All around us, things are starting to wake up and signs of spring, with its promise of lighter and warmer days ahead, are popping up all over the farm.
As a family, we have farmed here since the 1960s and it never ceases to amaze me when the bare, frost-covered branches begin to develop new buds and shoots or the wildflowers begin to unfurl.
The weather is still changeable right now, so don’t fall for ‘Fool's Spring’ as even though we have had some lovely days, cold temperatures, especially at night, can still catch you out.
So sit back with a cuppa and catch up with our farming life as we take five on the farm…
#1 Calving
Our Aberdeen Angus herd are in the full swing of calving at the moment, so it’s an incredibly busy time for Matt. Our cows and heifers are all doing a great job, with 20 arrivals so far.
Our sheep are in the process of being swapped over as those still in the barn are being let out bit by bit to make way for our pregnant ewes ready for April.
#2 Hay & Silage
We have been buying in hay and silage from neighbouring farms after depleting our own supply, in order to give ourselves a bit of breathing space if we need to keep the animals in longer, depending on what the weather has in store. For those that don’t know, hay is simply dried grass which is cut, cured and stored. It keeps a good nutrient content if cut at the right time. Silage is fermented grass with a high moisture content. The benefits include the fact that it can provide a consistent quality whatever the weather conditions and takes a lot less drying time, making it a flexible feed.
#3 Pigs
Another weather-dependent situation (can you spot a theme here?) our boar is back in with sow in the woodland in order to clear the undergrowth and help with the regeneration of saplings, woodland pasture and small herbaceous plants. The first litter of piglets were born yesterday at Quarr too - with three more expectant mums there due over summer. Make sure to pay them a visit!
#4 Tidying up
I have been tidying up my favourite wildflower bank, whilst the pigs do an amazing job in the one area, there is still a significant area that needs to be managed so that the wildflowers can start to creep through. So far, I’ve spotted Primrose, Green Alkanets, Comfrey, Daffodils, Snowdrops, Bugles, wild hocks and the beginnings of wild garlic - with more appearing daily!
#5 The Veg Patch
This year, I plan to really get stuck into our veggie patch with more things to grow. Some of my reasoning behind this is due to the recent government decisions on the farming tax. I won’t go into it here, but I do worry about our food security as a country so decided to do what I can to look after our family. Plus, I love the sense of achievement when we are eating things that we have grown ourselves. It’s a great way to get the whole family involved, with my youngest becoming quite the keen grower. My peas, broad beans, carrots, onions potatoes and garlic have just gone in - plus chillies on windowsill. Super excited to see the broad beans peep through this week and the garlic is going strong. More to come as the weather improves.