Rollover in the stable.
Toby
William and Toby
Enjoying thistles.
Warm Mash
Extra rations for William.
Toby
He’s been nose down in the straw feeder.
Apple Twigs
William and Toby enjoying Bramley apple twigs, they snap the twigs in half and then munch the twigs from the end, leaves sometime drop off and are eaten later. A wet day with late sunshine.
Windsock
The six meter high mast now has the Union Flag half way up and the sheep flying from the top. The donkeys had to stay on the hard standing after a night of torrential rain showers, and the paddock has started puddling in places. A sunny end to the day.
Bramley’s
Looks like there’ll be a good crop, made a crumble from the windfalls. No pears this year but plenty of eating apples, Beauty of Bath and D’Arcy Spice. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers. A day of heavy rain and thunderstorms, the donkeys stayed on the hard standing for the first time this summer as the paddock puddled.
Sunset
The sun managed to get through even though it was still raining, have had a deluge which will make the grass grow. The donkeys didn’t mind getting wet but did stand under the willow during a thunderstorm, the sheep all ran into their shelter and stayed there. Picked tomatoes, cucumbers and the last of the plums.
Donkeys
Watching what’s going on in the paddock, they’ll have their fly masks put on before they go out. The straw covering this area has been taken away and the compost underneath is being relocated to the raised beds and the garden as a mulch. Hope it’ll help the runner beans do better next year. A day of heavy rain showers and fresh winds.
Donkey Dental
The donkeys have their teeth checked every year, and any sharp edges are taken off with a small rotating grinder. The donkeys don’t enjoy the experience and are sedated before having their mouth kept open with a metal brace. The grinding doesn’t take long but they mustn’t eat afterwards, their heads gradually lifting up as they become more alert and after a few hours they can start grazing again. A warm sunny day with light winds
Rollover
William makes grunting noises while making sure the dust covers the whole of his back, and Pixie, whose watching from the other paddock , must wonder why this daily ritual happens at all! A cloudy day with the occasional rain shower.
Hedgerow
The donkeys getting their mouths round the hazel twigs, they pull very hard and strip the leaves or snap the ends off and eat the whole thing. The recent rain has made the tops of the trees look more hydrated but the leaves are turning yellow. Gathered some Bramley fallers and made a crumble, picked tomatoes and cucumbers. A day of sunshine and showers.
Donkeys
Eating their balancer at the end of the day, they’re more inclined to come back up to their stable now the weather is cooler. Washed their fly masks which were coated in soil from the rollover patch. Will have to fence off the bottom of Laneside as the acorns are beginning to fall. A warm sunny day with the odd shower.
William
The salt lick has fallen apart, it comes with a hole in the middle and hangs from a piece of rope in the corner. The various pieces sit on the floor and are crunched, like biscuits, when the donkeys come up for their balancer. They are staying in the sheep shelter in Laneside most of the day, out of the sun, coming out at around five o’clock to graze. A hot sunny day with light winds.
Crisps
A hazel branch that was left for too long before giving to the donkeys, they still like the taste, it’s just unusual for this time of year when the hedgerows are lush. They’ll have the same thing in February when the branch will have been stored for a few months. A very hot day with light winds.
Toby
Looking in good shape and hoping for a treat at the end of the day. The donkeys are reluctant to come back from their paddock, preferring to stay out as long as possible. Picked tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Donkeys
Waiting for their daily portion of balancer, interested in what’s happening in the garden. The clippings from the hedgerow providing their daily treat. A warm sunny day with a strong wind.
Mama Mia
A fun night singing along to ABBA songs at the Pavilion in Bournemouth. The donkeys came up to the stable early and had the run of their straw area for the night. A warm day with light winds
Sharing
The donkeys managed to knock down a few hurdles and moved into the sheep’s paddock to get at the willow tree. The sheep didn’t mind and the donkeys walked round them. A warm sunny day, no rain.
Rollover
Toby in the stable after it’s had its morning clean, he often goes inside for a rollover before breakfast. Doesn’t graze his legs or his head and has a good shake when he gets up. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers, the Bronze Arrow lettuce seedlings disappeared overnight, suspect slugs or a rabbit! A breezy day with a cool wind and rain overnight.
Donkeys
The trimmings from the beech hedge are feeling crispier, the lack of rain is affecting all the plants, the hedges will drop their leaves early this year. The donkeys still like them. Another hot day with the promise of a thunderstorm.
Donkeys
William and Toby making a meal of a beech branch, the leaves had been eaten by the sheep but they like to crunch the twigs and nibble at the bark. A hot sunny day, watered the beans, peas and the greenhouse., picked a few cucumbers, the strawberries are over and the birds have taken all the raspberries – hope they enjoyed them!
Hedgerow
Toby eating the tastiest bits he can reach from his side of the fence, it’s mostly brambles reaching into the paddock, but that’s ok. The sheep stripped the leaves from a beech branch and then the donkeys spent a few minutes eating the bark. Filled the bin with docks from the edge of the paddock, hope to have removed them before they’ve seeded everywhere. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Willow Paddock
William and Toby took a while to find the gateway into their new paddock, they’d walked down the Avenue to their roll-over patch and stopped at the closed gate to Laneside, so they had to come back up again to get into Willow. Mowed Laneside to remove the grass stalks and gave them the branch the sheep had finished with as they can’t reach a hedge. Rain overnight will have helped the grass to grow, Laneside will be rested for a couple of months to rejuvenate. A very windy cloudy day.
Toby
Delving to the bottom of the feeder for anything tasty, that might be there, before William arrived and joined in, the few carrot peelings on the top had been eaten first. Picked blackcurrants and mange-tout. A cool windy day with sunny spells.
Donkeys
Grazing the paddock and the hedgerow in the sunshine, Toby often has his fly mask hanging round his neck when he comes back up to the stable. A sunny day with the threat of showers.
Lolly
Carrots sliced and frozen in an inch of water kept the donkeys occupied for a few minutes, Toby stamps on the ice and pulls it backwards to break it into pieces. Moved the hurdles in Willow Ready to confine the sheep tomorrow, it’s time for their annual vaccinations and protection against fly strike. A very hot day with light winds.
Donkeys
Resting in their stable in the morning sunshine before getting up to start their day. They spread their bedding all round the stable and sometimes bring their collars in to play with overnight. Had to take opportunities to poo pick, torrential rain showers didn’t last long but were potent with longer sunny spells in between. The pond has filled up nicely, need to clean the filter. A quiet end to the day with light winds.
Toby
Scratching his neck on William’s back, William had nudged him out the way to get to a patch of grass just through the gate. They horsed about on the straw for a while before going out in the paddock. Cut a few twigs from the beech hedge for them to eat later. The ground is softer after torrential rain and thunderstorms, a cloudy muggy day.
High Jinks
William and Toby playing around on their straw, Toby tries to get hold of William’s fly mask with his teeth and pull it off, he doesn’t succeed, which is good…. They’re always keen to get out of the gate into the paddock, the buttercups need mowing in Laneside so will need to cordon off an area with the electric fence. Cut a blackthorn branch for the sheep and apple tops for the donkeys. A sunny cloudy day with a cool breeze.
Thistle
Not too prickly for the donkeys, it was growing in the rose bed and was over three feet high, and as there was only one they had to share. Tied up the runner beans that were trailing along the ground, one of the poplar rods had stopped sprouting so cut it into two foot lengths and pushed them in around the courgette plants on top of the compost heap where it’ll be well watered. A warm sunny cloudy day with a brisk cool wind.
William and Toby
Chewing their way through the pear twigs cut from the top of the tree, they usually have ten or twelve to share at the end of the day, or a handful of goosegrass each. They like thistles as well, but there’s a very prickly variety they don’t like that’s taken over the mound in the Small Paddock, so have started to dig those out. Rain overnight and a cloudy day with a very cold wind, lit the woodburner.
William
Seeking shade from the sun inside the sheep shelter in Laneside, it’s not exactly the right size for him but he manages to squeeze in with Toby, they’re still shedding hair and covered in dust from rolling over on the bare patch in The Avenue. Picked the first cucumbers from the greenhouse and planted a couple of courgette plants on top of the compost heap. Lunch at the The Baker Arms. The hottest day of the year so far after a cloudy start.
Fly Masks
William and Toby keen to go out into the paddock, just waiting for the gate to be opened, they’re wearing their masks to stop the flies settling round their eyes. The ground has puddled after overnight rain, so no watering required. Tied up the tomatoes and cucumbers in the greenhouse and have been given some leek seedlings, still have room in a raised bed so they can go straight in. A cloudy sunny day with a chilly wind.
Donkeys
William and Toby chasing each other round a paddock full of buttercups in the sunshine, they always avoid eating the flowers, which is good as they’re a cumulative poison! Pheasant Fest at the Baker Arms so spent a fun day selling tasty food, with everything pheasant, and lots of raffle tickets in aid of Dorset Air Ambulance. Over £3000 was raised which will fund one take-off for this vital service. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Bianca
Showing off a fine set of teeth while chewing the cud next to the paving slab walkway and the lumps of wood. William and Toby were picked up by the Donkey Sanctuary transport, William will have his tummy checked for ulcers and Toby will be able to watch from the stable next door. Hopefully the medication will have worked and he’ll be given a clean bill of health, they’ll be brought back tomorrow. A warm, cloudy day with light winds.
Donkeys
Standing in the shade in the sheep shelter in Laneside, the end of the paddock was partly shaded by the oak and ash trees but they chose to duck their heads and go and doze in the shelter. Moved some of the tomato plants and a cucumber into their pots in the greenhouse, will have to finish the cane framework to support them sometime. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Mutual Grooming
William and Toby spent ten minutes chasing each other around the paddock, Toby braying, before coming back up to the stable for salt lick and a grooming session. Took the opportunity of shutting the gate and giving them their balancer and mash. William is picking up a few stones in his hooves, need some more sand on top of the aggregate in the mud control mats. Watered the hedgerow. A windy sunny day, warm in sheltered spots.
Crows
Sitting on William’s head and a couple on his back, they pull the hairs out for making their nests, there’s quite a lot of hair on the ground when the donkeys have been groomed, but they still prefer to select their own and William doesn’t mind. Arranged soaker hose in the hedge, seems to work well at the start and finish of the run, not so well in the middle, so a few puddles and dry patches. A sunny day with a cool wind.
William
Head in the hedge, he likes to eat hawthorn, blackthorn, brambles and wild roses, his favourite on this occasion was the field maple, it doesn’t ever have to be trimmed from the paddock side. He’s eating his fibre mash with the balancer, he’s just a bit slow, so Toby has to have some as well. Potted on the cucumbers and tied more runner bean canes, fixed another plank of wood to the end of the sheep shelter in the small paddock, the last gale loosened the roof. A sunny, cloudy day with a chilly breeze.
Donkeys
William and Toby in Laneside, grazing under the oak tree, this area has to be fenced off later in the year as the acorns are poisonous to both sheep and donkeys. Bought a bag of Donkey Diet for William and soaked a few of the cubes in hot water to make a mash, he doesn’t drink as much as he should which won’t be helping his tummy, so need to find ways of getting water into him, Toby drinks far more, and at fairly regular times. More runner beans have sprouted. A cloudy, milder day with light winds.
William and Toby
Back in their stable after a week at Endells, William has various patches where he’s been shaved and he’s a completely different shape, the bolus in his tummy and the impaction in his colon were taking up a lot of space! They were so excited to be out of the van, they inspected their stable and the fencing, kicking and bucking each other before going out into the paddock and running around. William will have treatment for his ulcers over the next few weeks. A breezy, sunny, day with a cool breeze..
Sheep
Taking it in turns to be king of the castle, Jago has settled on one of the slabs making it difficult for the others to run along them all. Visited William and Toby in the equine hospital, William’s tummy impaction has all but cleared and his cut has healed so they should be home early next week, the Donkey Sanctuary has transport standing by. William has been allowed to eat a handful of grass and they both may be allowed out into a small paddock for some exercise tomorrow. A wet start to a cool cloudy day.
Bluebells
The first of the flowers in the hedgerow, protected from the cold winds by the bank. Tempted to flower by the warm days last week the rest have decided to slow down and stay hidden now the frosts are back. William is doing ok, treatment is continuing and as the only donkeys in the hospital they’re getting a lot of attention. Removed the feeder in the stable ready for cleaning, may modify the design to prevent straw slipping down the back. A cool, cloudy, windy day.
Ouessant Sheep Society
This month’s banner on their Facebook site is one of my photos, Walter, Digby and Elton, posing when the grass was greener and lusher. A bit of a traumatic day yesterday with William spending a long time being treated by the vet, and then transported in a Donkey Sanctuary ambulance, with Toby, to an equine hospital with an impacted colon. That’s resolved itself, but following a gastroscopy he does have a bolus filling a third of his stomach that needs dissolving, and an ulcer. Hopefully the cut at the top of his leg will be healing. A cool, cloudy, windy, day
Stable Mats
William and Toby inspecting a new mat before it goes into the stable. The cobwebs and dust have been brushed away, the straw removed and the floor washed and disinfected. Hopefully three new mats will mean the donkeys will be able to lie down without a straw bed and William’s cut will stay clean and continue to heal. The house martins are back and have started building nests, breeding pairs stay together for life and with nest building this early in the year there should be two broods produced before they fly south again. A cold, breezy, day with snow showers.
New Toy
William and Toby have a new distraction, a ball with a hole in it, inside are pieces of carrot and donkey balancer so as they nudge it around the treats fall out. Toby got the hang of it quite quickly and William lost interest and waited for Toby to get the goodies out. Still too wet for them to go in the paddock, the ground is taking a long time to drain. Laid a few of the mudstones and finished clearing the greenhouse and started cleaning the glass. A sunny cloudy day with light winds.
Sunset
A glorious end to a sunny day, almost springtime. The fish are swimming closer to the top of the pond and the birds are singing. A rook spent a few minutes sitting on William’s back pulling hairs from his coat, he’ll soon be moulting so there’ll be lots of nest lining material available. The paddocks are still too wet for the donkeys, they watch the sheep move around and want to go through the gates themselves, they make a grunting noise before working up to a short bray. A warm, sunny day with light winds.
Farrier
William and Toby Ready for the farrier, an early start for them at 0730 on a very wet day, their hooves were ok, just needed leveling off, William’s seedy toe is no worse. They always get a ginger biscuit before work starts and they were relaxed enough to be held and not tied to a rail. The paddocks are very wet so no time on the grass, they had to make do with nibbling silver birch logs and eating apple twigs. A wet day with strong winds.
Salt Lick
Taking the donkeys’ attention in the corner of their stable, they didn’t notice the apple twigs hanging in the corner until much later. The vet gave them their flu jabs and wormer, it wasn’t absolutely necessary to worm them because the count was low but as the vet was here anyway….! Planted tomato seeds which are now on top of the boiler. A sunny morning with cloud and drizzle later.
Cycle
A 20 mile route through North Dorset with coffee at The Crown in Marnhull. Stopped to see the donkeys as we were passing, but they weren’t happy, too much hi-vis and too many helmets. Toby brayed and William turned in circles, would have walked down to Laneside to talk to the sheep but decided to move on. Cut the grass for the first time this year and laid a few mud mats. A sunny cloudy day with a cold wind.
Apple Leaves
These were in the bottom of a bag of twigs, a crispy sweet treat for the donkeys, the last of the twigs will be eaten this week and luckily there’s a load of apple tree pruning available a few miles away. The donkeys will watch them being unloaded and know exactly what they are and who they’re for! The fish are starting to wake up in the pond, the water is clear but I can’t see any toad spawn. A cloudy day with late sunshine and a lovely orange sunset.
Mudstone
Collected from a farm a mile away, it took several trips in the car to collect a pile of stone that will make a path past the water butts by the shed, and round the back of the stable. The donkeys watched the activity, not sure if the contents would eventually be something edible. The tower of mud mats is gradually getting lower, the path has reached the driveway and is settling down, the ground is still wet enough for them to bed in. A cloudy day with some sunshine and a cold wind later.
Donkeys
William and Toby horsing about on the straw area, the paddocks are saturated so they can’t go out for a run, they do their best to get up speed running round in circles chasing each other. Delivered samples of sheep poo to the vets to check for worms, will get the results in a couple of days. The woodpecker spent ten minutes feeding on the lawn, must have found an ants nest. More rain overnight, a misty, cloudy, drizzly day with a cold wind later.
Apple Twigs
William and Toby with a few crunchy treats to keep them occupied for a few minutes after their donkey balance treats. Cycled from Moreton to Kingston Maurwood past Hardy’s cottage, had coffee and a sausage roll in the cafe and then made it back before the rain started. Donkeys and sheep were wet when they came in for the night. A cloudy day with rain showers and light winds.
Donkeys
Sitting on their straw in the sunshine, William and Toby were relaxed and chilled, moreso than during the last few days of wind and hail showers. Groomed them and then they went out into Willow paddock for the afternoon, Toby ran around and William ate the first clump of grass he came across. The sheep spent the day in Laneside. A lovely sunny day with blue skies, light winds, and fluffy white clouds.
Donkey Sanctuary
The main barn at the sanctuary, home to thirty donkeys and a few doves, none of the donkeys are out in the paddocks and as there are no sheep grazing there the grass looks green and lush. Had a ride on the open-top Seaton Tramway through the wetlands nature reserve, lots of oyster catchers, waders and herons to see, luckily it didn’t rain but the ind was a bit cold. A cloudy day with the occasional sunny spell.
Apple Twig
William and Toby like to compete for apple twigs, these were cut a couple of months ago and are still a tasty bark-stripping treat, they sheltered in their stable most of the day, which is unusual, the wind getting stronger as the day wore on. The sheep roamed around the paddock grazing as usual, ending up in two clumps in the shelter of the hedge. A cloudy day with rain showers and strong winds.
Donkeys
William and Toby had to stay out of the paddock after more heavy rain overnight, if they’d been allowed through the gate they’d have chased around and churned the ground into muddy patches. They spent some time dozing, grooming each other, and nibbling their logs. After a brief spell of sunshine the rain set in for the rest of the day with strong, gusty winds.
Donkeys
Galloping round the paddock with their halters on, they bucked and ran off during a walk down Willow, took a chance on getting them to the bottom rail on a cold and windy day and it didn’t work out as planned! They ran around, Toby braying, until they were breathless, walked them back up to the stable once they’d calmed down and then let them go back out, for another run around. Sorted wood ready for sawing. A windy, cold, cloudy, day.
Sunset
A cold, frosty, start to a sunny day, the donkeys had to wait a while to go out into the paddock as frosted grass has high levels of fructans, a soluble carbohydrate that can trigger laminitis, a painful inflammation of the hoof. Had a couple of tyres replaced on the car so with the addition of paving slabs these will make a play area for the sheep in the small paddock. A bright cold end to the day with a lovely sunset.
Oops
Donkeys and sheep meeting in the same paddock, the sheep were curious, especially Walter, and the donkeys happy to be in close contact. The sheep wandered through into their own paddock after a few minutes. Laid a few more mud mats and sorted a woodpile, coming to the end of this year’s logs, will have to cut more in the summer. A cloudy, cold, day with light winds.
Donkeying About
William and Toby playing around on the straw before going out into the paddock, they hold on to each other with their teeth, favourite areas for hanging on are legs and neck, ducking under each other to gain an advantage, no harm comes to them and they’re eventually distracted and go back to eating their straw. The sheep spent the day in the Square. A cloudy day with light winds.
Sunset
A day of cold winds and heavy showers, the sheep didn’t go in the re-purposed shed when it rained, preferring to stay at the top of the paddock. Walked the donkeys from their stable into Willow and through the slalom poles into Fallen Oak, Toby was excited to go further afield, he bucked and ran a few yards before stopping to eat the grass. Led them back up to their stable for carrot treats before letting them out into the paddock again. A quiet end to a blustery day with a very colourful sunset.
Donkeys
Toby moving in to steal the dry nettles that William got to first, he can move quickly when he wants to – not that William made much effort to move away. They like to share treats, eating side by side most of the time. Lunch at The Dancing Man micro brewery on the waterfront at Southampton, a couple of cruise ships were dockside. The new flood light proved invaluable when feeding the sheep in the dark. A sunny day with light winds, warm in sheltered spots.
Hedgerow
Toby grazing the hedgerow at the side of Willow, the electric fence down the middle of the paddock makes the donkeys walk the furthest to get to the brambles, although two of the posts holding the tape have to be moved to get them back to their stable at night. Moved a barrow load of compost and then went out for lunch. A cloudy, cold, sunny day with moderate winds.
Logs
Toby and William coming round the corner to inspect the new birch log, yesterday’s has been stripped of it’s bark so no longer of any interest. The visit from the Donkey Welfare Officer went well, the boys are in good condition and not overweight, which is good, leading them out of the paddock was easy although they were pleased to go back and be closer to the sheep in Fallen Oak. Had coffee and cake and watched the sun go down. A drizzly start to the day with late sunshine and a bright orange sunset.
Silver Birch
William watching what else may be on offer and giving the branch a sniff while Toby gets his teeth round the twiggy end. Their necks are covered in thick hair with their legs almost as well covered and very little comes out when they’re groomed. Heard the woodpecker knocking, it’s either to mark it’s territory or to find a mate. The hedgerow is thickening with bunches of catkins and swelling buds on the hawthorn and blackthorn, need to do the hedge laying before nesting starts. A cold cloudy day with light winds.
Paddock
The donkeys went out onto grass for the first time in over a month and really enjoyed the extra space, Toby had more of a run around than William who was more interested in eating. The new garden room shows how much the wooden stable block has faded, it needs weatherproofing as soon as the weather improves. Fixed a light on the corner to illuminate the small paddock, saves wearing a head torch and makes it a lot easier to feed the sheep after dark. A frosty start to a cold, sunny day with light winds.
Sunset
A lot of colour in the sky at the end of the day, the oak tree has long lost its leaves and now just looks hairy. Electrical work has been taking place in the shed behind the stable, so the donkeys had lots to look at and listen to; they started eating their breakfast late, tempted by carrot peelings and sliced parsnips. The rain that started the day had moved on by lunchtime and the sun eventually made it through the clouds to end the day.
Donkey Hay
William and Toby hoovering up a handful of hay that was destined for the sheep, a treat for them in addition to their branches and apple twigs. May let them out in the paddock in the next couple of days if it doesn’t rain, there’s always plenty for them to watch but they don’t get the chance to run around. The mowers were collected for their annual service, they get a lot of use so need to be reliable. A sunny, mild day after a sharp frost.
Sunset
A foggy start to the day, groomed William and Toby, they’re keeping their thick winter coats and their feet were easy to pick out as the straw area is still very wet, the farrier is booked for the end of the month so we’ll find out whether William’s seedy toe has improved. A cloudy cool day with light winds and a lovely sunset.
Wet Wet Wet
Heavy rain overnight has made the paddocks even wetter, the spring has sprung by the compost heap and is running over the paddock driveway, so it’s another day staying by the stable for the donkeys. Toby is expecting some food, he often starts to grunt or display the Flehman response – he bares his teeth and looks up, just waiting… The new shed is looking good, the rain runs off the planks in beads. A wet end to a dark, wet, day.
Fresh Grass
William loves fresh grass, even a few square yards is better than nothing when the paddocks are out of bounds. Had to build a barricade of hurdles just over the fence to stop the donkeys eating the end of the hedge. This patch of ground just outside the straw area includes the pathway to the muck heap which gets very muddy with the daily wheelbarrow traffic, so have ordered a pallet load of plastic grids that clip together and filled with sand and gravel to create a solid path. A frosty start to a cloudy day.
Rollover
Toby likes to rollover in the stable when most of the straw has been put to one side and he flaps his ears when he gets up, the donkeys can’t get to their usual patch because The Avenue is too wet. Planted a few more willow rods and cut the front hedge. The sheep have nibbled the soft bits from the hazel branches so the donkeys had them to eat overnight. A cloudy, dry day with light winds.
Rainbow
Toby out and about and having a stretch on the straw before the rain arrived, even that area has a few puddles where donkey hooves have sunk into the ground. Cut hazel branches from the lane for the sheep to nibble the twiggy bits and then they’ll be passed on to the donkeys in a couple of days, William and Toby will happily drag the branches around, stripping and eating all the bark. A dry start to a wet, mild, day.
Happy New Year
William looking at the view from the top of The Avenue, the horses were trotting up the lane. The cycle ride from Pamphill to The Stocks for coffee was very wet and muddy, the tractors doing the hedge cutting run over the verges and pull the mud onto the roads, luckily there were no punctures. A mild cloudy day with a short spell of warm sunshine.
Pixie
Always enjoys the grass in Laneside or Fallen Oak with the rest of the flock before returning to the arcs at dusk. Toby brayed with excitement when he had his vitamins, it was later than usual and followed by a handful of dried nettles. A delivery of wood and stirling board will help finish the sheep shelter extension. Pleased to say the days are getting longer, not long before seeds will be sown, a drizzly cloudy mild day with a strong breeze.
Cycle
From Wareham to Shipstall Point where the water was flat calm with low cloud rolling over the purbeck hills in distance. Coffee and cake at Corfe Castle and then a slow climb up Creech Hill before the run downhill into Wareham for lunch. Too wet for the donkeys to go out in the paddock, they amused themselves nibbling their branches and had apple twigs after their vitamins. A showery mild day with light winds.
Toby
Hoping for more apple slices, both he and William had to stay out of the paddock after more heavy rain overnight, their roll-over patch in The Avenue is a very big puddle. They ate the last of the fresh apple twigs after their vitamins, the bags of dried twigs and nettles will have to last the next few months. A cloudy, sunny, warm day with light winds.
Christmas Card
Painted by my sister, the original is hanging up in the kitchen. William and Toby had lots of carrot peelings as a treat although the paddock was too wet for them to go out for a run around. A cloudy, cool, wet day.
Scratching Post
Toby making use of the brushes fixed to the gate post. He’s worn away a patch of hair on one side of his head rubbing in the same place and so has William – they did the same last year. Cleared the square paddock of surplus wood and pallets, the sheep shelter is finished so it can used elsewhere or cut for the woodburner. A hazy, cloudy, cool day with late sunshine.
Donky
An artwork on display at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition – a very modern donkey, the exhibition was bright and colourful with lots more tapestry work. Cycle ride from Pamphill along Cowgrove to The Anchor for mulled wine and mince pies, the return route was along grassy tracks and at a good pace. The donkeys cantered down to the paddock and raced around, glad to be out. A cloudy, mild, day.
The Avenue
Toby leading William up the Avenue for their vitamins, he’s standing on a bare patch that will eventually become a new roll-over circle, the donkeys scrape the grass away to reveal the earth. The mud control mats have settled in on the steps up to the stable block and are doing a good job of keeping that area dry. Planted more willow and trimmed the blackthorn trees by the hedge. A mild, cloudy, day.
New Branch
Toby staying as far away as he can from the new branch before sniffing and nibbling the end, William joined him eventually. By the morning most of the bark will have been eaten and it’ll have been dragged around on the yard. A sunny start to a chilly day.
Straw
Collected four bales from the farm a few miles away, their barn is full of a mix of hay and barley and wheat straw. The donkeys haven’t been out in the paddock for a few days so are really interested in their food, William rested his head on the workshop door and watched the bales come in and be stacked in the corner. Cut a few branches for them from the lane, the top of a tree had snapped off in the storm so collected that for firewood. A cold, breezy, showery day.
Sunset
Cut apple tops for the donkeys, they watched as the twigs hit the ground, expecting a treat. The Bramley still has leaves, the other apple trees have all lost theirs. Picked up the last of the Darcy Spice windfalls, the birds are enjoying them, the Green Woodpecker stops to eat ants from the lawn on his way up from the bottom paddock. Emptied compost from the heap to top up the poplar plantings. A vivid orange sky to end the day.
Willow
William and Toby taking the opportunity to eat willow, they stayed as far up the slope as they could so the branch had to be pulled down for them. William’s coat is thick and fluffy, Toby’s hasn’t changed much. Thankfully, no damage from the continuing high winds, a dumpy bag ended up half way down the meadow strip and the wheelbarrows were turned over but the trees all stayed intact. A cold day with sleet and snows showers.
Beech
A branch from the lane for the donkeys, there aren’t many leaves left, and they’re always eaten first, the sheep had a branch of field maple to chew. Mowed the bottom of Laneside to pick up the leaves from the oak tree, not many acorns about, the compost heap is very full, opened an entrance from the top end so that it can start to be emptied into the raised beds. A sunny, cool day with no frost.
Winter Jasmine
In full flower on a north-east facing wall, with very little soil, occasionally watered and fed with a mulch of compost, hopefully it will flower until the Spring. Herded the sheep and called the donkeys in from the paddock in the dark, Toby was ready for his vitamins and brayed as he walked onto the yard. Poo picking will have to wait until tomorrow. A misty start to a drizzly mild day.
Horsing Around
William and Toby having fun before being let out into the paddock. Biting a back leg results makes the recipient sit down so both of them try this, Toby succeeding more often than William. The sun stayed low in the sky, breaking through the mist and cloud for a few hours and setting before five o’clock, so lights needed at the stable to fluff up the straw bed and give them their vitamin mix. A mild day with light winds.
Hawthorn
Toby pulling the branch away from William so that he gets first chew, the leaves are eaten first and then the small twiggy bits, the thicker branches will have their bark nibbled off over the next week or two. Favourite branches are taken into the stable overnight. The sheep are wandering about in various paddocks, seeking out the sweetest grass and herbs. A sunny day with early morning mist and late cloud.
William and Digby
Making contact through the gate to the Avenue, the sheep had spent the morning wandering round from the square paddock. Their hooves are pushing the sand down into the mud mats, so scattered more gravel to fill the holes, will add sand later to form the top layer. Moved the sheep arcs into Fallen Oak and let the donkeys into the Square. The woodpecker spent a few minutes pecking at the lawn. A mild, cloudy day with light winds.
William and Toby’s Willow
Led the donkeys into the paddock for a walk and stopped at the willow for a tasty treat, the ground is drier and the spring has stopped running, although there’s a boggy patch at the bottom of the Avenue. Collected four golden straw bales, they’ve eaten the last of the beech branches so must cut some more. Piled more broken paving slabs at the edges of the mudmats and filled the gaps with gravel. A sunny warm day with light winds and lots of butterflies flying around.
William And Toby
Dozing in warm sunshine, the first hard frost of the Autumn had already melted away but the water bucket had a thin layer of ice that needed breaking. William has grown his winter coat in the last week or two, with long tufts sticking out along his back by his tail, Toby’s coat seems much the same, just covered in mud from roll-overs. Visited Christchurch Priory to remember flute – playing Anneyce, and chatted with friends afterwards in her local pub. A sunny warm day after a cold start.
Resting
The donkeys are confined to their straw area until the paddock dries out, and because it’s been raining so hard they’ve been spending more time in their stable at night and eating more straw. A hazel branch or thistles every day makes their diet more interesting. The sheep grazed Laneside before returning to the Square paddock at dusk. A cloudy cool day with light winds.
Smudge
Enjoying the sunshine and the shade of the lemon tree, the clocks have gone back so the hours of warm sunshine may lessen. Torrential rain last night has made the paddock even wetter, let the donkeys out for a couple of hours for a run around, William stopped to eat the first clump of grass he saw and they had another hazel branch to eat when they came back up to the stable. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Carrot Tops
They don’t last long with the donkeys, a few scrunched mouthfuls and they’ve gone. Walked down the lane to cut hazel and beech branches, the paddock was too wet for the donkeys to go out today after last night’s torrential rain, so they needed something to keep them occupied. The courgette plants are finally wilting, the result of cooler nights and mildew, moved the bunches of garlic and onions from the greenhouse into the garage. A breezy, sunny day with the occasional downpour.
Preparations
The sheep investigated the paving slabs and bits of wood that will be used to support the old shed / new sheep shelter, they’re always keen to investigate anything new. Mowed the Fallen Oak paddock before the promised rain, the donkeys will move from Laneside and graze there in a week or two. Opening and closing the gates to allow the mower through was a challenge at times, the sheep always want to run through an (almost) open gate. A cloudy day with strengthening winds.
More Mudmats
William and Toby inspecting the third section of mud control mats, the ground does gets drier further down so hoping this can be the final section, will have to buy more mats if not. Toby tasted the sand and wasn’t that impressed. Moved a few paving slabs into the square paddock to make a flattish base for the old shed that’s being replaced, it’ll become a sheep shelter although it may be a bit small. A cool, sunny, drizzly day with strengthening winds.
Mineral Lick
Toby’s brown nose is a bit of a giveaway, he’s been licking the sheep lick; not harmful in small doses, it must taste nice – the result of being in the wrong paddock a couple of days ago. Collected more bricks for the driveway and edged the mud mats with some broken slabs, filled the gaps with small stones and topped with sand. The donkeys inspected the changes before crossing. A sunny, cool day with light winds.
Willow
The donkeys have stripped the lower leaves and managed to eat the twiggy bits with a lot of stretching, so need help reaching the higher branches for their dose of medicinal aspirin. Rain overnight has made the paddocks a bit soggy and the spring has re-emerged in the Avenue, the mudmats are doing a good job of making the entrance passable so hope they remain in place. A blustery rainy day with the occasional burst of sunshine.
Farrier
William’s hoof looking better than a few months ago, his seedy toe has improved and there’s no sign of laminitis, Toby’s are equally as good so no need for the farrier to visit until January. The boys had been grazing in Laneside paddock and were happy to have their halters put on and walk up the Avenue for a groom. The sheep walked up with them the other side of the fence. Once back in the paddock the donkeys chased round trying to bite each other’s legs. A sunny cloudy day with strengthening winds.
Apple Twigs
William has two in his mouth at once, just in case Toby picked one up. Toby, of course, has two twigs of his own, they’re eating the Bramley Apple tops which are thicker and crunchier than the new growth from the top of the eating apples. Laneside paddock hedge is looking very neat after donkey foraging and the ground is still dry so not cutting up when they chase around. A foggy start to a warm day with no wind, watered part of the hedge.
Misty Morning
Foggy start to chilly mornings this week, the wind has dropped completely for the last few days so it’s the sun that’s been lifting the mist from the vale. Cycle from Pamphill to Sturminster Marshall for coffee, tyre a bit soft at the front so must have a slow puncture. The donkeys chased each other around the paddock late afternoon and then had to come back to the stable for a drink, William stood on the mud mats for a couple of minutes, sizing them up. A sunny warm day, the hedging could do with some rain, may have to water tomorrow.
Mudmats
The first two rows at the top of the Avenue are being filled with quarried sand, more will be needed as they’re used and the sand settles. Coby the next door cat likes rolling on them, and after an initial inspection the donkeys are crossing them OK and Toby knows not to get too close to cat claws. Added a board to the other side of the sheep shelter in Laneside. A foggy start to a warm sunny day, cycled from Pamphill to Shapwick.
Balloon
Closer than usual, the pilot had to turn on the burners to float over the top of the stable, the noise startled me, and spooked the donkeys so they stopped eating their vitamin mix and ran round the corner to hide. The sheep didn’t like the noise either, they ran down the paddock and into their shelter. The people in the basket were happy, heard them say ‘look, donkeys and sheep!’ The balloon stayed low over the treetops and landed in a field somewhere near Hambledon Hill. A warm, sunny day with a cool breeze.
Rollover
The donkeys walk up from the paddock for a rollover most afternoons, today Toby went first while William waited his turn next to the dustpatch. They both had a groom in the morning and a walk on the paddock driveway before having their fly masks put on, Toby likes to pull at the braids of William’s mask until he runs off and then they chase each other round the paddock biting each other whenever they can. They’re obviously having a good time and the exercise helps keep their weight down. Another warm, sunny day.
Mud Mats
William inspecting the first two rows of mud mats, they both came up from the paddock when they saw the activity in the gateway and then went back down again. At the end of the day they walked across the mats having first grazed the avenue edges. A warm day with the occasional shower
William and Toby
In Laneside paddock enjoying the sunshine in between the showers, the ground is puddling up in some areas but they still like doing their rollovers in the same, now muddy, place. Moved the electric fence to give them more hedgerow to forage. A flock of Martins appeared and flew around all day before continuing their migration further south. Heavy rain overnight cleared to reveal a bright blue sky before the clouds rolled in again.
Whoops!
The donkeys and sheep have never shared the same paddock, until yesterday when I let William and Toby into Laneside. The sheep were all in the shelter so I didn’t see them until Pixie came out to touch noses with William, and then the rest of the flock followed. William wandered off and both donkeys did a few roll-overs and a bit of running around before settling down to graze. Managed to herd the sheep through the gate into Fallen Oak without the donkeys getting through so it all worked out ok. A cool, sunny, windy, cloudy day with a few sharp showers.
Dozing
William always sleeps in the same place at night, Toby will lie to the side on the straw, or in front, nearer the door. It’s rare to see them flat out at full stretch but it does happen occasionally. The rain arrived and continued on and off all day, strengthening winds made the donkeys skittish and they came up from the paddock early for their vitamin balancer. Topped up the pond, the fish are still hungry and the various weeds and lilies are starting to take up a lot of room. Heavy, continuous, rain to end the day, lit the woodburner.
Hazel
William and Toby competing for, and sharing, the same hazel branch cut from the hedge in the lane, they can reach the branches from their paddock but prefer home delivery! A decent amount of rain overnight has filled up most of the water butts, although the donkeys weren’t too keen on the high winds which left them on high alert first thing in the morning. Picked what may be the last of the runner beans, the plants are developing seeds quickly. A warm sunny, windy day.
Jago
Has had his feet trimmed, Walter and the others came close to see what was going on, his horns are re-growing ok. Managed to do Walter and Digby as well before a random kick drew blood! Moved the electric fence to give the donkeys more of the hedge to forage, they’ve nearly reached the area of paddock that has acorns, so will have to check the ground before letting them in to graze. A warm sunny, humid day with a bright orange sunset.
Poppy
Another glorious sunset, the wall is warm from the day’s sunshine. Poppy weighs over seven pounds now, and is eating both wet and dry food, which is good. The donkeys don’t seem to like eating the remaining couple of bales of last year’s straw, may have to keep those for bedding and move on to giving them this year’s crop. Picked runner beans and courgettes. A warm sunny day, dark by 7.30.
Apple Tops
William and Toby enjoying the sweet new growth from the top of the apple trees, several bags of ‘tops’ have been harvested and hung in the roof of the workshop to dry out, they make an excellent winter snack when grazing time in the paddocks is limited. Picked the first of the sloes, they’ll have to be put in the freezer for a few weeks to sweeten before being added to sugar and gin, with daily mixing the sloe gin should be ready to strain into a bottle in six months or so, ready for summer cocktails. A cool start to a cloudy day.
Meeting
Toby and the lambs made contact through the fence, they like to touch noses at some point during the day, Elton had a tug at Toby’s fringe as sheep like to chew everything, William wandered over to see what was going on but didn’t get as close. Started building a sheep shelter in Willow paddock, time the sheep moved out of Fallen Oak. A sunny cloudy day with the odd shower but not enough rain for the vegetables, so more watering, picked runner beans, mange tout and courgettes.
Beach Donkeys
Rides for anyone under 7 stone, so not me! The saddles have a wodge of padding underneath and the donkeys browse a hay net all day in the shade when they’re not walking along the beach. Cut down the nettles and dock along a strip of laneside paddock near the hedge, the donkeys are eating the ripening blackberries along with the thorny brambles. Watered the vegetables, a warm sunny day with the odd drop of rain, the nights are drawing in and it’s almost dark by 8 o’clock, promise of rain tomorrow.
Sunset
A very misty start to a humid day, with no wind, the sun took a few hours to break through and then the temperature rose steadily until falling again at sunset. The donkeys came up from the paddock for salt lick and water several times and the sheep lay against the fence, panting in the sun, despite various areas of shade being available. Watered the vegetables and the hedge, picked mange-tout, runner beans, courgettes and most of the tomatoes.
Headrest
Toby walks behind William resting his head until William bucks and kicks and throws him off, a routine that is repeated a few times before the gate is opened and they walk down the avenue to the paddock. They’ve broken their plastic name collars with daily tugging and scraping along the concrete, will have to get something similar for them to play with. Took delivery of 32 mud mats to put in the avenue gateway, the spring has dried up so the ground isn’t as squelchy, it’ll need leveling first, and a couple of boards put in place to hold the mats in place. A cloudy start to a hot day.
Donkeys
Enjoying their vitamins at the end of the day. The hedgerow is looking neater in laneside paddock where the donkeys have grazed the Hazel, Beech and Hawthorn, as a result they’re eating less straw in the morning and overnight. The sheep are eating as much as they like and still not making much impact on the grass so there should be lots left for winter. The balloons were up and drifting across the vale in the morning mist, a cool, cloudy day with a lovely sunset.
Poppy
Drinking from one of the buckets by the stable, she ventured up to the gate and meowed at Toby, he lowered his head and she watched him for a while and then wandered off, it’s probably the nearest she’s been to the donkeys. Moved the electric fence so William and Toby had more of the hedgerow to graze, had several pairs of hands to help so easier than usual, cut branches from the hedge for the donkeys and sheep. Picked tomatoes, courgettes and runner beans. A warm day when the sun broke through the clouds, rain later.
Gillingham Show
A fine donkey winning best in show, pitted against several well groomed ponies, a Shire cross and a Shetland, it could almost have been William pulling the cart. The Shetland pony races were good to watch, as were the terriers, hounds and ferrets, a grand day out. Back in the paddocks the sheep and donkeys looked after themselves. A cool and cloudy day with light winds.
Fly Fringe
Both donkeys have to tolerate flies in the summer, they’re particularly attracted to their eyes because of the watery secretions that help keep them clean. Toby is the first to volunteer for a fringe as he likes to have his ears stroked; when he lowers his head and walks around grazing the grasses the tassels will move, and keep the flies away. William spent some time watching Toby flicking his head before agreeing to wear one himself. The sheep spent the day in a couple of groups, Jago sleeping alongside Elton, Winnie and Digby. A warm sunny day with rain overnight.
Rain Clouds
Rolling in across the vale, the mixture of sunshine and showers makes the grass grow and saves watering the hedge and the vegetables. Unusual in August, the gateway into the avenue used by the donkeys several times a day has turned into a mud bath, so an area of some 20 square meters will have to be covered in mud mats. The slope doesn’t help so there’s now a plank of wood across the strainers to keep the straw contained and level the ground slightly, the donkeys watched what was going on for a while and then stepped up and down ok. A cool start to a warm showery day.
Donkey Dental
Toby looking a bit dopy, still under sedation after a thorough check of his teeth and some leveling of sharp edges with a grinding tool that sounds worse than it is as it doesn’t hurt the soft tissue. William had the same treatment and needed a little more relaxant to calm him down, both of them were eating normally after an hour or so; must be the week for vets, it’s Poppy’s turn tomorrow for a final checkup after her course of antibiotics. A warm misty day with strong winds and showers.
Churned Straw
Heavy rain showers are making the straw area very wet and the gateway to the avenue is especially muddy, which is unusual for this time of year. Not helped by the donkeys chasing each other around, kicking and bucking, may have to consider mud mats. Smudge was interested in joining me on the hardstanding, he thought better of it when the donkeys preferred sticking their heads through the rails and looking at him, to eating thistles. A cool day with squally showers.
Donkey Welfare Visit
The Donkey Sanctuary keep an eye on the donkeys that have homes with Guardians, and offer support and advice on everything donkey. I think William and Toby are looking a bit tubby, but for the time of year their weight is actually ok, their mouths and feet are in good condition and they’re getting a reasonable amount of exercise. There is room for a circular track in the laneside paddock which would give them more variety, need to mow the grass before that can be put in place. A dewy start to the day with warm sunshine and light winds.
Grooming
Toby getting his teeth into William’s back, just to show he cares, or maybe to floss his teeth, William is doing the same to him and it’s become a daily occurrence, like rollovers. Jago is settling into the flock, Walter and Digby have spent time with him today, there’s a lot of bleating when they think there are treats available. Picked tomatoes and cucumbers and cut off the numerous runners on the strawberry plants, the ones in pots are rooting. A cool day with heavy showers and a brisk wind.
Trebarwith Strand
A long wide stretch of sand at low tide, the beach disappears completely at high tide and can trap the unwary the wrong side of the headland. Looking towards Rugged Gull Rock the slate quarries and harbour are long gone, as are the donkeys that turned the pulley wheels to pull stone up from the cliff side, they also walked the zig zag paths down to the beach, carrying tools and supplies. Not easy work but I expect William and Toby would have been up to the job! Walked a section of the south west coast path in warm sunshine, a sometimes cloudy day with no rain.
Rollover
Moved the hurdles in the paddock to give the donkeys more grass and cut beech and willow branches for them. William walked up the avenue without doing a rollover, Toby didn’t miss his chance, it’s always the same place so there’s a bare patch in the grass. Thunderstorm last night so water butts full, watered the greenhouse, picked tomatoes, cucumbers and a few runner beans. Lunch in the marquee at the Baker Arms, a cloudy day with mist lingering in the vale.
Close
William and Bianca communicating through the hurdles that separate their paddocks, they each lower their heads to the ground and William snuffles quietly. Lovely cycle from Child Okeford to Sturminster Newton and Shillingstone, tasty lunch at The Baker Arms. Seventeen miles in 27* is challenging but the route was relatively flat for North Dorset! Arranged sticks around the new pea plants, tied up the wayward runner beans, watered everything, picked tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and mange tout. A very hot day, cooler at dusk, promise of thunderstorms tomorrow night.
Smudge
William and Toby taking an interest in Smudge who ventured within a yard or so of their yard. The swallows are still flying in and out of the tack room despite there being a broken egg and a couple of tiny birds on the floor this morning, there must be a bigger fledgling in the nest. Balloons are drifting along the vale morning and evening, taking advantage of the hot weather. Another very hot day with light winds and a pale pink sunset sky.
Donkeys
Larking about on the straw before going out in the paddock, Toby has hold of William with his teeth, they spin round in this position for a few seconds before William breaks free and kicks out. Added a few more elements to the sheep shelter to give more shade, the sheep are using it to lie in and chew the cud. A misty cloudy start to a very hot day, watered the raised beds, the level of compost is going down, they’ll need topping up in the winter.
Redcurrants
A good crop of glossy red fruit that’ll go in the freezer with the blackcurrants for use later, picked cucumbers and lettuce, the first courgettes have been lost to the snails. The donkeys have moved from the square paddock into the avenue and the buttercups mown off, the sheep will go in there when it’s been fallow for a while. Sprayed the donkeys legs with citronella, the flies are a nuisance when the weather gets warmer. A sunny day with light winds, watered the raised beds and runner beans.
Formation Caterpillars
Each eating their own section of leaf the rose sawfly slugworms appear between June and October, hopefully the local finches and sparrows will keep them under control. Moved the sheep and their arcs to the fallen oak paddock to let willow lie fallow for a few weeks. Went down the lane to cut some beech branches for them and the donkeys, the hedge has grown really well since being laid a couple of years ago and is now wide, tall and bushy – more than enough year round fodder for the animals. A sunny warm day with light winds.
Sharing
William and Toby love thistles and this monster was growing in the meadow strip, over four feet high and bristling with spiky leaves and flowers the boys watched as it was carried towards the stable. An early evening treat after a day spent grazing the paddock, they like to pull the leaves out of each other’s mouths. Their lips are soft to the touch and the thistle too prickly for me to pick up without thorn proof gloves so it’s hard to understand how they can enjoy eating it, it’s consumed within a couple of minutes. A sunny day with warm sunshine.
Windy
William and Toby spent some time chasing each other around the straw, bucking and then biting each other, they’re heavy enough to push each other over, they both had a good try. A day of heavy squally showers that blew through quickly on the gale force winds, all the animals took cover from the rain, the donkeys returning to their stable and the sheep to their wooden sheep shelter. Painted a bench in the workshop, the rain hammering on the roof. A calmer end to the day with high cloud and a pale pink sunset.
Toby Yawning
A sleepy start to the day, the donkeys settled down on the straw and dozed off. Scratching and stroking woke them up a little but they weren’t interested in their breakfast. The swallows were in and out of the stable all the time, disturbed by mucking out and replenishing of water. The sheep spent the day together in laneside paddock, separating them for the night was challenging, would be good if they all came when they were called! A sunny day, very hot when the mist cleared. Rhubarb crumble was very nice.
William
Tucking in to a fresh willow branch cut from the lane, the donkeys eat the twiggy bits first and then move on to stripping the bark. The sheep had a beech branch and in contrast to the donkeys they started with nibbling at the bark and left the foliage and twiggy bits for later, the wethers often getting their horns caught among the leaves. Ivy and Elton are settling in OK, looking at the other sheep through the fence and sniffing each other. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Goosegrass
William and Toby enjoying Cleavers, a herb known for its healing properties associated with reducing inflammation of the skin. They are both shedding their coats and are spend time scratching on posts and gate fixings, so a regular portion may help, the crows are pulling hair from their backs. Toby finished his handful first and joined William to pinch what was left. Moved the electric fence from the lower paddock, watered the vegetable seedlings. A sunny start to a cool day with cloud later.
William and Toby
A mix of apple, willow and hazel twigs are worth pulling around the yard to get the best bits, groomed the boys and led them down to the bottom paddock without them having their breakfast, so they came back up to the stable early to eat straw from the feeder. Toby had a rollover on the way. Collected four bales of straw, the sheep won’t need any more hay now the grass is starting to grow. Repotted the sunflower seedlings and had lunch in the sunshine, a sunny cloudy day with a chilly wind.
Brunch
Too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, William and Toby pushed right to the bottom of their feeder, the fresh straw is the same all the way down so not sure why, they raised their heads in turn, snuffling and snorting. Cleaned the rest of the greenhouse, watched the kestrel hunting over the field. Watered the hedge and the raised beds, two of the waterbutts are empty. Grubbed up a bucketful of dandelions, left the thistles to grow on for the donkeys. A cold start to the day with snow showers on a strong wind followed by warm sunshine and a mellow orange sunset, half the day was winter and half spring.
Collars
Left on a fence post because the donkeys like to play with them overnight, banging them on the ground and dragging them around. Last night Toby managed to wrap one around his front leg, tightening it round his fetlock by treading on it with his back leg and walking away. A different look, certainly, easily loosened and removed when his foot was picked up with no damage done. Collected more rubble, dug up a bucketful of dandelions, a pair of Jays we’re flying around the hedgerow. A frosty start to a cold cloudy day with late sunshine and a bright orange sunset.
Mutual Grooming
William bites and pulls at Toby who at the same time nibbles William, they’ll do this for a few minutes and although it looks a bit rough it’s part of their pair bonding ritual and is supposed to release feel good hormones, the sheep and donkeys grazed the paddocks all day. More work on the driveway, no more rubble to level, watered the hedge which has a mass of emerging leaves, removed a lot of dandelions from the border. Fed the fish, still no toadspawn so probably won’t have any this year. A chilly start to the day with a brisk wind, warm sunshine late afternoon, had an ice cream on the terrace. Happy Easter.
Donkeys
Walking up the avenue to the stable for their vitamin mix having spent all day in the lower paddock. Their hearing is good so calling them in works ok, just takes ten minutes or so for them to arrive, Toby likes a rollover at some point and William stops to look and think. The pile of apple twigs is going down and the last of the D’Arcy Spice apples will be eaten by both the sheep and donkeys in the next couple of days, they’ve lasted really well piled in a dustbin since September. A misty start to a lovely warm sunny day.
Donkeys
A sunny start, all the animals were out and about on the grass, the sheep have to go out first as the shortest route to laneside is through the oak paddock where the donkeys spend the day. Cold drizzle in the afternoon meant moving another shelter in with the sheep as they couldn’t all squeeze into just one and they don’t like standing out in the rain. Finished leveling the driveway, need more small hardcore to reach the stable yard. Sawed wood, using less in the woodburners as the days lengthen but there may be a frost later this week. A cloudy mild end to the day.
Hay
The sheep spread more hay on the ground than they eat because they take big mouthfuls and then drop most of it, so the donkeys benefit most mornings. A lovely walk from Pamphill fringing the River Stour to Walford Mill for coffee, the ground is drying out and the river has dropped to allow the swans to start nesting. Levelled more of the driveway, almost to the paddock gate, surprising how much is disappearing into the ground as it’s walked over. Watered the new trees which are starting to bud. A mild start to the day with cooling winds and cloud later.
Itchy
William is scratching a lot, especially his neck and rump, he should start shedding his hair very soon, grooming will help, the fence posts and gate fixings are popular spots for him to linger. Collected more rubble, the tipper truck delivery has been delayed so there’s more time to prepare the edges. The pair of green woodpeckers are making the most of the soft ground and have found several places to feed on the lawn, the oak tree has a patch of broken bark so maybe they’re spending time there as well. A sunny cloudy day with lighter winds, the paddocks are still very soggy.
Head Cuddle
William loves a cuddle, not always possible on very windy days as he’s not quite as chilled but today he was OK. Walked from Tarrant Gunville to Chettle for coffee and a sausage roll in the sunshine, only one squally stinging hail shower on the way back. Hurried across an open field and made it to the hedge line which gave some protection, the sheep and new born lambs in the field huddled together, most of the ewes had twins, their numbers clear to see in bright blue or red. Tomato seedlings have pushed through their compost which is a mix of mole hill and vermiculite, they’re doing well so far, sowed nasturtium seeds. The wind dropped at dusk.
Apple
William nibbling at fresh sticks before the rain set in and the wind increased to gale force, a day for waterproofs and gloves – a big change from yesterday, the water butts are full again and the paddocks are starting to puddle. The sheep stayed in their shelter, only venturing out for hay, they don’t like the rain. Sawed wood, shouldn’t be long before it can be stacked instead of being used, lit the woodburners early. Not many birds out and about, mainly the rooks, none of the buzzards were flying. Same weather forecast for tomorrow, hope everything stays where it should!
Dozing Donkeys
William and Toby start their day with a breakfast of fresh straw in their feeder and then like to relax on an extra large straw bed, nodding off in the morning sunshine. They rarely lie at full stretch but do like to rollover and then flap their ears from side to side. The birds are all busy nest building, choosing and rejecting twigs and bits of leaves, the woodpecker is tapping and the buzzard sits preening in the oak tree. Watered the hedge, the hose was frozen solid until spread out in the sun and left for half an hour, the addition of compost mulch continues. A bright, sunny, cold day.
William and Toby
Enjoying the sunshine in the fallen oak paddock, the fog soon moved in and there was low cloud and the threat of thunderstorms for the rest of the day. Raked the raised bed ready for sowing carrots, not quite warm enough for the seeds as the nights are still cold. Sifted the worm casts to remove the worms as they won’t survive the summer in the tomato pots. Collected rubble and shingle for the driveway, have reached the bottom corner, just need to make it to the paddock gate. A day of light winds, the sun tried to break through the cloud at sunset.
Cycle Paddle
From Pamphill, a twelve mile round trip on quiet lanes and dry tracks until the last mile or so when the muddy path turned into a foot deep puddle that lasted longer than expected. Walking turned out to be the only option, waterproof shoes are great until submerged! As Jenny was cycling behind me she suffered the same result, a cold and gloopy walk. Collected hay and straw bales and groomed the donkeys who were content to doze most of the day. Fencing work in the field opposite continues. A misty day with a chill wind, noticeably lighter in the mornings.
Cycle to Chettle
The endless view from the Long Barrow above Pimperne, part of the Dorset Cursus which once stretched for six miles along Cranborne Chase, three times the length of the Great Cursus at Stonehenge. Saw two Brimstone butterflies making their way along the ivy filled hedgerow where they will have been hibernating over winter, the warm sunshine waking them, they need to survive the still cold nights. Walked the donkeys down to the bottom paddock, the sheep had to take a different route to get to their grazing, proved to be problematic with Nola and Pixie deciding to take an alternative route! A cool misty start to a warm day with light winds and a lovely sunset.
Misty Morning
A very foggy start to the day, the moon was very bright and the light diffused before the sun rose and the mist cleared in the vale. The sheep were happy to relax on their hillock before gathering at the gate to run down to the bottom paddock. Walked William and Toby down the avenue to graze by the fallen oak, at the end of the day they had a coating of mud and grass from rollovers. Saw the first bumblebee of the year and a bat flew over the pond at dusk, Poppy was interested but much too slow to pose any threat, fed the fish. A sunny warm day with a lovely sunset.
Plantbritain.co.uk
Countryfile have created an interactive website for recording the planting of trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables across the UK, data collection will continue for two years and aims to encourage planting for wildlife and to combat climate change. Over 500 shrubs, native hedging and trees have been planted in our two acres so the entry should boost the Dorset total. Groomed the donkeys in the sunshine, hope they can go out on the drying grass soon, the spring has stopped running into the ditch; they watch the sheep grazing and want to join them. A drizzly start to the day with light winds and late warm sunshine. Fish and chips from the van in Child Okeford.
Donkeys
William and Toby enjoying the sunshine in the fallen oak paddock, they’ve not been able to run around on grass for a couple of weeks so were overjoyed to be out for a few hours. The ground is still very wet but the strong winds have dried the puddles. Their coats are at their longest and William especially is starting to scratch himself on any available post or latch, they’ll soon start to lose their hair in handfuls and the nesting birds will be on the lookout for lining material. A very windy dry day with light cloud and sunny spells, not as warm as yesterday.
Sunshine
William and Toby enjoying a handful of hay in warm midday sunshine, I had an ice-cream on the terrace. Collected oak leaves from the bottom paddock, there’s a boggy patch in the centre but the edges are ok, may let the sheep run there in a few days if it drains a little, the spring is running into the ditch and down the lane. Moved some wood from the pile behind the stable, ready for cutting, stacking and burning next year. A mild day with sunny spells and light winds, watched the owl fly across the field at dusk.
Farrier
It’s ten weeks since the donkeys had their hooves trimmed, William’s seedy toe is improved in places and looks clean and white when the farrier has finished, Toby has an inward stepping gait so the hooves on his hind legs wear unevenly as steps one hoof in front of the other. After last nights rain the paddocks are full of puddles so no time for running around, the sheep were out of their shelter as usual even though it was a drizzly start to the day. Warm sunshine broke through the cloud so one less fleece required. Lucky to see a barn owl flying over the field at dusk, pancakes for tea.
Ice
The paddocks are less squelchy underfoot, the wind has dried the ground and the frost hardened the surface so decided to lead the donkeys down to the fallen oak paddock for a run around. The water trough had a 3 inch slab of ice on the top that had to be lifted out – it very heavy and resulted in cold hands! The donkeys started grazing and then had a run around, bucking and chasing each other, falling over and running round again before settling down. The sheep watched and had their own fun and games. A very cold day with strong winds and bright, late, sunshine that developed into a lovely orange sunset.
Flu Jab
William and Toby had their annual vaccination, they weren’t very enthusiastic about a rather tall vet approaching them but she was very patient; consolation was half an apple each and some hay, the water troughs were frozen and the ice couldn’t be broken so had to be defrosted with hot water. The spring has stopped running into the ditch and the paddocks are very hard underfoot, the grass looks to have wilted which makes poo picking easier. Another cloudy and very cold day with a strong wind and a few snow flurries, the sun shone for half an hour and almost lifted the temperature.
Pond
Frozen at the end furthest from the waterfall and covered with a fine layer of snow which defrosted in the morning sunshine, no sign of the fish, they’ll be resting on the bottom. Very cold overnight, there was an inch of ice on all the water troughs, the donkeys had their bucket of warm water with their breakfast and a supplement of hay which the sheep had pulled out of their feeder and discarded. Nola in particular likes crunching the ice left on the ground next to the trough. A bright sunny day with a biting wind and a little cloud that disappeared to leave a lovely sunset.
Driveway
Making progress from the lane to the paddock gate, it looks completely different to the photo which was taken in early November, the surface is relatively flat and driveable to the corner and doesn’t seem to have suffered a problem with sinking into the saturated ground beneath. Hoping for more bags of rubble to be delivered over the next few weeks. Collected more apple branches and the donkeys had their share, William and Toby jumped and chased around their straw area trying to kick each other, the paddocks are still too wet for them to go out. Snow flurries during the day with a strengthening wind.
Donkey Cam
Dusk in the stable, William and Toby have had their vitamin mix and are tucking into their straw, the feeder will probably be empty in the morning – anything not to their liking will be nosed out on to the floor to become tomorrow’s bedding. A couple of hours later William was chewing on an apple branch he’d brought into the stable and Toby was at the salt lick in the corner. Finished preparing the ground for the runner beans, will fit in four short rows next to the raised beds. No snow overnight, a cloudy day with a biting wind, needed to wear thermals and two pairs of gloves.
Candlemas Day
Custom says “A farmer should, on Candlemas Day, have half his corn and half his hay.” There’s six months to go until the next harvest so this day marks the mid point of a farming year. William watched as the sheep moved into the small paddock which will be their home until Spring, he’d love to graze in there as well but the ground would soon become poached. There’s has lots of lush grass so this may result in a few runny poos until digestive systems settle down. Light well past five o’clock, the days are lengthening and the cold is strengthening, a misty start and cloudy end to the day.
William and Toby
Not impressed with having to stay off the paddock and near the stable the boys refused their breakfast and wouldn’t venture off the straw, it was blowing a gale at the time so that may have spooked them. They nibbled on an apple branch and did eventually eat something from the feeder after lunch before having their vitamin mix at dusk. Their coat was too wet for a groom. A few bags of rubble were delivered at the same time so William was interested in watching the activity on the driveway. A mild showery day with very strong winds.
Sunny Day
Groomed the donkeys and walked them down to the bottom paddock so they could graze for a few hours in what felt like spring sunshine. The ditch has drained as well as it can, several dams are holding back the water higher up and the spring had stopped running. Finished a jar of delicious home made lemon curd. Lovely and warm in the morning, wore one fleece instead of two! The day clouded over towards dusk and a shower of hailstones lowered the temperature significantly. Turned off the water supply to the stable in anticipation of a frosty night.
Head Cuddle
William does love a head cuddle although it is a little back breaking bending down and lifting a donkeys head onto your shoulder and then standing up, they’re surprisingly heavy. Fieldfares in the paddock today and a song thrush in the garden eating the berries. Did more work on the driveway and a few barrowloads from the compost heap, moved the sheep arcs to a fresh piece of grass. The donkeys went onto the small paddock for an hour or so but came back to their stable when the wind increased and it started raining.
Small Paddock
Between the straw area and the new driveway, surrounded by an electric fence to stop William and Toby eating the hedgerow this small area has longer grass than in the square paddock and because it will become part of the driveway it doesn’t matter if it’s poached. Not big enough for a run around but it’s ok for a rollover. As the days are milder the fish have emerged from the bottom of the pond asking for food, mustn’t add too much to the water or the nitrogen content will increase, they should eat everything within the first minute. A cloudy mild day with increasing winds.
Wet William
It rained a lot last night, a couple of inches in the wheelbarrow. William must have been standing outside as he’s very wet, the raindrops run down and fall off his eyelashes, and he’s rolled over in the stable to have so much straw on his coat. Toby is not as wet, and neither is very impressed with having to stay out of the puddly paddock. Started work on the compost heap, removing a couple of rails and part of the liner to make an opening for the wheelbarrow. The compost is about eighteen months olds at this end and will be good for mulching and topping up the raised beds. A wet morning, drier in the afternoon, milder.
William and Toby
Happily grazing in their stable. Toby forages to the bottom of the feeder and then tosses straw out onto the floor with his nose for browsing later. The square paddock is looking a bit cut up with their chasing around, the frost this morning cleared by lunchtime and they were able to go out after a good scratch. Power in the workshop tripped off last night so the timer for the light string had to be reset, I wonder if the donkeys noticed they weren’t on. A frosty foggy morning with light winds.
Frosty
Very foggy and dark this morning, the daylight hours are definitely getting longer at the end of the day but the mornings still seem to be dark until the same time which feels a bit odd. The day brightened briefly at midday before the foggy gloom settled again. The water in the troughs had half an inch of ice and all the bird baths had to be defrosted. The wren is still flying about singing and the rooks could be heard but not seen in the fog. The donkeys waited to go out in the paddock, the mix of wheat and barley straw seems to be to their liking at the moment.
Cycle
Trailway and quiet roads in the sunshine, one puncture and several hills in the 20 miles, the seasonal hedge cutting continues to take its toll on tyres and tubes so we carry the spares and tools to get us out of trouble. Doughnuts half way round were welcome as the temperature started to drop towards freezing and we upped the pace to keep warm. The donkeys looked at the straw entrance to the paddock before wandering in and grazing, the surface is dry but the inches deep hoof prints are puddled with water that doesn’t want to drain away, the last few dry days have helped, hoping for more sunshine.
New Year’s Eve Grass
William and Toby can’t graze the soggy paddock so a few square meters of grass by their straw area has been fenced with hurdles, William especially loves eating grass. Perhaps when the paddock driveway is finished they’ll be able to walk up to the gate. The hunt horses were ridden along the valley and up the lane with the dogs chasing and barking in the field opposite, the donkeys looked in their direction as their route circled our paddocks. The sheep paid attention but didn’t seem unduly worried. A cold frosty sunny cloudy day with light winds.
Boxing Day
The donkeys had their edible Christmas tree and liked the carrots and pieces of apple the best, it was was soon knocked over in search of the treats hidden in the straw and then quite quickly abandoned. The sheep had a very similar tree and stayed interested a bit longer, actually eating some of the twigs and chewing at the bark. The paddocks are still very soggy, a couple of dry days will help dry the ground, there’s a rising spring in the avenue that’s still creating puddles there so that area won’t be used until water levels fall. A lovely sunny day after a hard frost.
Primrose
Must like the warm wet weather as it doesn’t usually flower until after Christmas but there are several plants with rain-dropped petals surrounded by dark green leaves. The donkeys were spooked by an engineer in a high vis jacket working on a telegraph pole over a field away and had to be released from their halters. They circled round a few times and were on high alert for the rest of the day, they’d rather be out in the paddock but more rain overnight has left already saturated ground with more puddles. Heavy showers on and off all day, promise of sunshine tomorrow.
Wet Wet Wet
William and Toby had to stay on the stable yard today, the ground everywhere is saturated after torrential rain last night. Their hooves would sink down five or six inches at every step, taking the green grass down every time and leaving the paddock poached. If Toby decided to do his favourite handbrake turn then several square meters of grass would disappear and become muddy furrows. They both waited patiently for their vitamins and late afternoon portion of steamed wheat straw topped off with a little barley straw. A very very wet day, misty at times.
Sunset
A bright orange sun set behind the oak tree at 4.30, the days are still shortening and the afternoons soon become chilly. The donkeys have decided not to eat their straw, it looks fluffier than the bales they’ve had previously, not sure why they don’t like it. They’re eating the grass in the paddock, beech and apple branches and any apples that are cut up for them so I think we’ll have to persevere, especially as there are another twenty bales left. A little hay on top of the straw in the feeder may help. Most of the hedges have been trimmed so it’s time for another bonfire. A cloudy sunny day with rain overnight.
Farrier
William and Toby showing off their clean hooves, William has a virus called seedy toe so his white-edged hooves have been cut away and are not the usual neat donkey hoof shape like Toby’s. There’s no cure for seedy toe and William didn’t mind having his hooves trimmed, they’ll grow back again within six weeks, Toby has never had the virus so it’s a mystery why one donkey should have it, and not the other. The farrier gave them both ginger biscuits so they were happy. Cycled 15 miles from Witchampton, lovely views and quiet lanes. A cool misty cloudy day with occasional drizzle.
Morning Sunshine
Most of the leaves have been blown off the oak tree, the ones left are on this eastward facing side, it’s mostly hollow so it’s good that it’s still standing. Collected most of the fallen leaves that were on the grass with the mower and added them to the sinking sides of the compost heap. Led the donkeys down the avenue to the lower paddock, they came back up to the stable mid afternoon and had a few beech branches to eat. The sheep made best use of their five o’clock playtime by pogo-ing round the woodpile, all four feet off the ground at the same time. A lovely sunny start to the day with a cool, fresh breeze and a little cloud later, no rain today.
Stable Camera
At night the donkeys often wander around and can doze standing up, they sleep for about six hours a day, not always when it’s dark. The stable is large enough for them to both lie down, and now they’re settled in they don’t stand guard in the doorway, although their ears twitch constantly. The straw feeder is filled up a couple of times a day in the winter when they’re not grazing out in the paddock. Collected more bricks for the driveway and went to the tip with a couple of dumpy bags of hedge trimmings. A sunny start to the day with heavy rain later.
Garlic
Planted a couple of weeks ago it’s been warm enough for all of the cloves to root and sprout, it’ll take six months for each clove to grow into a new bulb and then a spell of consistently cold weather is required to make the bulb split and form individual cloves. Hope that works ok. Collected several loads of free bricks for the new driveway, it kept the donkeys amused watching all the activity. There are lots of oak leaves blowing around everywhere, they collect on the concrete outside the stable and then Toby eats them, which is not ideal. Too wet underhoof for them to go out in the paddock today. A mild, cloudy windy day
Makeover
From Farnham to Gussage All Saints and back via Dean, riding through leafy countryside, passed this sporty little number that desperately needs a makeover; not within my skill set, unfortunately. Moved the sheep into the square and let the donkeys down the avenue into the bottom paddock for a couple of hours, still very soggy underfoot so not sure about letting them out tomorrow, and it’s time to book the farrier again. Trimmed the oak tree and gathered more leaves for the compost heap. A mild and sunny cloudy day with no rain.
Stormy
William and Toby have been standing out in the rain for most of the day, the drops fall off William’s eyebrows so his waterproof coat must be doing it’s job, he certainly feels warm, their bedtime treat after their vitamins was a sliced apple with no pips. With over an inch of rain there was no time out in the paddock today, the puddles were very obvious and the ground squelchy underfoot. The sun set behind a mass of rolling grey cloud that turned orange, briefly. The sheep made use of their shelters and the fish were hungry as ever – I did a jigsaw puzzle.
Woolbombing
Cycled past this signpost at Crichel, a ride of about 18 miles through autumn colours in watery sunshine. Woolly coverings pop up all over the place in Dorset, and this is one of the most recent. William and Toby had a mad five minutes braying and chasing each other around the paddock, the sheep watched for a couple of minutes and then wandered off. Filled the last strawberry bed with donkey poo, have been promised an elephant garlic so I think it’ll do well in there until the strawberry plants throw out runners next year. A mild, cloudy, windy day with the promise of rain, haven’t watered the hedge for a few weeks now.
Remembrance Day
William and Toby looked smart after a groom, the boys were proud to wear their Poppies in their halters. Picked out their feet, William has seedy toe so one hoof picker is used for him and one for Toby and they are both washed afterwards; spending more time on concrete and less time on the grass in the paddock will help. Picked the last of the Bramleys and pruned a few of the lower branches for the donkeys to eat, it’ll make picking the apples easier next year. A warm day with light winds and a few hours of sunshine.
Apple Lolly
Last apple lolly this year, I think, today was a warm day at over 15*, so the donkeys were out in the paddock and happy to stamp on the ice and eat the apple. Made a few trips to collect a tonne of free sand ballast to cover the rubble on the driveway, looked good when it was spread out and reversed onto the first ten yards and had no problem getting out onto the lane. The owls were calling at dusk, at least three of them, I think. A wet start to the day with sunshine and mist later.
Greenhouse
The plants are all finished in the greenhouse so need moving to the compost heap, William is interested to watch what’s going on, especially as the red wheel barrow is being used. The last of the tomatoes went in a salad today. Two deer locked antlers in the field this morning and pushed and shoved until one of them pulled away and made a run for it, they were bored in the end and took to grazing instead. A colder day with a strong wind that made wearing a hat and gloves preferable, the sun broke through occasionally and raised the temperature.
Willow
Collected from the side of the road on the way back from cycling it’ll be a treat for the donkeys. They spent the afternoon in the square paddock running around while I poo picked. The ride from Shroton to Sturminster Newton and back was hard work into the wind, which always seemed to be against us, luckily it didn’t rain. Last night was so windy the chairs in the garden blew over and the oak leaves spread far and wide, no wonder it kept me awake. A sunnier afternoon with a cold wind to end the day.
Windfalls
A tray full of some of the Bramleys brought down by the strong winds, the grass under the tree usually gives them a soft landing so as long as they’re collected the same day they can be peeled and stewed. Heavy rain all morning, the donkeys had their breakfast before mucking out and weren’t allowed to go out and about in the paddock as the ground was full of puddles. Did manage to pick out their feet when the rain stopped and then gave them their worm treatment. The sheep have finally started sheltering in their new accommodation. Started clearing the greenhouse.
Worming
The results of the poo samples from the donkeys revealed that William has a lower worm count than Toby, so this is the recommended treatment for both of them because the worms will be in the pasture, and it’s possible that Toby just has a lower resistance to them. The donkeys grazed in the lower paddock, it’s likely that they won’t be able to venture out for a couple of days if the forecast for heavy rain is correct. The sheep are still in two minds about their shelter, gave them their hay inside again, perhaps it’s just been too warm to be inside. Made a stew using the local Red Devon beef, really tasty, expect the dumplings helped!
Sheep Arcs
Moved the Ouessants into a different paddock so they can use the new shelters from Solway Recycling to hide from the rain; not too sure at first they had a helping of hay to help them settle in during an afternoon sunny spell. These arcs are heavy enough to stay put in the wind and light enough to be moved around the paddocks. William and Toby stayed near their stable today to protect the saturated ground in the avenue. They watched the activity in the lower paddocks with interest and we’re excited to receive a couple of beech branches from the hedge. A wet morning gave way to late afternoon sunshine, picked and ate the last courgette.
Beech Branches
It may have been too wet to spend a long time in the paddock but William and Toby can still enjoy branches cut from the top of the hedgerow. Autumn leaves are falling fast, the ash trees are nearly bare and the smaller oak trees have mainly orange leaves while the bigger trees are still green. Parts of the hornbeam hedge are just thin branches, other areas have crinkly copper coloured leaves that curl and hang on blowing in the wind. The pear tree has lost all its leaves, the apples are faring better, particularly the Bramley. A sunny day with light winds ending with a delicious dinner at The Baker Arms.
Bridport Harbour
A super surfers day at East Cliff, West Bay with blue skies and strong winds. The walk along the South West Coast Path to Burton Bradstock has some significant highs and lows and spectacular gulleys and inlets. Cliff falls are common along this stretch off the Jurassic Coast, often revealing fossils. A very wet morning, walked to the farm to get eggs, the donkeys stood out in the rain and enjoyed nibbling at the hedgerow when they were let out into the paddock at lunchtime, they had a few more beech branches with their vitamins when they returned to their stable for the night.
Speckled Wood
Today this butterfly ventured indoors, it may be the last sighting of the year although the caterpillars could overwinter and emerge as early as January, if not here then further southwest. A very warm and sunny day encouraged a lot of butterfly, insect and bee activity – the wasps were still dopey and flying near the ground. Moved the sheep to the square paddock and the donkeys to laneside once the oak acorn area had been fenced off. William and Toby were overjoyed to be in the avenue again and chased up and down braying and nudging each other before moving into the paddock for a few hours of gentle grazing.
Sunset
Every night this week there has been a lovely sunset, and tonight was no exception. Cycle ride from Pamphill to The Anchor for coffee in the sunshine returning along Sweet Briar. Nola had runny poos so was unceremoniously upended, her fleece trimmed and her bottom washed, good news – no sign of maggots! The rest of the flock watched or grazed and she was happy to eat the mix afterwards. Must buy dagging scissors as the ones from the kitchen drawer were not up to the job of cutting a lanolin enriched fleece. The donkeys enjoyed another strip of fresh grass and a handful of summer hay before eating their vitamin mix.
Thistles
William and Toby love them and they’ve closed their eyes to savour this delicious treat. Fortunately, thistles grow in the meadow strip and could be available all year round, perhaps I should plant some in pots and move them into the greenhouse just to make sure. Started to dismantle the temporary sheep shelter, Walter started to nibble at the waterproof cover when it was on the ground, luckily he couldn’t reach it when it was on the roof. The cats brought a mouse into the dining room, managed to trap it and release it outside. A cool, misty then sunny day with light winds and a lovely sunset.
Willow
Toby and William love willow and the high winds of last weekend brought down a few small branches from the lane-side willow tree, they’ll be given a little at a time as a treat. Collected several more loads of rubble for the driveway, some of the larger pieces will form an edge and the smaller pieces can go in the middle, reversed the car onto the first few yards without getting stuck so that’s progress. Widening the front driveway with plastic frames filled with gravel to avoid driving on the grass will look a bit smarter. A warmer day with light winds and the odd shower.
Not me….
Somebody knocked it over….. William and Toby have been standing in the rain for the last few days and didn’t want too much attention, now the sun is almost shining they’re happy to be scratched and fussed. The morning was warmer than I expected, didn’t make it to the bike ride because of flooded roads around Dorchester. Spent a couple of hours cleaning the filter for the pond instead, the water was a bit chilly, started to rain and the wind strengthened later before a lovely sunset. Picked the last outdoor tomatoes and dismantled and stored the bamboo canes ready for next year.
Willow William
William and Toby love eating willow, it’s medicinal aspirin for them so the quantity needs to be sufficient without promoting an overdose. This small branch and a few smaller pieces came down in last nights storm, the sheep ate some of it out of curiosity and left this for the donkeys, with William getting first bite. The rain was torrential this morning so mucking out was a little delayed and the donkeys had made a mess of their stable, which is unusual. Washing the hardstanding was easier and the day brightened to allow apple picking in the sunshine. More rain after sunset, the days are definitely drawing in, time to light the woodburner.
Electric Fence
A busy day mowing the lower paddock, moving the electric fence and rotating the animals around, the rain wasn’t too bad in the morning, but it turned into a downpour later in the afternoon so the stable yard had a good wash and sweep. The donkeys waited (almost) patiently in the avenue until their new paddock was ready and then they ran and bucked with excitement. The paddock they left had been cut in half because of the acorns from the tree collecting in the grass, they’re poisonous to most animals but pigs can eat them with no ill effect – don’t have any pigs! The day ended with stormy skies and then a bright moon.
Winter Feed
The hay bales are ready to fill a hungry gap if the grass stop growing in the paddocks and the sheep need a supplementary feedstuff. Grown locally they’re a grassy meadow mix that is softer than the hard dry grass which was cut in the last month. If kept dry the bales will last for five years and still be good to eat. Sitting on top is a bunch of apple tree shoots that were cut today, they’ll be hung in the roof of the workshop and, if still edible, fed to the donkeys as a treat when the paddocks are too wet to be used and they can’t browse the hedgerow. A breezy day with warm sunshine and no rain, watered the beans which are still flowering. Picked tomatoes and a water melon.
Donkey Worms
Two bags of poo ready to be double bagged, packed in a leakproof container and posted to the Donkey Sanctuary for a worm count. William and Toby look healthy and generally have a low worm burden but a test is recommended every six months, some donkeys are ‘high shedders’ so 20% of them carry 80% of the worm burden. Our vet will let us know the results and recommend treatment in a week or two. Worming mixtures lose their effectiveness if used too often so we need to be cautious. A misty start to the day with only the tree tops visible in the valley, the sun was warm when it broke through with light rain at dusk. More watering, rain is forecast for tomorrow.
Toby
The bicycle tyre was a welcome birthday present, he wasn’t sure whether to play with it or not so I picked a few sprigs of mint and put them inside to encourage him. He found them ok, and once eaten he stepped over the tyre and moved on to drinking his water and rolling over in the avenue. Maybe he’ll come back to it, the tyre is hanging on the post with his collar. The sheep have worms, very evident from the poo in the field so a sample has gone to the vet. Pasture management is a challenge, ideally the various paddocks would be left fallow for two years to make sure the worms don’t re-infest livestock. Not an option for us so a worming programme is necessary. A hot sunny day, more watering.
Birthday Boys
As it’s not known when the donkeys were born their birth date is noted on their passport as 1st January, so the day they arrived here from the Donkey Sanctuary is their birthday, and it’s today! They had a special treat of apple and carrot ice lolly and were given a new toy to play with – a bicycle tyre. It’s hanging on one of the posts next to their plastic red collars; I’ll know in the morning whether they’ve touched it. They don’t play with the car tyre that’s available so I hope this is more successful. A lovely sunny day with warm sunshine and a freshening wind that made the bike ride along Sweet Briar a breeze.
Stable Clean
All the straw has been taken out and put in the gateways to help with the mud in the winter, it gets trodden in and disappears over the course of a year so no straw goes on the compost heap. The floor has been washed with a few buckets of disinfectant solution and the top of the kickboards get very dusty so have been cleaned, the cobwebs appear overnight and then gather dust as well. Donkeys are particular about the water they drink so William and Toby often prefer to drink from a bucket outside rather than from the water trough in the stable. A hot day, a few gusts of wind would have helped dry the floor. Picked runner beans and tomatoes.
Farrier
It’s eight weeks since William and Toby had their feet checked by the farrier; Donkeys should be walking on hard surfaces all the time to wear down the front of their hooves and keep them flat, ours spend a third of their time on straw or grass so a bit of trimming and rasping was required. They each had a ginger biscuit to start off with and the farrier put two more on top of a post for when he’d finished. At some point Toby knocked these off the post so he snaffled both of them while our attention was focused on William – lucky Toby! A warm sunny day, watered the hedge, picked tomatoes, basil, nasturtium leaves, apples and pears. Nearly forgot to mention that it’s National Chocolate Day – hooray!
William
Loves grass and likes browsing the hedgerow, this is the willow he’s eating, both donkeys have to stretch to reach it and seem to know when they’ve had enough. Sat outside and had lunch at The Baker Arms in Child Okeford, tasty food as always and excellent service, the cyclists that stopped for refreshments were on their way to Bournemouth from Bath, next stop was Blandford Forum. They were pleased to hear that most of the hills were behind them – well, maybe! Mowed the lawn and topped up the strawberry beds with compost, second coat of paint on the kitchen walls. A warm sunny day with light winds.
Pixie and Toby
Walked over to the dividing fence and stared at each other for a while before Toby put his head down and Pixie poked her head through and licked his nose several times, they both like the contact. There was a squashed frog outside the stable, must have been trodden on by one of the donkeys, hope it’s not a favourite migration route. Tied up the spare stock wire in the lower paddock, will bring it up in the trailer, it’ll be useful somewhere. A lovely warm sunny start to the day with light winds, colder by early evening. Picked tomatoes and a cucumber, voted for the Dorset Remedy Oak to be the Woodland Trust tree of the year.
Thunderstorm
Moved the Ouessants into the square paddock for a change of scenery and greener grass, it was fine until it started raining and then they all ran under the sheep shelter, it’s smaller than the one in their usual paddock so a couple of them moved outside and were dripped on. Before the storm arrived the donkeys moved alongside the shelter and then they all got very wet. Tucked them up for the night during the thunder and lightening downpour and then half an hour later the rain stopped! Picked courgettes, runner beans, blueberries, windfall bramleys and sloes.
Cycle Ride
To Sturminster Newton and back along the trailway, started in a rain shower and ended in sunshine with coffee and a sausage roll at the cafe. Pulled a few more of the Mediterranean Mix carrots from the raised bed, the yellow variety have produced the largest carrots, the small orange dumpy ones need the least preparation for cooking with hardly any gritty creases. Set up the electric fence so that when acorns fall they won’t be within reach of the donkeys; if they eat them the Gallic Acid and Tannic Acid toxins stays in their body and eventually cause liver and kidney failure. The tape ended up in a real tangle so must invest in a winding reel. Over 3000 acorns were removed from under this oak tree last year, it’ll be interesting to see how many fall this year.
Oak Trees
Fixed new boarding to the bottom of the fence below the oak tree behind the stable, thinning the branches this week will provide lots of woodchip for a new shaded seating area and there may be enough for the emerging shrub borders to be mulched. The fallen oak will be removed from the ditch and it’s branches cut off or shortened to make sure it won’t become unstable and roll over at some future date. It’s been a feature of the bottom paddock since last winter and it’s made an interesting feature for the donkeys to walk round and have a scratch, William doesn’t seem very interested in Toby’s subsequent roll-over. The logs will give out lots of heat on the woodburner over the winter. A sunny cloudy day, no rain, strong winds.
Bottom Paddock
The donkeys were let into a different paddock today and chased each other round and round the perimeter before settling under the willow tree and feasting on the branches. Looks as if William has lost weight, not sure about Toby. The Texels happily walked down the lane to join the rest of their flock, we’ll have some of them back in December after tupping to keep the grass down. Mended the gate into the meadow strip as it was impossible to open, not sure about any more adjustment if the posts relax any further. Fixed plastic sheeting to the back of the sheep shelter to stop the rain driving inside. A windy and sunny day, no watering.
Ellingham Show
The donkeys didn’t win any prizes in the Virtual Donkey Show but they have been given special rosettes! William and Toby weren’t too disappointed at the result and seem happy enough wearing their new decorations. A lovely walk from Spread Eagle Hill towards Fontmell Magna started in a heavy rain shower and ended in bright sunshine, followed by lunch at Compton Abbas Airfield. Took down the electric fence and moved the Texels for the last time as they leave to join the rest of their flock tomorrow, the Ouessants will miss talking with them. Promise of a day’s rain tomorrow.
Scratching Post
The donkeys have turned part of their scratching post on it’s side, thinking they’re beavers! A lot of debris so maybe they’re sharpening their hedgerow eating teeth. There’s not a lot of grass in the paddocks; they are returning to their stable for straw mid afternoon and it’s also an opportunity to use the salt lick. Tried to remove a few dock plants from the square paddock, the soil is wet for the first inch but dry beyond that, it’s surprising considering the deluge we had yesterday, we definitely need more rain. A drizzly day with mist in the valley and over the hills but nothing significant in terms of rain, watered the vegetables and picked runner beans and tomatoes. Ate one of the four plums on the tree, delicious.
Rain
A lot of it, the thunderstorms arrived in the afternoon and filled up the water butts, very noisy on the stable roof and the gutters overflowed so the hardstanding has been swept clean. The sheep all preferred to stay in the dry whenever possible and shook themselves like dogs when they did get wet. The donkeys stayed out until their usual time, not bothered about the rain, although Toby would have stuck his head under a shelter if there had been one available. No watering required except in the greenhouse, hope the deluge has helped the hedge. Picked cucumbers, tomatoes and runner beans.
Hedgerow
Eaten first by the sheep and now by the donkeys, not as neat a finish as a hedge trimmer but much more interesting and satisfying for them. There’s a big difference in the grass, a month ago it was much greener. Found two tiny swallows on the tack room floor, they must have fallen or been pushed out of the nest, hope there’s more in there, the swallows are still flying in and out regularly. A stiflingly hot day with none of the promised thunderstorms, the new hedge is going brown and curling at the edges despite being watered every couple of days and the sheep have stayed in their shelter all day. The Texels are running out of grass so gave them a few apples as a supplement, hoping for rain tomorrow.
Cat Mint
Poppy, in common with two thirds of household cats, likes chewing the leaves, it’s both a relaxant and a sedative so she has to sleep it off under a bush. Fortunately, deer don’t like it much and it needs very little water to survive. Photos of the donkeys have been entered in the Ellingham Virtual Donkey Show, there were 13 classes, William and Toby were entered in 3 of them – Portrait, Ears and Boys over 4 years. I’ll be checking ellinghamshow.co.uk for the results and will look forward to next years show when we may enter a couple of the Ouessants. A cloudy start to the day with low cloud and a warm wind, too hot for the sheep who stayed in their shelter. More watering, may get a thunderstorm tomorrow.
Toby
The early mornings can be chilly so I keep a fleece handy, just a bit of a mistake to hang it on the rail as it’s the right height for Toby to grab it, shake it, drag it and tread on it! He likes to chew on beech and willow sticks and often rubs his collar on the ground, he picks it up and wants William to take hold of the other end and pull, William sometimes co-operates, but not always. I need to find something more durable for him to play with, a bike tyre, maybe? The blackbirds are sitting on the trellis taking the blueberries, I don’t think they did that last year so will have to pick them before they’re completely ripe; picked another bundle of runner beans. A sunny day with cool and strengthening winds which resulted in several Bramley apples landing on the grass. No rain so more watering, the waterbutts could do with a top-up, they’ll be empty in another few days.
Donkey Dental
The donkeys needed their annual check so this is William getting bored waiting for the vet to arrive. His teeth were fine, no filing required and he didn’t need a sedative unlike Toby who needed something to relax him. He was a bit too staggery once the injection took affect so he needed waking up a little to do the examination. Some teeth had a few sharp edges; donkeys chew side to side so can wear down the inner edges and leave a sharp edge on the outside, the electric grinder did the job quickly. Afterwards they both had to wait to have something to eat as Toby wouldn’t have been able to swallow until fully awake – William stood next to him most of the time giving reassurance and they were both grazing happily a couple of hours later. A hot sunny day with bright blue sky, watered the vegetables, picked runner beans and a few tomatoes, must pick the courgettes tomorrow.
William and Toby
As soon as it started raining Toby ran down the paddock to the sheep shelter and stuck his head under it, that’s all that’ll fit as it’s too low for him – the donkeys are supposed to walk back up to their stable when they want to stay dry! William joined Toby and reversed up to the shelter – he likes standing in the rain. Enjoyed a rather wet cycle ride with a coffee stop and sausage roll at Marcia’s Farm Shop in Spetisbury. Ouessants are messing about today, the lambs are happy enough together; not sure about the ewes wanting the new lamb around so the two flocks have been separated for the night. Picked runner beans, water butts full, no watering required.
Ellingham Show
As the Show is cancelled the judges are holding a Virtual Donkey Show, 12 classes in all, details on their website https://ellinghamshow.co.uk/whats-on/donkey-show/. We may enter the ‘ears’ and ‘portrait’ classes. It’s always been a great day out at Ellingham, there are lots of animals to see and it’s well worth having the membership. Released a peacock butterfly and a meadow brown from the greenhouse when I was watering, and there was a balloon flying over the valley tonight, first sighting this year. A hot day, rain expected at the weekend.
Carrot Lolly
William and Toby are getting the hang of these now, especially as there’s more carrot and less ice. Toby especially likes to crunch the ice to get to the carrot, William is happy to wait for the ice to melt. The fish in the pond want feeding every time I walk past and there was a very young newt sitting on top of a lily leaf. Picked beans and almost have a ripe tomato, cucumbers doing really well. Tried to sort out the compost heap so that I can plant something on the top, need more raised beds….. A hot day with the promise of rain later, watered everything.
Deer and Donkeys
The deer managed to get through my temporary barricade into the vegetable plot so I must fix stock netting to the rails that separate the flower border from the vegetables or there’ll be nothing left for us to eat. Tasted a Beauty of Bath Apple, the earliest to mature, it’s not ripe yet as the pips are still white and it’s a bit hard to cut. The swallows have been flying into the stable to feed all day and the donkeys finally discovered the hedgerow, I still think they prefer the grass. Toby looks really spotty without his winter coat and William much whiter. A sunny cloudy day, and a bit windy.
Hedgerow
Moved the electric fence just for William and Toby to walk down the strip and browse the hedgerow, it would save cutting branches off for them. I have to say they were not interested at all, walked to within a couple of meters and then turned around to munch on the grass, and no amount of cajoling would get them to approach the hedge. A cycle ride in the sunshine with a brief shower along the way and then coffee and a bacon roll before heading home along the trailway. The donkeys enjoyed the maple and beech branches cut from trees in the lane before their usual vitamin treat. Not enough rain so watered the vegetables.
Sheep and William
William and Toby were both up close to the sheep in the shelter in the square paddock, they touch noses and set each other off running when they’re excited. A very windy day, need to put the roof on the new shelter when the wind drops. Mowed the grassy area by the stable, almost looks like a lawn, the lawn by the house has bare patches despite the rain so this ad-hoc grassy area looks much better. The tomatoes in the greenhouse are growing at last, removed the side shoots and gave them a feed. Hope to pick the first cucumber later this week. Late sunshine, still windy, no rain so watered the vegetables.
Iced Carrot
William and Toby took a while getting to grips with the carrot ice lolly, Toby stamped on it in the end. A lot of flies about today, sun all day and 30*, I can use a deet spray, not sure anything will work on the donkeys, and the tree I’m sitting under has greenfly… One of the water butts fell over, it got very hot on a sunny wall and the plastic distorted, don’t think it’ll be quite the same again, it watered the grass with 250L of water and some of it made it into the pond. Promise of thunderstorms tomorrow.
Spot the donkeys
Donkeys and crows
Losing a lot of hair, William and Toby are providing a valuable nesting resource for the crows who make off with really large clumps. They seem to favour William’s hair and land on his back to self select if there’s none available on the ground. The crows have reduced in number since January, when they rose together from the sweetcorn field in a huge group of flying feathers, usually around 9.30 in the morning. A crow murmuration….. They’ve moved to their various rookery’s I guess.
Time for a sit down
Enjoying the sunshine
