colder weather is forecast for November. We will have to start again in the Spring.
ps has anyone seen November's issue of 'Small holder' magazine? There is an article about the care farm in it!
Monday, 20 October 2014
october
Sorry the Blog has taken a back seat over the last few weeks - sadly my father passed away and so i haven't been keeping up with my 'blogging' ...SO
We have taken the first 3 ram lambs off to the abattoir this weekend, and they will hopefully be ready the first week of November. The ewes have gone down the Bank field so they can be 'flushed' ready for the ram arriving next week.
All the students have been working really hard this term - they have been preparing the raised beds in the poly tunnel, where we are growing lots of salads for a local pub. Outside we still have a small bed of chard and spinach, and some leeks.
We have had lots of windfalls which has been great for feeding to the pigs and our ewes love them too.
After half term, we will be busy getting ready for the Christmas Fair at the end of November. The students really enjoy making produce each year for it. We hope it will be a good fund raiser for us.
Hopefully, i will get time to download / upload some photos before long - bit more exciting than text only!
We have taken the first 3 ram lambs off to the abattoir this weekend, and they will hopefully be ready the first week of November. The ewes have gone down the Bank field so they can be 'flushed' ready for the ram arriving next week.
All the students have been working really hard this term - they have been preparing the raised beds in the poly tunnel, where we are growing lots of salads for a local pub. Outside we still have a small bed of chard and spinach, and some leeks.
We have had lots of windfalls which has been great for feeding to the pigs and our ewes love them too.
After half term, we will be busy getting ready for the Christmas Fair at the end of November. The students really enjoy making produce each year for it. We hope it will be a good fund raiser for us.
Hopefully, i will get time to download / upload some photos before long - bit more exciting than text only!
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
WINTER TERM!
Hi everyone - welcome back! We have been blessed with the most fantastic weather this summer; going into Autumn and everything is growing at an alarming rate - even the sloes are ripe already!
Our students are all pleased to be back, and one of the first jobs we did was to move Sandy back up to the woodland - she is very happy to be back near / although not with her off spring. We sold 6 of the weaners in the Summer holidays, and the six we have left are really thriving. We have two gilts and 4 boars left.
The hens and ducks we bought in over the holidays look great - hens laying already, but sadly not the ducks yet - although they love their new surroundings especially the pond.
We have had lots of produce available during the summer, runner beans, purple and yellow french beans, swiss chard, spinach and now leeks. Unfortunately our sweet corn was supposed to be picked as 'baby' sweet corn (we only just found the label) so the pigs and hens have been enjoying them!
We are checking the lambs regularly, as we will have at least 4 hopefully ready to go off within the next couple of weeks. We are hoping to sell some to the local pub....watch this space!
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| Sandy moved back to her woodland home |
The hens and ducks we bought in over the holidays look great - hens laying already, but sadly not the ducks yet - although they love their new surroundings especially the pond.
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| The Khakis settling into their new home |
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| Feeding the ewes - this one loves apples! |
We are checking the lambs regularly, as we will have at least 4 hopefully ready to go off within the next couple of weeks. We are hoping to sell some to the local pub....watch this space!
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| Rufus enjoying the sunshine! |
Monday, 22 September 2014
END OF TERM
I know......it's rather a long time since my last blog! Lots has happened in between!
On the way back from picking up Ella we stopped at Gavin Davidson's near Huntley to re-stock our poultry. We bought Black Rocks, White Stars, Lavenders and Speckledys - 10 in total. They are 'point of lay' pullets, and we had two eggs by the time we got home! They have settled in really well with our other hens, and are now laying about 5 small eggs each day between them. The weather hasn't helped, being so hot (we love it though!)
The piglets were weaned at 8 weeks, and we sold 6 of them last weekend to a friend and local farmer at Whittington. They are really happy with them; hopefully we will get a photo soon. They all loaded easily,(i grabbed them and passed them over....some of them weigh nearly 20 kgs i reckon!) and looked fantastic - the students had done a really good job looking after them.
We have kept 2 gilts for breeding, and 4 boars for meat at Christmas (bacon and ham)
Ella and i found 4 Khaki Campbell ducklings for sale last week, and went to Bisley to buy them, to hopefully boost our duck egg laying potential.
Nationwide Building Society have done a great job putting in a pond in the duck pen, and it gives them more room to splash about.
We had a great last day; giving the students their certificates and photographs, and a delicious lunch - slow cooked gammon from our Oxford Sandy & Blacks, and lovely salads from our volunteers.
We start again on 8 September; meanwhile we are picking madly each week for the Friday market, with volunteer help. The runner beans have just started, and we had a huge crop of Pink Fur Apple Potatoes too!
On the way back from picking up Ella we stopped at Gavin Davidson's near Huntley to re-stock our poultry. We bought Black Rocks, White Stars, Lavenders and Speckledys - 10 in total. They are 'point of lay' pullets, and we had two eggs by the time we got home! They have settled in really well with our other hens, and are now laying about 5 small eggs each day between them. The weather hasn't helped, being so hot (we love it though!)
We have kept 2 gilts for breeding, and 4 boars for meat at Christmas (bacon and ham)
Ella and i found 4 Khaki Campbell ducklings for sale last week, and went to Bisley to buy them, to hopefully boost our duck egg laying potential.
Nationwide Building Society have done a great job putting in a pond in the duck pen, and it gives them more room to splash about.
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| Nationwide volunteers weeding the bank |
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| more volunteers digging the pond |
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| very happy ducks! |
We start again on 8 September; meanwhile we are picking madly each week for the Friday market, with volunteer help. The runner beans have just started, and we had a huge crop of Pink Fur Apple Potatoes too!
Wednesday, 2 July 2014
busy busy!
Gerry has had her baby - a lovely little girl; Connie Ruth - we wish them all well
We have moved the piglets this week with Sandy, up to the woodland, as they were starting to wreck the field outside their nursery (we have been letting them out to feed so that Sandy didn't eat their as well!) They should be weaning next week, so then we will move Sandy back to her nursery for a rest
We have lots of produce coming on in the raised beds - the students have been busy planting over the last couple of months, and with the rain and now sun, we have lovely sugar snap peas, broad beans,
potatoes, and strawberries ready for picking. Next up will be the sweet corn, leeks, runners and french beans. The cabbage and cauliflower don't look quite so good, as some bug has got in with them...in the poly tunnel we have planted lots of tomatoes of different varieties in grow bags down the centre, and mixed salads round the edges in raised beds.
We are starting ours tall in the Friday market (formerly WI/Country Markets) behind Smiths again this week hopefully, so do call in and buy some produce. We are also selling sweet peas to Oops a Daisy the florist in Cricklade Street, Cirencester
We have lots of pork, bacon, sausages and gammon for sale this week too!
The tractor we purchased (a second hand Kubota) is still in the yard - with a few small problems, but hopefully by next week it will be sorted !
We have moved the piglets this week with Sandy, up to the woodland, as they were starting to wreck the field outside their nursery (we have been letting them out to feed so that Sandy didn't eat their as well!) They should be weaning next week, so then we will move Sandy back to her nursery for a rest
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| the piglets in their new feeding pen in the wood |
potatoes, and strawberries ready for picking. Next up will be the sweet corn, leeks, runners and french beans. The cabbage and cauliflower don't look quite so good, as some bug has got in with them...in the poly tunnel we have planted lots of tomatoes of different varieties in grow bags down the centre, and mixed salads round the edges in raised beds.
We are starting ours tall in the Friday market (formerly WI/Country Markets) behind Smiths again this week hopefully, so do call in and buy some produce. We are also selling sweet peas to Oops a Daisy the florist in Cricklade Street, Cirencester
We have lots of pork, bacon, sausages and gammon for sale this week too!
The tractor we purchased (a second hand Kubota) is still in the yard - with a few small problems, but hopefully by next week it will be sorted !
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| Tim and Lez looking at the engine....puzzzled! |
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