Two month dry period ends with a shower

 

We had no rain from 22nd March to 22nd May. Admittedly there were 5 moments of slight drizzle during those 2 months but that didn't even dampen the dust. Since 23rd May, the weather has been a bit more unsettled. So we have had enough to spot the damp on the ground and to soak my deck shoes (see photo below). 

You can see in the photo above, taken of the allotment car park, the rain has been enough to dampen the ground. It may be enough to percolate into the ground but don't count on it. We are due a bit more rain over the coming week. We certainly need it to get the grass growing for the hay crop. We also have a potato crop that needs rain as well. Perhaps I need to do another rain dance!

Wool sacks

 

The byproduct of shaving the sheep earlier in May was a big pile of wool. We have no use for it. We typically give some of it away to allotment keepers and gardeners but we always have plenty left over. Recently we posted on local Facebook pages that we were giving the wool away. We discovered that local stables use wool and they took the lot! Problem solved.

Another egg recipe

 

Our egg glut continues so we've made custard to use up some of them. It goes well with apple crumble.

Eating her greens

 

Crystal, the lamb we are having to hand raise, has started eating solids, mainly weeds and grass. This is good news as we are able to start reducing the amount of milk we give her. She was on 6 bottles a day but is now on 5. Once she is weened, we will take her back to the farm and put her in with the rest oft he flock.

13 chicks

 

Two of our Buff Orpington hens went broody a few weeks ago so we collected up 17 white leghorn fertile eggs and put them into the incubator. Three weeks later, 15 chicks hatched though one died in the incubator. The chicks were introduced to the two broody hens to be foster mothers. This went well except one of the chicks died. The brood is now well established in our former quail house and the chicks are growing rapidly. 

Meanwhile we have another two Buff Orpingtons gone broody. The are currently sitting on fake eggs while 16 Rhode Island Red eggs are in the incubator. Hopefully lots more chicks hatch in just over a couple of weeks.

Bottle feeding

 

We were hoping to repeat last year's success in lambing by not having to bottle feed any of this year's lambs. Alas, it was not to be. This lamb - named Crystal - by some local children, was rejected by her mother so we are having to bottle feed her. She gets 3 feeds a day, polishing off 2 bottles each time. Fortunately she has started to eat grass and leaves, though it is early days at the moment.

Eating the trimmings

 

One of the local residential homes cut back their hawthorn hedge recently and phoned me to ask if I wanted the branches and trimmings for the goats. I'm not one to give up an opportunity for free fresh food. The goats enjoyed the feast.

Egg curry

 

The egg glut continues. Egg curry was a useful way of using up some of the surplus. In this meal we went further. We had egg fried rice as well!

Sheep shearing

 

In previous years we have sheared our sheep ourselves. It has normally taken us a week to get the job done. This year we decided to buy in the service. A friend (who is also a professional sheep shearer) offered to to the shearing at a competitive price.

So, on Friday evening we rounded up the sheep into the goat paddock (see video above) and this morning we set up a pen and got the sheep into it in time for the arrival of the sheep shearing equipment. It took less than 45 minutes to do the shearing. With the current dry, hot weather, the sheep no doubt were pleased to be relieved of their coats.

Sheep shearing video below.

Chicken liberation day

 

Today the avian flu restrictions that required birds to be caged came to an end. At last the chickens can go free range. I filmed this video this morning. Notice how some of the birds headed straight for the compost heap, rich in bugs and worms!