Well, bit of a bonus of late in that Oaklands Pigs found me a spare weaner so we were able to collect the 3 saddlebacks a couple of weeks ago (pics below) They've settled in really well even if at first I thought they were goners. Seems that these piggies are clever little souls so whilst I was scratching my head wondering why they were petrified of their feed trough, they knew it was coz silly me had let it rest against the electric wire... Put it this way, it was a shock to the system when I discovered it!
It's that time of year again where the mind races to investing in new boots (too luxurious a purchase this year perhaps?) and Barbours gaining their stripes but also matters practical like finding a good hand cream for the outdoors and finding a ram for the sheep. Crazy I might be as this years lambing was worry enough but as a glutton for punishment we have 6 ready for covering in a month or 2. I contacted the lovely Tom in Wivelsfield to try and secure Denzil again only to find he's been sold! (Denzil that is not Tom!) Seems the farm has gone Southdown exclusive so we're getting the services of a Southdown ram instead. These lambs we will sell or send for meat so should be a good cross. The sheep have been hard work of late, another lamb Bessie succumbing to flystrike badly (recovered thankfully.) Next year, we are fully prepared with a treatment program for all our sheep. This year has been a learning one where one can only be reactive to the extreme weather tests we've faced.
Along with the new pigs the garden has been invaded (or so my lab would tell you) by 4 hens, all of whom have wonderful personalities and lay every day. Horsley invariably sulks on the kitchen floor, big brown eyes imploring me to give him a valid reason as to why, simply why, can he not chase the fluffy creatures living outdoors when up until now all rabbit, pheasant et al chasing has been allowed? Floss, Penny, Roxy and Misty (the greedy beggar) are enjoying life very much and I recommend chicken keeping to absolutely anyone. Horsley however would tell you he preferred it when it was just us, and more importantly, just him getting any scraps.
We've networked and got ourselves a contact to top the wild fields hopefully stimulating recovery and growth of some quality next year and the swallows have finally departed the garage having raised 3 young un's at the second attempt. They've yet to head off home to Africa but at least we can claim the garage back!
More soon autumn readers!
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Weather: A cooling 17 degrees, sunny with chilly early mornings that are slowing down duck egg production for the year...
