As 2017 comes to an end, we’ve received a mixture of good and bad news on the farm. The uplifting news is that our delightful Hereford cow Fuchsia is pregnant again. Earlier this year she gave birth to her first calf, Freida. We currently have a bull visiting the farm (as he regularly does over… Continue reading As 2017 comes to an end, there’s good news & bad news…
Over the past few days we have gone through the testing process for bovine tuberculosis in our cattle. We live in a part of Britain that is considered low risk for TB so we are tested every four years, other higher risk areas have to go through it once a year. It’s a routine test… Continue reading The dreaded TB test…
The cattle, who have spent the spring, summer and autumn out in the paddocks, are now inside for winter. Now, this movement is normally pretty challenging, but this year it went like a dream. In the past the difficulty has been the Highland cattle – they are temperamental, stroppy, strong willed and normally want to… Continue reading The cattle move inside for winter…
Today the sun shone, the birds sung and the sky has been bright and wonderful. Here in Norfolk it has been simply glorious – November please remain this way… The morning dog walk started with crispy leaves underfoot on what was the first proper frost of the winter here in south Norfolk. As I made my… Continue reading What Novembers were made for…
In February this year I made my first trip to the abattoir. We delivered two Highland cows in a trip I felt I had to make if I was going to rear cattle. It didn’t sit particularly well with me but some things just have to be done and do you know what, in the end, it… Continue reading Why I couldn’t face the abattoir…
This week we welcomed our first Hereford calf onto the farm. The anticipation had been building for months as Fuchsia, a heifer, was a first-time mum-to-be. She had been showing the slow signs of change for a few weeks, however, at 3.45pm on Wednesday things really began to move. Having never seen a birth before I was… Continue reading A calf is born…
Today we headed to the Royal Norfolk Show. It was wet. For the first time in what felt like months it had been raining persistently for about 12 hours when we headed off. But it didn’t stop us and it didn’t stop thousands of others. Equipped with welllies and waterproofs we started exploring what is one… Continue reading Our trip to the Royal Norfolk Show…
Our herd has expanded, we are now the proud owners of Primrose and her son Felix, a six-week old bull. Quite simply they are gorgeous. Hours after they arrived Primrose, a pedigree Hereford, had firmly installed herself as matriarch of the group and Felix was accepted by the herd. They really have brought a lot of… Continue reading Our herd expands…
Today we found out that in three to four months time we should have a Hereford calf running around. After hosting a pedigree Hereford bull over the winter we had our two heifers pregnancy tested today and found out that Fuchsia is pregnant. It’s both brilliant and disappointing that only one is pregnant, but such is… Continue reading Fuchsia is blooming…
Today started early, with preparations to move the Highland cattle outside for the summer. After de-hitching the harrow and attaching the stock trailer to the tractor I had the opportunity to practice my reversing skills (or lack of them) with the trailer attached. Having done a bit of trailer reversing on Cromer beach (complete with fishing boat)… Continue reading The cows head back outside…
