first week back!

We have all had a great first week back - it's been a very happy week!  The lambing's all finished and on Monday, we took the last 3 ewes and lambs down to the bank to join the rest of the flock.  There is loads of grass down there, so we are going to fence off half of it to hopefully get a cut of hay later on in the summer. Total lambs 23, so a good crowd down there!

The two weaners went off before Easter, and we still have some chops, joints and a few packs of sausages left in the freezer.  The other gilt is off abroad next week!  She is going to the Netherlands to breed!

Kate with the gilt who's off abroad
next week!

Sandy is due to farrow within the next couple of weeks and really looks fantastic.  We are going to move her back to the nursery on monday in readiness!

Kate has been frantically planting seeds with the students - we will need lots of volunteer pickers later on in the summer ....will be nearly a full time job!  Potatoes have been planted out, broad beans are up, and carrot seeds went in today.  We have some lovely salad coming up in the poly tunnel (as long as those naughty bantams keep out!)

We bought another 3 laying ducks - Buff Orpingtons - and they have settled straight in, and are laying brilliantly.  We are supplying JOLLY NICE with ducks eggs each week, along with our lovely Bantam eggs too.  If you haven't been there  do call in as it's the most amazing place off the road to Stroud at Frampton Mansell.  They do the best burgers too!

Bantams are going broody everywhere, and we managed to put two into little arks and they should be hatching next week.  We have also put some duck eggs in the incubator....just to see if we can hatch some ducklings (our track record is not good with the incubator..... but!)

Little and large.....a bantam egg with an enormous hen egg!!