Emma Heseltine: The veg for the pigs comes from Eva’s Organics (where I also get my veg box) on a Wednesday. All sorts of things get thrown their way from potatoes and peppers to melons and tomatoes. The only things they can’t eat are onions and citrus, both these would upset their stomachs.
19 May 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: This week I committed a farmer sin, I went on holiday. It seems to me that not many farmers go away for a break very often, what’s the reason for this? Is there no time?
12 May 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: Beechnut is in the little paddocks. She was getting picked on by some of the other cattle at Aglionby so we brought her back for a little TLC. She is in calf and looks a little thin so a bit of grain just for her and a shed to sleep in wont hurt. We have put a couple of ewes that have no lambs with her to keep her company, but it seems they are not keen on the arrangement.
07 May 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: A weed is merely a plant growing somewhere it shouldn’t. Today it seems everything is starting to grow where it shouldn’t. First the ground Elder that is rampant in the orchard is creeping into the veg patch and fruit cages, where it is certainly not welcome.
28 April 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: We have had our soils done at Houghton and have some recommendations for helping our fields. It’s been a tough year so they could do with a boost. One of the things we can do is to use a grass harrow to scrape at the moss which has sprung up all over the place (seriously where is it coming from, there was grass here before) and aerates the soil.
21 April 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: We are giving the ewes and lambs in the big Houghton field their morning feed and it’s usually chaotic. The ewes all come running for their food and the lambs all mill about in confusion bleating until mum has finished breakfast, then there is much running around and baaing until everyone is matched up again. We leave them too it, a few lambs are testing out the goods on offer but most are milling/bleating.
14 April 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: Today it’s starting to feel a little bit like spring, finally and I’m learning to plough. It looks so easy, up and down turning over the soil but as with everything it’s harder than it looks. The ground is a bit wet and I’m in the little Massey which is two wheel drive. The trick is to give it lots of oomph apparently and remember to raise the plough up if I get to a sticky bit and the wheels start spinning. Also ‘whatever you do, don’t get stuck’, good advice.
07 April 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: Sunday brings us no lambs at all but Monday morning is chaos. Three ewes have lambed and there are six lambs but it seems as though nobody knows which lambs belong to whom. We get them all in the pens and then start the task of sorting them out. It’s pretty easy to tell if a lamb doesn’t belong to a ewe as she will push it away so after a bit of trial and error I think I get it sorted. Trouble is when I go down the field to feed the cattle I find another lamb under the trailer… back to the drawing board. I get it sorted to a certain degree but one of the ewes has decided she is only having one lamb, the middle ewe meanwhile has four and doesn’t seem to mind that very much. Looks like someone is going in the adopter, there is no way that one of these ewes had four lambs, and there is no way she can feed four.
24 March 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: The calves are coming thick and strong, Cypress has a little bull calf which is named Lincoln. He is born on an extremely snowy day (obviously, best time to have babies) so we bring them up to the paddock near the house and put them in the shed for 24 hours, it’ll be much better than being out in the freezing cold blizzard that proceeds to lash down all day.
17 March 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: This week Ellis decides to join Croft and has her calf on Tuesday morning. It’s another bull calf and even more strapping than Lawrence! They are moved up to the field next to the orchard and my newly ensconced pigs. Ellis apparently does not like pigs and has taken a particular dislike to mine, huffing and mooing at them. I’m not sure what they have done to offend her as they are being remarkably good considering what pigs can be like.
10 March 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: This week there are several calves due but I’m sure, as per usual, they will not be when we expect them. Ellis and Croft are both due and look about ready, just waiting to see who is first. On Tuesday afternoon Croft wins the race and produces a strapping bull calf, Laurence. She is not keen to be moved up toward the house but we want her in the top paddock to keep an eye on them both. Eventually with some coaxing from Susan and some beeping from me (I’ve retired to the quad bike as she has taken a particular dislike to me today) we get them up to the paddock. A bit of peace, some extra feed and a watchful eye is in order. Come along now Ellis, join the party!
03 March 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: Today is a sad day. We have an old cow, Wasi, who has come to the end of her breeding days and is hanging out with the store cattle having a bit of a retirement before it time to go down the road. Today we come to Wallacefield and she is down.
24 February 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: We are moving some of the ewes about at Stone Raise and have discovered some interlopers. There are two Swaledales lurking in the flock. I think they have joined for the good eats and the treacle. The trouble is someone will be missing them. We ring a few people who have rent-a-sheep in the area to find the owner.
17 February 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: This week I’m taking my last two pigs to the abattoir. I’m sure it’s going to be just as sad as the last time, but this time I’m hoping they are bigger and so provide more delicious food than the previous one. My mistake last time was not to weigh my pig so this time I’m getting it organised. John and I fetch the lamb weigher over from Wallace Field and get them in the pens. As the pigs have been moved a couple of times now they are quite used to getting in the trailer for a little ride, its not difficult with a bit of a treat (a couple of carrots).
03 February 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: This time of year it is all about hedges and I’ve been working on two this week. The first, at Wallacefield, is a fairly well contained affair that just needs a little off the top. We work our way along with loppers taking out the straggly bits and piling them up on one side of the fence to make a bonfire later. It is of course full of blackthorn which is the spikiest natural substance known to man.
27 January 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: I’m clipping the lambs in the lambing shed, they are going to the abattoir tomorrow and they must be clean and dry so I’m trimming their bellies and tails. I hear a clucking a lot closer than it should be. There’s a chicken got shut in the lambing shed. If anyone leaves the she’s door open the chickens go piling in and take up residence in the hay, very comfy. Trouble is they sometimes stay in too long and the door gets shut with them in.
20 January 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: One or two of our ewes are limping. We get them in to have a look see what the problem is. One of them has a bit of an ulcer on her toe and needs a bit of TLC. I give her a pedicure and clean out the foot with salt water and goop it up with some foot paste. She is going to stay in the pen tonight to keep her feet out of the mud. She is not impressed. There are a couple of others who get a foot trim too. Our sheep are big and not the easiest to tip, especially if they’re are not in the mood.
13 January 2013 |
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Emma Heseltine: Christmas was still a busy time on the farm. This year the boss is going to London so I’m looking after the animals. I get all the feeding done in record time so I can enjoy my Christmas lunch without worrying about having to get all muddy in the afternoon! It’s a good few days and I also get chance to go see my family back in Leeds (after a disastrous car failure we get there in the end). So what’s in store for us this New Year?
06 January 2013 |
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