Fencing is such a chore

Digging for victory

June was filled with fencing.  We had fences to mend, new gates to hang and a brand new length of stock fence to put up.

There were 30 posts that all needed to be banged in with a post punch.  Our neighbour had just finished his fencing and we had watched with envy as he bought in a post bashing machine for a day.  We didn’t have that luxury so, rather than a day, it took a couple of weeks to complete the work doing a few poles every day.

But, before that could be done, holes had to be dug for the huge posts that would act as strainers and take the weight of the new gate.  It was all going well until a foot or so down where all the rocks were hiding out.

Luckily the dogs were on hand to help out.

In other news, we are awaiting the second kidding.  Belinda is due at the end of the month and is looking very well rounded.  Lily’s kids are thriving and will be pleased to welcome new playmates.

Lily delivers

First time mum serves up her kids

According to the goat gestation calendar, Lily was due to kid on 4th May. In reality though, it could have been any time from 28th of April to 8th of May as these dates were 145-155 days from the time she met with the billy.  In fact she met with 2 billy goats, we were hedging our bets.

We moved her out of the pen away from the other goats, particularly Anastasia who is a bit of a thug, into her own personal birthing suite.  She seemed relieved and soon relaxed into her new domain.  We kept a close eye on her, counting down the days until the morning of the first of May when she was acting a little oddly.  By the afternoon we were certain she was in labour and at around 6pm she laid down on her deluxe straw bed, made a noise like someone throwing up and produced 2 tiny kids, easy as pie.

We had just spent weeks ewe watching, seeing them pacing, panting and groaning, thinking any minute they were about to give birth, then spending the night checking them every two hours, only for them to finally lamb at 9am the following morning.  The quick and stress-free birth of the kids was like a breath of fresh air.  We didn’t even need the rubber gloves!

Although very small, they seemed healthy and lively and she was keen to clean them up, which meant hopefully, that she would be a good mother.  Since this was her first time we had no idea how she would take to it.

Strangely, the female kid was black with distinct white markings and pricked ears, the image of one of the beaus that Lily had met with, but the male kid was golden brown with floppy ears and looked eerily like the other billy she had a liaison with on the same day.  Neither took after their pure white mother.  We wondered if it was possible that there could be two different fathers.  I guess we will never know unless they do DNA tests for goats!

8 lambs a leaping

The lambs first day out

It was an exhausting month with lambing drawn out over several weeks.  We ended up with  a total of 8 lambs which was a little disappointing.  Four girls who we will keep as breeding stock and 4 boys who will go to the mart later in the year.  Due to the appalling wet weather, we kept them inside for longer than usual but when a beautiful sunny day presented itself on Saturday, we finally turfed them outside.

One of our favourite moments is when they all get their first taste of freedom and meet the other lambs face to face.  There is always mass confusion with the ewes rushing forward with the smell of spring grass in the nostrils, completely forgetting about their babies.  They rush to the field and with their mouths full baa loudly for the lambs.

The lambs, meanwhile haven’t got a clue what’s going on and are running round in circles looking for mummy and shouting.  When they catch up and get to the field they are suddenly confronted with a whole load of sheep and have to find their mother.  It’s pandemonium.

Eventually it all gets sorted out and then the leaping starts.  It’s amazing how high they can jump.

Now that lambing is done we start kidding, and that’s no joke.  Check back next month for a goat story.

It’s lambing time

After many a sleepless night, the lambs finally arrive

After a month of disturbed nights, checking the ewes to make sure they weren’t giving birth, we finally welcomed our first lambs on Friday afternoon.  Despite the fact that we were on high alert, the first lambing didn’t happen without a hitch.  Agnes, started early by expelling the water bag but by lunchtime nothing else had appeared.  She wasn’t distressed but we were.

Eventually the rubber gloves were deployed and we discovered that the lamb on it’s way out had too many legs.  It was quickly clear to us that two were trying to emerge together.  After some skilful manipulation and untangling of small bodies, one of the lambs was pushed back whilst the other was pulled out.  The first, thank goodness, was alive and well.  The second one came out backwards with more than a little assistance.  We weren’t sure if it was all over and since she had been so huge, we ventured back in and pulled a third out.

All were boys and all appear healthy and are feeding well.  We may have to supplement them with goat’s milk if Agnes can’t produce enough to sustain all three but we will keep a close eye on them and monitor their progress.

Well that’s one down, only another 5 to go until we can once again sleep peacefully at night.

Birthday boy

Celebrating with Archie

The middle of February was our boy Archie’s first birthday.  He has grown into a beautiful dog and has the sweetest nature.  His favourite trick is a high five, although sometimes he’s a little too enthusiastic and smacks you in the face with his heavy paw.  He loves his life on the croft and can’t wait to get started in the mornings, always managing to wake just before our alarm and starting a noisy game with Daisy.

This month we have been preparing ourselves for lambing.  There was a slim possibility that our ewes could  have given birth from 26th but it seems that the first tup we put in with them, wasn’t quite up to the job.  We are now expecting deliveries at the end of next month.

In the meantime we have had the girls inside for a bit of TLC to make sure they are in tip top condition.  Read about their sojourn at the sheep health spa.

A freshly made bed

Preparing the polytunnel

The polytunnel is such a valuable resource allowing us to grow crops all year round but for the last couple of years we have lacked enthusiasm and motivation.  Recently we came across a new book – The Polytunnel Book by Joyce Russell – which is filled with ideas and advice for each month of the year.  We are not natural gardeners and although we have experimented, this book should help us get on the right track and stay there.

Last year we had deep snow for what seemed like months and planting was the last thing on our minds.  We grew little else apart from potatoes, tomatoes and a few lettuce leaves.

This year we are raring to go.  We have cleaned out all the rubbish, gotten rid of the raised beds and rotovated in tonnes of muck from the dung heap.

Already we have first early potatoes snuggled under a layer of weed suppressant membrane.  Thanks to advice from the book we have also planted garlic, carrots, lettuces, broad beans, mange tout and aubergines, although the aubergines are on the kitchen windowsill.

Here’s hoping for a bumper crop.

Cows away

A dramatic day for us and the cows

This month we planned to take a couple of our pedigree Dexter cows to the abattoir.  With that in mind we spent some time training them to walk into the trailer so that when the time came there would be less stress for them and us.  It was a simple matter of parking up the trailer inside a pen in their paddock and feeding all their meals inside.  It took a while for them to feel comfortable with the ramp and at first we had to place the food near the opening but gradually, as they grew in confidence we moved it further and further back until they were both completely inside and we could close the gates.

On the morning they were due to go, they loaded easily and we set off in good time.  However, we had gone barely 30 miles when disaster struck and the car broke down.  The mobile had been left in a coat pocket at home and so a kind passer-by leant us his phone so we could beg a replacement vehicle from a friend of a friend.

When that arrived at our breakdown site which by this time was being supervised by a police officer, we did a quick changeover and had to head pretty quickly for the soon to close abattoir.  One of us had to stay behind with the broken down car and arrange for it to be taken to a garage.

On route it was soon evident that we would not make it before the doors closed, so calls were made with the now retrieved mobile asking if someone would be there to take the cows.  The last thing that we wanted was to have to take them back home.

By the skin of our teeth we managed to unload them at the abattoir thanks to some staff agreeing to stay behind.  Unfortunately the news wasn’t quite so good for the car which had lost a gear box and wasn’t worth repairing.

We now have a “new” vehicle and are eagerly awaiting the return of the beef which will hang for 3 weeks before it’s butchered.

The Great Home Bake Off

Home baking steps up to the plate

Like a large number of the British viewing public we were enthralled by The Great British Bake Off.  Those mouthwatering creations kept us glued to the TV set, drooling, only guessing at the pressure the contestants must have felt, turning out those intricate dishes in front of Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood let alone the millions watching from the safety and comfort of their sofas.

Although I bake regularly both bread and cakes, I rarely do anything out of the ordinary but this programme left me inspired to try some new recipes.  Now whilst they had all the latest gadgets and ovens, we have to contend with an ancient old Rayburn which runs on solid fuel and is susceptible to weather conditions.  When it’s windy outside it’s smokey inside and we have to be careful the chimney doesn’t catch alight.  And as for an even bake, not a hope in hell.  When I’m baking a cake, the side next to the firebox always rises more than the other and there is no viewing window to see what’s going on.

Despite all the pitfalls, as the weeks went by, I decided to have a go at the iced fingers, the millefeuilles, Sachertorte, a baked cheesecake and my favourite, a pork pie.  The meat came from our own home reared pig and was seriously good, although next time I bake one, I shall omit the jelly as neither of us are very fond of it.

Of course it wouldn’t be any fun without the judging.  After hours slaving in a steamy kitchen, each concoction was scrutinized, tasted and awarded points for presentation, flavour and “the bake”.  The iced fingers were yummy if a bit on the large size, the millefeuilles pastry was slightly raw on the bottom and the filling grainy, the Sachertorte was not as chocolatey as it looked.  The cheesecake with our own Scotch Dumpling apples and goats milk was delicious and so was the pork pie once we had scraped off the jelly.

I have yet to have a go at the battenburg, macaroons and éclairs but I’ve no intention of trying the croquembouche.

Me and my shadow

Daisy showing the new boy how it’s done

Thankfully Daisy is now completely recovered and back to playing frisbee and her shepherding duties which she carries out with a little too much enthusiasm sometimes.

Archie, who despite his bad start in life with stomach problems and itchy skin, has blossomed into a beautiful boy and he is pleased to have his playmate back.  He copies everything she does, good and bad!

Around the croft we are waiting to see if one of our goats is in kid, we are hoping for third time lucky.  In previous years she hasn’t taken, even though she has had several suitors.  We have dabbled in butter making and have various fruit wines bubbling away all over the kitchen.

This sudden hot spell has taken us by surprise; we were just about ready to break out the thermals again and were bracing ourselves for the winter to come.