Dorset lifestyle
Waiting to go back into Willow for the night, Walter, Elton and Ivy leading the flock. The hurdles fencing off the area of paddock under the oak tree were opened to let them graze fresh, long grass, hardly any acorns this year so no need to pick them up. Cleared the area at the back of the stable ready for the new shed and garden room which are scheduled to arrive tomorrow, will have to let the donkeys out early. A cloudy day with a cold breeze.
The area under the oak tree has been out of bounds to the sheep because of all the acorns concealed in the undergrowth, now they’ve been removed from the fringe and the hurdles moved a foot so the lush green grass can be grazed, with Winnie leading the way. The night-time paddock is starting to look more brown than green, especially where they sit and chew the cud on the hillock. Fleeces are looking longer with the wool hanging down over their legs, it’s time to book the shearer and the annual dose of Clik to protect against fly strike. A cloudy misty day with a chill wind.
Acorns are a cumulative poisonous to donkeys and sheep so the oak tree drop zones have been behind hurdles or the electric fence for the last couple of months. I picked up over 3000 acorns last year and looking at the amount still left up in the trees I think I’ll try the ride on mower when it’s drier to see if it will collect them when it cuts the grass. A very wet day, have put all the pairs of shorts away, for now, they’ve been worn for months so had to consign one pair to the compost heap. Picked up windfall apples and stewed them in a saucepan on top of the woodburner, could become a nightly ritual to fill the freezer!
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.
