This is always an odd time of year on the farm. The mad rush of the turkeys is over, the Christmas holidays gone in a blink of an eye, and we are all back to work again, yet still many months away from our next big event – grass silage.
Now anyone who knows a farmer, will know they are not very good at taking it easy, so thankfully there are still lots of jobs to do on the farm, and this year we have lots of maintenance and repairs to keep everyone busy!
Maintenance is a job no one likes… We all love driving the big machines but are not always so keen to keep them in tip top condition, the buildings also need regular TLC! The boys have been busy though, repairing ploughs, replacing bearings on various bits of kit, servicing tractors, and they even had time to install a new chimney flue into the farmhouse for Judith’s Aga, and did some roof repairs to the stables.
The weather has been quite variable this month and this limits the jobs we can do due to the ground being soft and sticky, nevertheless we have managed to get the tractors out moving cow muck to fields ready to put on in the Autumn, and Jake has been out hedge cutting. Our haylage has also been in demand by both farmers and equestrians alike, and we have delivered several hundred bales across the North East to keep everyone’s animals fed in this chilly weather.
Talking of animals; Judith’s flock of Suffolk sheep are very content in their winter pasture and enjoying a diet of homegrown oats and lots of haylage. They are getting rounder by the day, so we are hopeful it wont be too much longer until our Spring lambs make an appearance. Our chickens have also perked up after being locked in before Christmas due to the risk of bird flu, and are happy in their new routine. They are enjoying lots of treats of fruit and vegetable hanging baskets and laying well, so don’t forget to pop in, if you want some fresh farm eggs!
Wishing everyone all the best,
Martin, Judith, Richard, Tanza & George