Fruit bushes

Down on kts acres fruit bushes planted. 

Blueberry, red current, black currant, white current, gooseberry, raspberries to complement the strawberries and rhubarb! 

2 sheep behaving. Cockerel being lazy, duck needs ladies and hens have stopped laying. All slowing down on the acres. The ewes enjoying the 18-30,s hol

Animal shy down on the acres

Ewes still on 18-30s vacation with ram. Today was sad abtoir day for three lambs. Abbtoir day never gets easier but have remember why I am doing this. I know my lambs have had a happy mischievous life down on the field. 

Only 2 lambs on my field a duck and 4 chickens. 4 Ewes will be back for winter. Less to feed and look after till spring. Looking forward to spring and pigs! 

Fruit bushes ordered so nearly all set to start all over again next spring! 

Pallettes forcharity

Pallettes sold for charity near my field. I been building a pallette fence to keep sheep out of veg patch next year. The fence is coming on created a gate in fence today. Unfortunately he ran out of Pallettes size I want. Weather going to be rubbish all week. 

Plans for smallholding jobs snookered by soul da of it! 

Lambs going to abbotoir at weekend. So will only have two lambs at field. Rest of ewes still on 18-30 holiday. 

Only 1 duck, four chickens and a cockrill down at field after Sunday. Going to feel weird but I guess less to look after over winter. 

Sheep on vacation

My 4 ladies have gone on holiday with a sea view. They have gone to visit John the ram. So spring lambs next year. 

The lambs haven’t missed their mums they still getting into naughtiness mainly stealing chicken feed. 

Asparagus planted with onions, garlic and shallots outside. Winter veg in polytunnel 

Riding a sheep

Lesson to ones self. Never put chicken feed down infront of you in a sheep field. After a night shift I wasn’t thinking. 

I put feed down in front of me. sheep spotted it and went between legs to get it. She Walked forward she lifted my legs off ground I was stuck on her back for minutes. 

Luckily she headed toward water Butt so I could get off. It would have been hilarious footage!! 

Sheep burglars

Poly tunnel door took a battering from storm but also a sheep attack. Big hole where my sheep got in 

Fixed it today as well as fixing chicken house that sheep wrecked climbing in it. Them lambs think they are chickens now.?

Storm

Bit windy and  wet down at field. Used my new homemade hat whisk did a good job!!

The polytunnel taking a battering fingers cross the door holds out. Good job polytunnel well needed in or think it would have took off. 

My 1,000 litre I can water tank next to polytunnel nice and full. 

Sheep not to impressed they hiding in pig arc and chickens and ducks just hiding in coup. 

Cockerels

Home grown roast chicken for tea tonight. Sorry to my vegetarian friends but the cockerels has a lovely life. 

I spent today learning how to dispatch correctly I was very nervous of hurting the birds. I then plucked and dressed 3 birds. 

All part of knowing where your food comes from. 

Blantant naughtyness

The sheep - grr escaped from neighbours field. A kind neighbour opened my gate and left it open. By time I got there all of them in the sheep shelter in my field I closed gate. Since which they jumped back in with chickens and decided to have a rest! Didn’t even wait till I left field!! 

Have one poorly chicken too. She was on her back I picked her up she seems ok but weak. Separated her so hoping a bit of isolation will do the job. Need to move young cockrels. 

Other decision is I have offer of a ram when do I want to lamb? And what to do with lambs as they too young to go with ram!! Decisions decisions! 

Return of the chillies

After the sheep eating veg the chilli plants recovered. Wow my mouth is on fire they are hot!!

Sheep on holiday

Next door farm at field very kindly have asked me to graze my sheep in their field. They need lawn mower. With weather and failure of my grass. It was an offer I could not refuse. Sheep are loving their holiday home. 

Bloody sheep

I was wondering why electric fence not stopping sheep getting in with chickens. I ssaw them this afternoon  after work. They can jump and clear 5 feet high fence so missing electric shock!   Grr 

Chick born

After a difficult week it was lovely to see this today! 

Proper rain

Yippee proper rain! At last pls hope and prey it’s enough for all the farms everywhere. 

First courgette

First courgettes cooked and eaten. Yum so much more tasty when goes from plant to mouth in a speedy time frame. 

Other veg plants finally growing, slowly but a bit of rain has really helped. 

Rain dances please

Managed to grow some crops despite lack of rain for weeks. Poor sheep grass just isn’t growing for them. I do have a broody hen sat on duck and chicken eggs. 

What else do you do on a hot sunny day

When your lying in your hammock looking down  on the smallholding. 

Thinking how lucky I am that my very kind neighbour has agreed to run a hose pipe from his outside water tap to your smallholding. Amazing thought of lugging 60 litres of water to field daily may soon be over. 

Sheep shearing

Sheep sheared, wormed and footcare all done. Didn’t go to badly. Sheep shear came to field and did a good job. My field needs minor adjustments to make it easier for him. Gobby the sheep afterwards and her lambs so loud. So much so neighbour thought one of them was injured. She was relived to know all was well. I better they feel better for it in this heat. 

May at kts acres

Ducks and chickens had a move to the long grass! Easy then strumming! They are loving it. 

Project guttering complete weather forecast for next few days - no rain! 

Sheep and lambs all doing really well. Sheep shearing booked in. 

Polytunnel finally has had matting put down and plants all doing well in there. Felt like a sauna only 43.5 degree c! 

Plant pot store built yippee all pots out of polytunnel. More room for growing. 

Next job dig over remaining beds and get planting outside more. 6 beds to fill! So project planting on the go.

Water collection

Until I get my water collection sorted I can’t have pigs! I am already taking up 40 litres a day for polytunnel, plants and animal I have. 

I am on it though! I have rigged up a 1,000 litre orange tank to guttering attached to polytunnel. My chicken coup is harvesting water into a 220litre waterbutt. And the other chicken coup has one side guttering feeding the duck pond with water. Have to finish the duck pond guttering when get right parts, 

Fete of engineering using the bits I had to create the above. Just wondering how to collect off the pig arc. There is my next project! 

Coffee time

All lambed out

I have finished lambing

Look at the difference in size a month old lambs to new lamb. Can’t wait for some lamb antics. I can see mischief and mayhem! 

Lamb pics

We have two mums! 

Kts acres more lambs

In four years of lambing I actually got to see these two born. These pics taken within minutes of there arrive. Very quick birth no bedding down by ewe they almost just fell out. 


H

This made up for yesterday when a lamb was born and so flat. I didn’t realise the skills I had. It couldn’t stand do anything so I had to take the lamb away from mum not something I like to do but it wasn’t going to survive. Took it home put tube into mouth to stomach and tube fed colostrum. Glad I had that waiting just incase. Anyway 24hrs later lamb still weak but now bottle feeding and holding its own weight. Still not standing bless. 

So only one to lamb

The growing plot now coming on 

Chickens creating dust baths 

So all going well down at the smallholding. 

Kts acres

All is well no more lambs yet but I don’t need to worry till 6th may. Ram was in with ladies for two cycles. 

I was a bit worried re my bees as sheep knocked them over in minus temp. However had to inspect hive today as it was all screw Wiff. The bees were all there carrying out their business. Phew! 

Strawberries planted

New herb bed

Seeds in poly tunnel sprouting. 

2 lambs very healthy mumdoing excellent job. 

Lambs doing well

My two little lambs doing well. Still only got two not sure what’s going on with the other three ewes! Had a lovely day on kts acres this am. Sorted naughty sheeps escape route, planted in the poly tunnel yippee and planted more seeds in the polytunnel. 

Mayhem

Cockerel flying at me knocking feed bucket out of my hand! 

Gobby abandoned lambs to explore the polytunnel. Funny looking vegetable! 

Lambs trying to commit suicide trying to get to mum. Mum had snuck through electric fence whilst I turned it off to feed chickens. Lambs just got tangled!! So rescuing lambs order of the day!! 

No more lambs yet! Think my girls told ram they had headache or washing their hair or something! 

Had to fix wire to bottom of gate stop little lambs getting out!! 

All in the rain off course!

Lambs at kts acres

Polytunnel

Got back to field today to find polytunnel dug out. 
What a weight off. Thanks Neil for your help. Think I would have missed season with lambing etc without your help. 

Rain rain rain - won’t stop play

Lambs tagged and tails sorted. Mum still doing a great job other three seem to be holding on to their babies. 

Rain isn’t stopping play plenty digging in the polytunnel to be done! 

Then there were three

Three now from same mum 

New arrival

Got to field this am to be greeted with first born on new field.

Awaiting lambs!

Still awaiting the arrival of my lambs. 

However whilst waiting I have been very productive down on kts acres. 

I have created two polytunnel doors so I will be able to dig the beds in there. A rainy day job me thinks. Plenty them forecast at weekend!! 

Mr cockerel strutting his stuff very loudly 

Kts acres

Lovely down at the field today. Created my nursery chicken run for babies. Made my door posts for polytunnel and dug whilst watching animal antics!!