+44 (0)1749 678971
[email protected]
+44 (0)1749 678971
[email protected]
Monday 22nd April 2024
At least we have had a sunny and dry weekend for a change helping to dry the land out. We have never, in the 50 years that we have been here, been so late in letting our cattle out to grass and they are desperate to go out – every time that I go within sight they let me know. Maybe freedom in the next couple of days?
Fortunately lambing has finished temporarily, or so we’d thought. Having checked a group of ewe lambs that are due to lamb in June I found a newborn lamb following its mum around. Don’t know how that happened as the ram was supposed to be safely away from them. Miraculous conception?? However, mum and her ewe lamb are both well.
Last week, sadly we lost both of our guinea pigs, Sammie and Sally who occupy the run on the lawn outside Honeysuckle Cottage along with Tortie. (our 40+ year old Tortoise) This caused a huge disappointment to our grandchildren. Luana didn’t need much persuading to find some replacements! Needless to say having taken three grandchildren to help her choose she came back with three, Mocha, Cappuccino and Latte who now share the outside run with Torty our approx. 50yo tortoise.
Tuesday 23rd April
Finally it has dried up sufficiently to turn the cattle out but having gathered the grandchildren around to watch them hop, skip and jump with delight it was very much an anti climax as they just ran to the furthest point and started to eat the fresh grass leaving the kids wondering what all the fuss was about.
Tuesday 30th April
Luana’s birthday, a relatively quiet day but in the afternoon we took a trip to Somerton, at one time an important Wessex settlement but now a rather quiet small town about 12 miles away. We’d heard about a chocolate shop there that makes all the chocolate on the premises with sensational flavours including chilli, quite a taste experience! Not cheap but well worth a visit – We’ll be back.
May
Mainly we spent May hoping that the weather would dry up and certainly warm up but the highlight was a week spent in St Ives, Cornwall to celebrate our Golden Wedding. Where did that 50 years go? We were fortunate to have been joined by Martin (our son) and Joanna (our daughter) and their families. Our celebratory meal overlooking Porthmeor beach was made even more special as the evening ended with a spectacular view of the Northern Lights!
June
Wells has been named the best small city for a short break. The historic 850 year old Wells Cathedral, the seat of the Bishops of Bath and Wells, was a key factor in the city’s top rating, according to a recent survey by Which? The lack of crowds and abundance of cultural sites, tourist attractions and quality accommodation options are the reasons for its rating.
Finally on the 15th June we managed to get the contractor to cut the grass for silage – always a bit of a gamble with the weather but fortunately all the hay and silage was safely gathered in before the weather broke. We are OK now for the next 12 months with a little to spare, depending on the severity of next winter. The next thing on our schedule is preparing for the turkey day old poults to arrive. The stable has now been converted for rearing them for the first month of their life making it warm and secure.
July 2nd. The turkeys have just arrived and settled in well – certainly a favourite job with Milo (grandson). Their first week is so important as they have a knack of losing their life in ways that you wouldn’t expect! – Drowning in a thimble full of water or smothering themselves via overcrowding at the slightest of noises etc. After rearing them for over 50 years we have learned how to anticipate these things but you can’t take them for granted so they need constant checking.
July 4th. Turkeys progressing well – fingers crossed! Nick our sheep shearer has said that todays the day – we are nearly always the last on his list but we are pleased that he’s coming as the sheep are looking rather uncomfortable on warm days with so much wool on their backs!
All successfully completed before the shower of rain thankfully.
It’s good to know that the silage, hay, turkeys and shearing are behind us so that hopefully we can enjoy the rest of summer without worry.
July 20th – Honeycroft Bubbles produced a gorgeous heifer calf, the first of many we hope. Hope all the others go as well. Early August. Milo and I went down to Dorset to buy a new ram, something that we do every 2/3 years to bring new blood into the flock. We’ve named him Romeo, lets hope that he lives up to his name
8th August – Found Black Beauty, our oldest cow, having difficulties calving so we brought her in and called the vet. Despite her, and her student helper’s best endeavours nothing would budge the calf, which by now was dead. Not everything gets a happy ending I’m afraid.
8th September. Our apple picking day. Grandchildren all turn up to collect all our apples ready to go off to be turned into apple juice.The day didn’t go as planned!! Milo came rushing into the house to tell us that a dog was chasing the sheep and that it had already killed one! Martin, our son, managed to catch the dog to prevent any further casualties. The sheep wasn’t dead but extremely badly injured and died a couple of weeks later from its wounds. The dogs owner made humble apologies and promised to recompense us for our losses but never kept those promises. Ironically a couple of weeks later we had another similar incident but fortunately no injuries or fatalities.
1st November. The bull arrived, Withymead Talisker, a really handsome chap. We hire a bull every year to serve the cows which we have found better for our small herd than owning one. He was obviously keen on his work as he had served the first animal about 30 seconds after his introduction. Not much romance involved! All went well with him until early December when we had a phone call from ‘Animal Health’ to say that they had found that he had previously been in a Blue Tongue Infected Area (a viral disease blown in from the Netherlands) and he would have to be tested! Not what we wanted on the day before we were due to start plucking the turkeys. However he and all the rest of the cattle behaved themselves and he proved to be clear so panic over and we could concentrate on turkeys.
7th December – Our traditional day to start (and end, with a bit of luck) turkey plucking. We usually manage to coerce family and friends into helping out. This year was to be no different, but Storm Darragh raged all night and at 8.15am we were left with no power! We needed electric to run the Stunner, the plucking machines and the lights. After several phone calls we managed to borrow a small generator which was enough to run the Stunner and the lights. It meant that we could start, but for the first time in 40 years we had to pluck the turkeys by hand. We managed, but it took two days instead of one and left us with a few sore fingers. Plucking completed we then have almost two weeks whilst they hang to enjoy some of the festivities, including an illuminated walk through the woods at Stourhead, a National Trust estate nearby with Martin and some of the grandchildren. The rest of the turkey preparations went as planned and all were sold again with the willing help of our grandchildren. Did we have turkey on Christmas Day – you bet! – Delicious.
New Years Day – The year certainly got off to a good start. I looked out of the bedroom window and saw a ewe with new born twin lambs, the first of Romeo’s progeny. If they all come as easy and strong as those it will make lambing a pleasure. As if the lambs weren’t enough to signal a new year, the first of our Snowdrops was out in flower, another very welcome sight.
February – With the log pile starting to dwindle it was time to replenish. With the cooperation of a neighbour we contacted the local tree surgeon to take down the last of our dead elm trees and a couple in the final stages of Ash Die Back. At lest we will have enough logs for the fire for the next few years. It will be necessary to replenish the hedgerows over the next couple of years.
We have had 5 Dalmatians at the farm over the last 40 years and with Cleo now approaching 15 we have been debating what (or if?) we should have in the future. This conversation was going on over a weekend when we had all 6 grandchildren staying. Needless to say we got pressurised into looking at puppies on line. One thing led to another and it wasn’t long before we were going to see a Dalmatian litter in Exeter. The kids were given strict instructions that they mustn’t start to pester for a puppy whilst we were there. They were adorable, so adorable that we came home with Coco (short for Cordelia.) The house is in a state of chaos at the moment as the cats are wary of the puppy and Cleo is constantly reminding her who is the boss, whist Coco is flying around exploring every nook and cranny.
+44 (0)1749 678971
[email protected]
Honeysuckle Cottage
c/o Mrs Luana Law
Honeycroft Farm
Worth, Near Wells
Somerset
BA5 1LW
Honeysuckle Cottage was awarded a Four Star rating by AA.
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