Storm Arwen keeps on delivering

 

The effects of Storm Arwen still seem to be with us, after nearly a month. We are continuing to find fallen branches. A nearby care home lost a very large branch from a tree and they are happy for us to chop it up nd take it away. That way, they don't have to pay a tree surgeon. The goats are now happily eating the twigs and stripping the bark. Plenty more to come.

More sheep

 This afternoon we made a trip into the wilds of Co Durham to check out these beauties - 9 Hebridean ewes. We will be taking delivery of them next week. They were a rare breed though their numbers have increased and the breed is no longer regarded as seriously endangered. They are smaller than our texels and we will be keeping them separate to avoid cross breeding. It does mean however that we will need to get a Hebridean ram. The search starts now.

Getting ready to build a new duck run

 

Our existing duck run needs to be rebuilt. It is currently in a poor state and this can only get worse while the ducks are confined to it due to the avian flu restrictions. So, we are going to build a new duck run next to the old one and then transfer the birds to the new one. We can then dismantle the old one, get rid of the rotten fence posts and then rebuild it. Some of the ducks can then be returned to it, the others can stay in the new run, giving them extra space. Once the poultry lockdown is over and the birds can go free range again, the new run will become home for the chickens we will be breeding this year.

The first job to do however was to chop the large number of branches that are on the site where the new run will go. That was my main job this morning. Once they've been cleared we can start to build the new run.