4th Week!

Bitterly cold weather - but a good week...!  Fiver (who's been laying a blue egg every day) has gone off with Curtis for a little holiday to Coln House School!  She's gone to meet a boyfriend, so that her eggs will be fertile!!  We've been lent an incubator again, by Sally Ann, and we are going to fill it up this week, with Rhode island, and Lahman eggs (hopefully all fertile from Mr Legbar!)  Meanwhile, talking of Mr Legbar, he may have to go to the Poultry sale this week, as he's getting really viscious...

The ewes are all doing well, and will be coming in again shortly, to have their flu jabs, so that they can pass on the antibodies to their lambs.

On our visit to the Art Barn, we gathered outside in the nearby wood, in freezing temperatures to do some 'live art sculptures' - having spent all morning freezing working outside, the students didn't last too long, and so we went back to the barn, where they all had a go at hand clay modelling.
I can't decide who gets more out of the Art; the students or my volunteers...but it's great fun all the same!

Unfortunately i had to cancel my Monday students, as it was just too icy and slippery for them.

3rd week!

Well, we've had the most exciting week...!  Firstly Fiver our lovely tame bantam, that nearly died as a chick last year (she was badly pecked by a jealous mum!) laid her first egg!!  Now we have two, and they're both blue - and nearly the same size as a hen egg

Graham the Sheep Scanner

Our clever girls!

Then, we had our four ewes scanned today - AND, they're all having twins!  Helen came in especially to watch the scanning, with our other students - they were all SO excited...Graham the mobile scanner, was really helpful, showing the students the scanning diagrams on the monitor, and very patient - he said it was the most fun he'd had in ages!!

Danny 'throwing a pot' with Rose

This week we have also been out and about!  Some friends have opened an 'Art Barn' nearby at Calmsden, and they invited us to go along and join in with their 'Artists in Residence'.   Everyone had such a good time - yesterday morning we painted, and today we did some charcoal drawing.  We are hoping to plan our murals for the porta cabins, while we are there, and then start painting the outsides when the weather improves (we've had some snow tonight!)

Back on site, the students have been taking cuttings, and planting seeds to grow on for our next sale - in the Spring hopefully.

The 'markers' for the ewes
red for singles, green for triplets
 and blue for no lamb...

First week back!

Well, the cold weather's here again!  About time, we've all had far too many colds and viruses - we need something to kill them all off!

We were very sorry not to see our two students from Dursley this time - apparently their funding has changed or something - such a shame, they were both so enjoying their time here.

Our other students got stuck straight in again, it's lovely to have them back again.  They have been working on a chicken house we have been given, and general maintenance around the site. 

I was thrilled to see my friend Rob Rees has opened his cafe at The Star College - it's run by students from the college, and promises to be a real treat - we will have to take our students up there for a coffee.

We are waiting to see when the 'mobile scanning man' can come out to look at our lambs - he is due before the end of the month - the students will love that!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I just wanted to say a Happy New Year to you all and welcome back our students at the start of our Spring Session this week!

We had some very exciting news over the Christmas Holidays....Gerry one of my special volunteer helpers had a baby girl - 8lbs 4ozs; called Annie May!!  (photo to follow!)  We wish them all well, and hope she will bring Annie over to meet us all, when they have recovered!

I have put the dates for the next two sessions, up opposite, and any new students that would like to join us please ring and come visit!

Breaking for Christmas!

I should have done the last blog by now....sorry too much going on of course! 

We had a lovely Christmas Lunch with all the students, their carers, and our volunteers here in the kitchen - 24 in total!  I couldn't have managed without Steve, Bev & Tom, stepping in to 'bring everything together' at the last minute - while i was rushing about like a headless chicken!  Lots of laughter and of course dressing up...from Danny and Steve! 

It has been a great session, with our two new students, David and Jon fitting in really well with the group.  I have really enjoyed the two sessions a week with school children, from Paternoster, and a small autistic unit from Christchurch School in Cheltenham. 

A big thank you to all my volunteer helpers - i could not manage without you, and i hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We start again on Monday 9 January 2012 - anybody interested in coming out to see us - do get in touch via email.

See you Soon!

Nearly there!

We had a successful Christmas Fair last weekend - sorry it's taken me most of the week to recover!  Our stall took over £100, selling 6 dozen mince pies made by Bev & Simon, and decorations made by Paternoster & Christchurch School, and our students.  We have a few items left, and so i'm going to take a stall at the North Cerney School Christmas Fair next Saturday (10th Dec)

Danny feeding our fowl!

Down on the farm, we have been making lists for the next session - thinking about what we would 'like' and what we 'need' to do.   General tidying up of all the raised beds, and the poly tunnel - amazingly our broad beans are through outside - it's been such strange weather! 

We had a visit from the Horse Dentist last wednesday, which the students all found gripping - Rupert had a magnetic torch attached to the headcollar, so when he winched his mouth open we could see right up to the back of Manny's mouth - so many teeth up there!  In the afternoon, we had the Chiropracter to see Manny - so he should be really sorted now!

Manny having his teeth done!

We go into our last week now, so we are having our 'Christmas Lunch', sorting the Poly Tunnel, and raised beds and animals, and getting ready for Christmas!

REMEMBER - CHRISTMAS FAIR AT NORTH CERNEY VILLAGE HALL, SATURDAY 10TH DECEMBER - 11am to 2pm!

Week 8 Winter Session!

Dandy meeting March!

First things First - We have a RAM!! - I picked him up last Sunday - 'BRINKWORTH DANDY' - He has been lent to us by James, who we bought the four Ewes off earlier in the year.  He is extremely handsome - and the girls LOVE HIM!  So does Helen, who was SO excited when she finally met him on Monday!

'BRINKWORTH DANDY'

Secondly, we have Electricity!! - i know, it should have gone to the top of the page really - i still can't believe it...We have lights in the main porta cabin, heating and hot water! - Mind you, i will be really mean with that...now we also have a meter!  Our light sensor and the toilets are being finished on Tuesday - so not all there yet!

We spent most of last week getting the Christmas Decorations started - lots of glitter and glue - next we're trying CRACKERS - let's hope we sell them all at the Fair next Sunday!

Lastly, the 'Mushroom' photo from last week has a name...'EARTH STAR' - thank you Hilary!


We had a short article in local paper this week under the heading 'i can do that!' - however they managed to put the wrong address, and said the project was in Northleach! But, i've had some calls from hopeful volunteers already, so that's great.