Tag: Dorset

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Jago

Resting in the crate after his journey from Bodmin, it was a noisy few hours and he drew attention to himself at the coffee stop. Born on April 1st and bottle fed from three weeks old when his mother died, he’s a friendly little ram with broken horns. Light enough to carry into the paddock, the matriarchs in the flock wanted to show him who was boss, decided to separate them and he’ll spend the night with just Pixie and Elton, who are further down the pecking order. Picked tomatoes. A day of heavy showers and a brisk wind, feels colder in the mornings.

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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.

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Thunderstorm

Cloud rolling towards Hambledon Hill, could hear the thunder and see the lightening, but no rain until much later. Moved the sheep and their arcs into Willow paddock and gave the donkeys a larger area to graze for the next few days. Picked runner beans, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes, planted out a few more runner beans to replace those eaten by the snails. Took Poppy to the vet as she’s off her food, blood test results may mean an increase in thyroid medication. A warm, humid day.

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Elephant Garlic

Good sized bulbs, and tall stalks with pale purple flowers, possibly harvested them too soon, could have picked off the flowers as soon as they appeared and left them in the ground longer then perhaps the bulbs would have been even bigger, will find out next year! Mange tout are now growing in their place which should produce a good crop before the night time temperature starts to drop. Pulled thistles from the rose bed for the donkeys, they enjoyed spending the afternoon next to the sheep in the laneside paddock. A warm cloudy day with the odd shower and light winds.

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Afternoon Tea

Sunny afternoon spent in the garden eating savouries, scones and cake, liked the arrangement of animals in the kitchen. The hot weather continues with the promise of rain tonight, so no watering! Donkeys and sheep choosing sun and shade in equal quantities. First of the runner beans with a fried egg on top for supper. Modified the netting over the centre of the pond to give the plants more room, hope the heron doesn’t take advantage. A blue sky with fluffy white clouds to end the day, doesn’t look like rain….

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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.

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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.

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Produce

Picked thirteen Mini Munch cucumbers from a couple of plants in the greenhouse and pulled a helping of Early Nantes carrots which have successfully escaped the carrot fly in the raised bed. Temperatures are soaring so the donkeys stayed in the shade of the stable before being let out onto the grass, the sheep choose to lie in half sun half shade and quietly pant. Wheelbarrow handles and the tops of the metal gates are too hot to handle, watering everything, the strawberry runners are rooting hopefully!

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Runner Beans

The first of the year, the plants don’t look strong enough to hold them but they have survived the snails, must use hedgehog friendly deterrents next year, still have a few plants to put in the ground next to empty canes. Cycle ride in 30* from Moreton to Athelhampton House for coffee, coming back across the heath was the hottest part of the ride and a bit dusty, had to walk the sandiest stretch. Everything in the garden needs watering, the mange tout have sprouted so will soon need sticks. A very hot day with occasional cloud and light winds.

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Sheep Shelter

Mark IV, with one more shade-providing sides added, the tarpaulin roof withstood the last rains but developed a droop in places so will need supporting from inside to make sure the water drains away from the centre, it returned to normal after a few hot sunny days. Feeding the fish every couple of hours, they are very hungry, the water lilies are pushing up the heron proof netting, must donate some to another pond. The tractors are up and down the lane late into the night bringing in the hay. A hot, humid day with light winds.

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Pixie

Feeling hot although her fleece isn’t that thick, Pixie sits by the fence in the sun and pants, if she moved a few yards she could lie in the shade of the willow tree, but for some reason that doesn’t suit! The wool on her face is really soft and smooth and often has brown patches from sticking her nose in the salt lick tub. Picked a tick off my arm, that’s the third this summer so must be lots of them in the paddocks, one result of letting the grass grow longer. A very hot day with light winds.

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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.

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Ivy And Elton

Exploring the small paddock before joining the rest of the flock, Elton is nearly as tall as his grey fleeced Mother. The ash trees are still looking ok, will let standard trees grow out of the hedge, probably field maple and beech, just in case they need replacing. A piece of paneling has come off the side of the shelter, will replace it with another one. Picked blackcurrants, redcurrants and rhubarb. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Puss Moth Caterpillar

Crawling along the fence rail under the willow, it’s a favourite place for them to be, along with poplar trees. When enraged this caterpillar rears up, shows its eyes and red head and shoots formic acid from glands behind its head at any predator. Love it’s stripey legs. It grows to 6cm before building a cacoon in which to overwinter and the moth emerges in May. The paddocks have dried out after the deluge with just a few puddles in the gateways. A cloudy start to a warm sunny day.

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Sheep Shelter

Work in progress in laneside paddock, the new Mk IV shelter will be big enough for all eight sheep. They all came over to have a look, Walter was especially inquisitive and walked on the bag containing the tarpaulin for the roof before nibbling the end, he also tasted the pallets; need to order more nails and lining boards to finish the job. Torrential rain overnight, a cool day with light winds.

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Bench

A second coat has been applied so the green bench is now back in it’s usual place overlooking the stable yard. The oak tree is getting bushy with fresh growth, although the leaves all have a coating of mildew, need the ivy to spread over the top of the owl box which is still too exposed from the south and must be getting too hot. The swallows are in and out of the tack room all the time having made repairs to last year’s nest. A warm day with cloud and drizzle later.

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Sheep

All eight enjoying the fresh beech leaves, the paddock still has lots of grass, and it’s growing quickly in the warm and wet weather. Clouds of Meadow Brown and Skipper butterflies are flying around and a White Admiral appears as the sun warms the grasses. A lot of rain overnight, water butts overflowing so no need to water the hedge. Picked cucumbers and sowed cut and come again lettuce seeds and the last of the mange tout peas. Tomatoes are getting bigger, feeding them twice a week. A cloudy day with light winds.

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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.

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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.

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Ivy

In the foreground, head down and grazing happily with the rest of the flock, her fleece looks grey compared with the black sheep. The paddock is being divided by their trot tracks which is helping with poo picking, finding smartie size poo in the long grass is tricky. Strawberries are over, picked raspberries, mange tout and cucumbers, tomatoes have reached the top of the greenhouse. A sunny day with a cool wind.

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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.

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Catmint

Poppy enjoying the scent and taste after standing on the pot and crushing the leaves, fortunately deer don’t like it so if the cats don’t destroy it the plant should survive. Started a new sheep shelter in laneside, the first arrangement of pallets isn’t quite right so will have to modify. The sheep spent all day in the same paddock and settled in the arcs together when it rained. Picked raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants. A cool day with sunshine and showers.

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Meadow

The grasses have reached their full height, a mix of Red Fescue, Timothy, Common Velvet Grass, Yorkshire Fog, Meadow Foxtail and other perennial grasses. The sheep disappear among the swathes of swaying seed heads and eat the grass from the top down so an area this lush will take eight sheep a long time to eat, the living hay will hopefully last through the winter when all new growth has stopped. It’s a haven for butterflies, including Meadow Brown and White Admiral, and various moths and grasshoppers. A cloudy cool sunny day with a few showers.

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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.

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Elton

Walking into one of the arcs, with Winnie on the left and Walter at the back; he managed to stay inside for a minute or so before being butted by Winnie. He tried again later with the same result so gave up and started moving around the paddock grazing before settling down to chew the cud. Ivy and Elton returned to their own paddock for the night with a shelter to themselves. Picked mange tout and strawberries, topped up the compost in the tomato plant pots. A very hot day with light winds and low level mist developing in the vale.

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Rhubarb

A good harvest from the crowns planted earlier in the year, will make a lovely crumble. The cos lettuce and mange tout peas are crisp and tasty and the first strawberries and raspberries are sweet, the runner beans are still not looking very healthy although there are some flowers on a few of them. Walter spent some time with Ivy and Elton in their paddock before they all ran to the rest of the flock, separated them again after a couple of hours and some bleating. A hot sunny day with the threat of thunderstorms, light until after ten o’clock, with a pale pink sunset.

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Walter

Grazing the meadow grasses in the laneside paddock, the tops of the buttercups were mown off a few weeks ago and don’t seem to be as vigorous as they were. The gate was opened and the new sheep met the established flock but they had to be separated again, Nola and Winnie constantly butted Ivy and tried to do the same to Elton, although he managed to swerve out of the way most of the time, will try again in a few days. A warm dry day with storm clouds over the hills.

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Sunflower

One that survived the snails, a bright yellow flower looking up towards the clematis, not sure it’ll get any higher. The donkeys electric fence has nearly reached the bottom of the square paddock, they avoid eating the buttercups and don’t like the birds foot trefoil, either, so it’s good that there are lots of different clovers and grasses. The sheep are still looking at each other through the fence, may try opening the gate tomorrow. A cool day with heavy rain after a sunny start.

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Ivy

Ivy likes the pink bucket which contains a handful of sheep mix, Elton is watching from a distance, he likes to sleep on the patch of paddock that is still bare from the last bonfire while his mother grazes the tall grasses nearby. She looks a bit like a smaller version of Winnie because of her big eyes, but with a grey fleece. All the sheep line up along the fence and lie close to each other, it’s nearly time to let them into the same paddock. A warm cloudy day with heavy rain later.

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Cycle

From Blandford to Shillingstone and back, along the trailway and past Stourpaine, crossing the junction of the Wessex Ridgeway and St Edwards Way, with a coffee and cake stop at the station below Hambledon Hill. Historically, pilgrim followers of Edward would walk a 30 mile route from Wareham Priory to Shaftesbury Abbey after the body of their boy King was moved there in 979, the ancient route was re-established and signposted for walkers in 2020. A cloudy start to a warm sunny day with light winds and a lovely sunset, the owls noisy late evening.

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Smudge

Sitting on a straw bale in the workshop, listening for approaching donkeys, Smudge isn’t confident with them and runs away, which is unusual as he’s fearless with everything else. He won’t go near the sheep and isn’t that interested in the fish, not like Poppy. Cycle ride from Child Okeford to Shillingstone down the trailway, past the Owl Barn to Bere Marsh with coffee at Sturminster Newton. Lunch outside in the sunshine, a warm day with moderate winds.

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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.

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Bridge Sign

On a bridge crossing part of Twyford Brook at The Orchards: Dorset has a number of bridges with signs that offer the same penalty, the local farm workers were mostly unhappy with the money that had to be paid to the local church and the introduction of mechanisation, so vandalism was commonplace until the end of the 17th century. The white lichen thrives in areas of low pollution in rainfall and forms imprecise circles that can bend round edges. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Ivy And Elton

Two ouessants in a crate in the back of the car on their way to their new home from Mill Farm. They settled on the bed of hay and Elton did a bit of wandering around, Ivy was very noisy at the start and end of the journey, poking out her black tongue every time she bleated. Their first few nights will be spent in a paddock next to the other sheep before joining the established flock. The donkeys watched their arrival, listening to the noise when Ivy left the crate first to leave Elton on his own while his collar was removed. A cloudy sunny day with cool winds.

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Scarlet Tiger Moths

A pair of moths sitting on the concrete path by the runner beans, they live and breed in gardens, ditches and fields in the south west of England during May and June; have sent the photo to the Dorset moth team for verification and inclusion on their database. Lucky not to tread on them, didn’t disturb them to get a better view of the scarlet underwings where they have different pattern variations, some with yellow patches at the edges. Moved hurdles to allow the donkeys and sheep to use different parts of the same paddock. A very wet day with light winds, lit the woodburner.

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First Day Of Summer

Smudge taking an interest in the barbecue, as the charcoal warmed up and the rain started he stayed sitting underneath, warming his back. Turned part of the compost heap, the latest load of grass cuttings are steaming and are now mixed in with a few barrow loads of sheep and donkey poo; another raised bed has arrived and will need filling so will have to brave the nettles and start removing half rotted compost from the other end of the heap. Removed a deer tick from behind my knee. A drizzly end to a cool day with cloudy sunshine.

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Blending In

Walter and his horns just about visible in the upended arc with Digby watching from outside. Had a lovely walk through hayfields to The Plough at Manston, unfortunately arrived just after ‘last orders’ so had a thirsty walk home! Planted another courgette plant, all the others have been eaten by snails, first flowers on the runner beans, removed side shoots from the tomatoes, picked a cos lettuce. A sunny cloudy day with rain later.

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Baling

Happening in fields all over the vale, a five day window of hot dry weather has allowed farmers to cut, waffle and bale their hay, so the race is on to get it all in the barns before the thunderstorms arrive. Cycle from Pamphill, twelve mile round trip to Badbury Rings and The Anchor for coffee, past fields of linseed in full flower, acres of deep blue replacing the familiar bright yellow rapeseed. A hot humid day with clear skies and a pale pink sunset.

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Sheep Arc

Delivered to the fallen oak paddock today, a third arc for the sheep to share, Walter was the first to have a look, but Bianca wasn’t far behind. Mowed the avenue so the donkeys can graze there in a week or so when the square paddock needs resting, they had a trot round when the arc arrived, the horses in the field opposite whinnied their support. Tied up the tomatoes, cavalo nero and runner beans and picked roses and peonies before the promised rain flattens them. A hot sunny day with some late cloud.

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William

Halfway through a rollover, it’s one of the first things the donkeys do when they are let into the paddock, always in the same place and now there’s a small depression of bare earth in which to roll. Went to the tip with three dumpy bags of hedge cuttings and weeds, the hedge is now higher than the buttercups and grasses so perhaps they can be left instead of weeded out. Collected four bales of straw, the hay making is well underway in the fields and the yield is ‘ok’, so better than last year. Watered the vegetables, a very hot day with light winds.

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Howitzer

Nestling near a pub car park, would make a good restoration project, next to lots of other rusting vehicles that have been left there over the years. Replaced a few slats on one of the garden benches, hope it will last a it longer as it’s very comfortable, next job will be to reinforce the legs. The donkeys are looking a lot smarter, their winter coat has almost gone to reveal a shiny, shorter version. Watered the hedge and the vegetables. A very hot day with increasing winds and a pale pink sunset.

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Lolly

William and Toby enjoying an ice lolly filled with sliced carrot. William licks and bites the chunk of ice while Toby stamps on it to release the carrots. Spent a couple of hours watching the planes at Compton Abbas followed by a BBQ in the garden – the donkeys are not entirely familiar with the smoke and smells of food cooking so they paced around the stable yard. The sheep spent all day in their arcs. A hot sunny day with light winds.

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Horses

Let out for the first time into the field next to the lane, the donkeys spotted them very quickly and nervously watched them for most of the day, occasionally all of them chased around, bucking and kicking. Moved the sheep, and their arcs, into the fallen oak paddock and arranged a few pallets and lids next to the fence to provide some shade. Watered the raised beds, the courgette plants have been eaten by snails. A warm humid start to the day with increasing winds and drizzle early evening.

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Salt

Toby savouring the salt lick; he’ll walk up to the stable midway through a warm afternoon for a small dose and then have a second helping in the evening, his rough tongue rasping at the block. This Himalayan salt mined from a mountain range in Pakistan is ideal for donkeys because it’s too hard for them to bite through – they can’t bite bits off which would give them a digestive overdose. They spent the day nibbling the short grass in half the paddock, will soon have to give them the whole area. A warm sunny cloudy day with a hazy sunset.

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Dartmoor Ponies

A group ran round the hillside and down to the stream which proved impossible to cross at Harry’s Ford, there were stepping stones further downstream and a few yards away a narrow plank, both of which proved impossible to cross. The mist was low over the moor, drifting through the valleys and down towards the villages below, a day of big temperature swings depending on whether the sun broke through the clouds. Rain later.

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Birds Foot Trefoil

Growing in laneside paddock, it survives mowing, grazing and trampling and will grow to the height of the surrounding grassland, mostly on sandy soil; so to see it growing on clay is unusual. It’s a high quality feed and doesn’t cause bloat in ruminants, so ideal for grazing sheep. The flowers are mainly visited by bumblebees, and are a breeding ground for butterflies including the silver studded blue and the six spotted burnet so must watch out for those. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Ouessants

Bianca happily chewing at an apple branch although it’s a few months old, and Walter always inquisitive, head on one side. Their fleeces are growing and they’ll need to be protected against fly strike in the next couple of weeks. There are lots of different opinions on how short to cut the grass so they will like to walk in it as well as graze, so will cut pathways through the paddock then they can stand on the short grass and eat the long! Perhaps there’ll be more grass for the winter and certainly less grass to deal with on the compost heap. A warm cloudy day with late sunshine and light winds.

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Willow

William and Toby both tried to eat the same short length of willow although there were two branches waiting for them when they came up for their vitamins, I guess it’s more fun to have a competition for a few minutes, eventually William wandered off to start nibbling at the other piece. Watered the raised beds and the runner beans and snipped off the tomato sideshoots. A warm sunny cloudy day with a few spots of rain, pint at The Baker Arms.

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Poppy

Sitting in her favourite place, which is a bench warmed by the sun, Poppy will stay there all evening, sleeping and trying to get the forget-me-not seeds out of her fur. Mowed the lawn and strimmed the edges, planted more runner bean plants. Tomatoes have set the first fruit and there could be a glut of mini cucumbers in a week or two. Thinned out some of the apple clusters, could be a bumper year for the Ellison’s Orange. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Gone to Seed

Mizuna salad leaves and rocket, both sown before a cold wet April and now really tall and setting seed, the mange tout peas are yet to flower, the cos lettuce and carrots in the raised bed behind are doing well. Let the sheep into laneside paddock but they sat in the sun next to the fence instead of lying in the shade of the hedgerow, had to let them back into willow paddock and the shelter of their arcs. Saddlebacks are available locally, managed to negotiate half a pig for the freezer, it will have travelled less than 10 miles in it’s whole life, hope it tastes good. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Paddock

Full of grass, buttercups and sorrel, the donkeys eat everything except the buttercups, the electric fence is moved a yard every few days to give them a fresh strip. Mowed the tall grass in the oak paddock so the sheep will graze the new growth, they won’t eat the taller grass, possibly because they don’t like the feel of it on their tummies. Cycle ride from Pamphill past Badbury Rings to The Anchor for coffee, followed by fish and Chips from the van in Child Okeford. A cloudy cooler day with the occasional shower.

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Sleeping Toby 💤

With William looking a bit dozy Toby was lying flat out, donkeys don’t relax like this very often but with the temperature rising in the mornings they’re going out onto their straw before eating their breakfast in the shade. A small mole was running round the terrace wall at lunchtime, probably a youngster driven from his birthplace by his mother, so he’s out and about looking for new territory to conquer, hope he doesn’t start tunneling under the lawn. A warm sunny day with cooling rain for an hour or two.

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Sheep

Let through into the adjacent paddock they started eating as soon as they could although the grass looked the same in the paddock they’d just come from. The grass is growing really quickly after the rain and the sugar levels will be high until September so they should gain some weight before Autumn, Winnie especially could do with putting on a few extra pounds. The fleeces have arrived OK at Pocket House Studio. Collected more wood for the new sheep shelter in the square paddock, should have enough now. A lovely hot sunny day with light winds and a pale pink sunset sky.

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Raised Bed

Looking bright green in the morning sunshine, there are a couple of rows of carrots (sown sparingly to avoid thinning), with a stray lettuce, land cress, cos lettuce, radish and more Nantes carrots. With the last few days of warm weather it’s been watered twice a day to stop the veg going to seed. Tied the bean sticks together and linked them to the trellis which is the other side of the path, the first beans are winding up the canes despite the attentions of the slugs and snails. A lovely warm and sunny day with light winds, the cats have been lolling about in the shade.

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Carrot Lolly

The first time Walter has been offered one and he was not impressed, he looked the other way and then ran off to join the rest of the flock. The donkeys gained from the rejection and crunched their way through the ice to get to the carrots. Mowed the long grass in the bottom paddock, it has too much sugar for the donkeys and the sheep have more than enough to eat. The hedgerow that was laid over a year ago is looking good, full of fresh growth and dense at the bottom. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Farrier

It’s been ten weeks since the last visit and the donkey’s hooves needed a trim, William’s seedy toe has improved and there’s no sign of laminitis which is good. Toby was finished first and then he stayed close by, resting his head on William’s back, they had a ginger biscuit and thistles afterwards after a quick walk round the yard, the sound of their hooves on the concrete was different, somehow. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Ouessants

Winnie and Digby sitting in the sun chewing the cud and dozing, their new woolly coats are a week old and they feel like velvet. They have access to two paddocks in the hope they’ll keep the grass short enough for the donkeys to be eat in them afterwards. Mowed laneside, the sheep won’t be able to eat their way through that field as well. The hedges are growing really well, some of the field maple trees are sprouting later than the others. A warmer sunny day with moderate winds, light until nearly ten o’clock.

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Donkeys

Let out into the paddock they grazed right up to the electric fence, nibbling the fresh spring grass, they’re not looking any slimmer so will have to give them a longer, narrower strip to increase the ground they cover walking uphill and downhill. Watered the tomatoes in the greenhouse, the cucumbers are struggling with some slug damage. Eating radish, rocket and nasturtium leaves, most of the runner beans are winding round the canes and the mangetout peas are starting to cling on to the willow whips, hoping some may root. A cool start to a sunnier day with light winds.

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Scalpings

Delivered in a slightly larger tipper truck than expected, the tractor driver did a brilliant job of getting the trailer in the driveway entrance and spreading the load. The donkeys watched from the far side of their straw area and were less worried than when the lawnmower appears beside them, they went into the square paddock after the tractor had turned round, and the sheep took no notice at all. A cool sunny start to a very wet day with strengthening winds, removed the side shoots from the tomatoes.

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Cycle

Farnham to Manswood through Chettle, started in the rain and finished in the rain with a spell of sunshine in-between, the bluebells are still in flower and there are fresh green leaves everywhere on the trees. Lunch at The Museum Inn. Finished leveling the driveway in preparation for the top dressing of scalpings. Too wet for the donkeys to be in the paddock, the straw area is getting boggy and needs raking over, tomatoes are doing ok in the greenhouse, still too cold to plant out the courgette.

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Fleeces

Ready for packing into a box in paper sacks, six fleeces weighing a kilogram each, they are rich in lanolin and already going curly. A very wet day with strong winds, the sheep went into willow for a while before returning to their shelter in the small paddock. The donkeys tried to stay out of the wind by the stable and nibbled on a fresh apple branch. Mended a puncture, lit the woodburner.

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Coby and Digby

Separated by a stock fence, Coby the bengal cat and Digby are still able to touch noses and have a good sniff, after a minute or so Digby went back to grazing the paddock. The sunflowers in the pot by the back door have been chewed off, not sure they’ll regrow, hope the plants in the border do better. Collected a couple of pallets to modify the sheep shelter in the square paddock. A much calmer day with lighter winds and warming sunshine, visited a local Dorset Art Week’s exhibition.

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Willow

William and Toby had to stay out of the paddock because of strong winds and driving rain, they had their usual breakfast of three wedges of straw and then mooched around the stable. The feeder was topped up later in the day with the addition of a tasty willow branch and a handful of goosegrass. The sheep stayed undercover only coming out whenever the rain stopped. Collected my bike after a service, needs to go back in a couple of weeks as it requires a new chain and cassette. Checked the greenhouse after the gale, all ok. A stormy day with gale force winds and cold driving rain.

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Black Sheep

Walter, Winnie and Digby look so different, longer legs and blacker than ever without their fleeces, they’ve been hiding from the wind most of the day, only emerging from the sheep shelter to graze the paddock and then return to comfort to chew the cud. The donkeys have been on high alert, chasing around and hanging on to each other’s necks. All the trees are bending in the wind, losing blossom, leaves and small branches, hardly any racemes left on the wisteria, they’re all over the grass, tied the bean sticks to the trellis. A cloudy mild day with occasional showers and gale force winds.

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Runner Beans

The first two rows are planted out and had to be tied in to the canes to stop them being blown over in the wind. They’ve been left alone by the slugs and snails which is good. Planted out more sunflowers and parsley plants, bought more compost to top up the tomatoes in the greenhouse, still no french beans showing. Ate the first two radishes from the raised bed and a few handfuls of leaves from the rocket and mizuna plants. The Cos lettuce are doing well, land cress is off to a slow start. A sunny cool day with moderate winds.

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Shearing

Nola, in the process of losing her fleece, it was sheared off in one piece and is in very good condition, the lengths of wool have crinkled and when the strands are rolled they are impossible to pull apart, so this will result in a high quality spun product. The three white and three black fleeces will remain separate, wrapped in paper sacks and sent to the Pocket House Studio on the Isle of Lewis for making into a rug, there’s a waiting list so the rug should arrive within the year! The sheep were soon back in their paddock grazing happily and weighing slightly less. A fine start to a cold day with increasing winds and heavy showers. Lit the woodburner.

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Winnie and Digby

Checking out the new accommodation, they’re not used to concrete floors, will have to give them straw and hay for their overnight stay. Wet fleeces are not good for the shearer, worst case electric shock! Managed to get them all inside and the door shut, will leave the stable door open so that William and Toby can keep an eye on them. The Sparrowhawk has been flying round the oak tree on a couple of occasions, and a pair of owls were flying in the field, hope one of them likes the nesting box. A cloudy sunny day with a cool wind and the occasional shower.

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Stormy

Torrential rain off and on all day, poo picked and finished tidying the workshop ready for the shearer. Planted a few runner beans, the sticks stayed up in the wind, the frame may need reinforcement once it’s covered in leaves, will have to check for slugs in the morning. Donkeys stayed by the stable and the sheep ran for their shelter every time it rained. All the water butts are full, topped up the pond. Removed the first side shoots from the tomato plants. A warm muggy end to the day with low cloud covering the hills.

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Mutual Grooming

Toby was being groomed by William while having a groom himself! The boys carried on nibbling each other in their usual right / left stance, William loses his hair in chunks, leaving bare patches. Toby has a much finer coat that always looks the same. Moved the electric fence to give them more grass, they stayed out in the paddock despite torrential downpours that turned the paddock entrance to a soggy puddle. All the trees are looking greener, their leaves filling out. A showery day with light winds.

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Rhododendron Ferrugineum

In full bloom, the alpine rose bright pink flowers and green blemish free foliage are a couple of weeks earlier than last year, it must have liked the frequent frosts and low rainfall. Started to dismantle the sheep shelter in the square paddock, nearly ready to raise the roof and cover with planks and a new tarpaulin. The end of the workshop has been cleared to create enough space for the shearer to handle the sheep, they need to be kept inside the night before to give the fleece time to dry. A cloudy start to a sunny day, lunch at The Baker Arms.

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Sleepy Sheep

Lined up along the fence in the late afternoon sunshine, with Nola at the back, the sheep stayed there for an hour or so before stretching and setting off round the paddock for their daily head butt and pogo session. Most of them are shedding parts of their fleece, the shearer is booked for next week so they’ll have to be kept dry the day before, could be a bit of a challenge, will need to clear space in the workshop unless the weather improves. A wet start to the day with light winds and late sunshine.

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Blue Sky

Sunshine between the showers, the ash trees are just about to show their leaves, no sight or sound of the barn owl at dusk, and no activity around the box in the oak. The grass is growing greener and will soon be full of sugar, so strip grazing the donkeys will continue and the sheep will have to work harder to keep the paddocks trimmed. Topped up the pond, the tadpoles are growing, no sign of legs yet, lily leaves are widening to give the fish some shade. A wet end to the day with lighter winds.

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William

Waiting for his daily mug-full of vitamins, slightly tubby William stood by the straw store for a while, Toby meanwhile helped himself to the fresh straw in the stable, neither of them tempted away by a few apple branches. They both came in from the paddock when there was a downpour late afternoon and never went back out, and all the sheep squeezed into their shelters until the sun came out again. The wisteria is trying to flower, battling against the cold nights and the gale force winds, a cloudy day with heavy rain showers and bright skies at sunset.

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Cycle Ride

From Pimperne to Chettle and back on forest tracks and quiet roads, passing this field of cowslips and acres of bright yellow rapeseed, spotted red kites and buzzards. No rain, but the wind was very strong which made cycling uphill a bit of a challenge. Removed the protective sheets of plastic and dismantled what was left of the wood piled by the oak tree, all cut and stacked ready for the woodburner. The larger pallets will form the basic framework of a new sheep shelter in the square paddock. A sunny end to a blustery day that started with a rain shower and a rainbow.

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Mizzly

A drizzly day with light winds, tidied the greenhouse and tied the tomatoes to their canes, the cucumbers are newly planted and looking ok. Reset the electric fence, the donkeys grazed the paddock in the afternoon. Fixed a few more of the runner bean sticks, the frame needs to be strong so some of the canes extend into the hedge. Topped up the pond with rainwater, the fish are hungry and the tadpoles are growing. A calm end to the day with a pale pink sunset.

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World Donkey Day

William and Toby enjoyed the sun before the stormy weather arrived, no time in the paddock as the electric fence tape is being blown off the poles onto the grass. Results from the poo samples were very good, low counts for roundworm so no treatment required. The poo picking twice a day and letting the sheep graze the paddock before the donkeys is paying dividends, treating the boys for lungworm and tapeworm is an option later in the year. A stormy day with high winds and low cloud, water butts nearly full.

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Composted Hedge

Finished emptying half the compost heap and turned the rest ready for planting the courgettes and pumpkins, over 500 trees and hedging plants have had a mulch in the last couple of months. Mowed the meadow strip and took the top off the buttercups in the bottom paddock, there should be enough space for the grass cuttings to be interspersed with layers of donkey poo, mulch for next year! Cut the last wood in the pile under the oak stump so the blue polythene cover can be removed and the pallets put to a different use. A fine sunny day with light winds.

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Ouessants

The sheep are enjoying their new paddock, they nip the tops off the buttercups and leave the rest of the plant. The donkeys started their day playing tog-of-war with one of the collars, I think Toby won as he was banging it on the ground. A lone deer was in field, have finished the fence and gate around the raised beds and beans so it doesn’t matter if he/she comes in the garden. A damsel fly was circling the pond, not affected by the low temperatures. A sunny cloudy day with light winds.

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Ellison’s Orange

The pink and white clusters of apple blossom survived the gale, last year’s crop was less than fifty apples so hoping this year will be better. Saw the dangly legged Hawthorn Fly for the first time, also named the St Mark’s Fly because it traditionally appears on 25th April, last year it flew on the 29th April and so it’s nearly a week later this year. The courgette seeds have sprouted after three weeks on the windowsill, no sign of the pumpkins, the tomatoes are looking ok in the greenhouse. Groomed the donkeys. A cold start to a day of lighter winds and warming sunshine.

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Donkeys

William and Toby have had their vitamins and are resting, William in the evening sunshine and Toby in the shade of the stable. The high winds of the last day or two mean they’re less relaxed than usual, it’ll take a calm night to relax them. Moved barrowloads of compost from the heap to the new hedgerow which is looking healthy and full of fresh green leaves. The high winds snapped the rhubarb stalks, the leaves too big to withstand the gale. A sunny day with strong winds and rain clouds that passed by over the hills.

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Early Purple Orchid

Cycled from Cranbourne to Garston Wood to walk through the carpets of bluebells, several orchids were in flower alongside yellow archangel, which is related to the mint family so considered a bit of a thug in the plant world, and wild garlic. A buzzard must have been nesting close to the road as it swooped over our heads a couple of times. The route took us alongside the River Crane and a pair of white egrets, a red kite hunted among a field of sheep. A sunny cloudy start to the day with buffeting gale force winds and heavy rain at dusk, the racemes on the wisteria ripped off and accumulated in piles on the ground before they’d even opened.

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Strip Grazing

The sheep have been moved into willow, and the donkeys have moved into the square paddock, they’ll be confined to a small area bordered by an electric fence, and graze the paddock in strips. William loves grass and is looking tubby, must be the result of eating the apple twigs and the hay discarded by the sheep. It’s difficult to maintain the balance between too much grass and an area big enough for them to get enough exercise. A sunny day with a brisk wind, warm when sheltered from the wind; in a calmer moment a partridge walked along the top of the hedge towards the house. Added weights to the tarpaulin on top of the woodpile.

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Apple

The last of the apples went to the sheep, there are patches of long grass in the paddock they’re not keen on eating, mainly in the corners. Another frosty night with early morning fog, hope the apple and plum blossom survived. Planted a few tomatoes in the greenhouse, covered the oak woodpile with tarpaulin which will have to stay there for at least a year, dismantled the sheep hay feeder, there should be enough grass in the paddocks to last until autumn. A breezy day with sunshine and showers.

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May Day

The ancient festival of Spring, first celebrated by the Romans to honour the goddess of flowers – Flora, and more recently, the day village greens were opened after the winter. April nights have been frosty but summer is nearly here. The sheep are visited most days by the Bengal cat which sits on top of their shelter, Winnie is usually the first to make sure there’s nothing to worry about. A foggy start to a sunny, cloudy, chilly day with heavy rain showers.

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Drenched

Big raindrops fell soon after this photo was taken, once the hills on the horizon have disappeared the vale quickly fills with cloud and there’s not much time to get under cover. The garden and hedging needed the rain, the ground had cracked much like it does in late summer. Moved the tomatoes into the greenhouse ready for planting, the mizuna and rocket seedlings transplanted into one of the raised beds. A sunny end to a cool day.

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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.

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Pixie

Pixie is a big fluffy ball of wool just waiting for the shearer, tidier than Bianca who is shedding stylish strands just like dreadlocks. All the sheep were sitting in the morning sunshine chewing the cud before the rain arrived, Walter tidied up Pixie by eating any available hay from her fleece. Finished preparing the greenhouse for the tomatoes, all the pots have a spadeful of worm casts from the wormery in the bottom, the wind increased at lunchtime and the temperature dropped so didn’t move the plants in to acclimatise. A rainy end to the day with waterbutts filling ok.

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Grass Cutting

Before the rain that’s been promised for tonight, the grass has had it’s first cut of the year, the meadow strip has been left to grow wild and has meadow cress mixed in with the buttercups and thistles. Finished part of the driveway, it’s ready for a load of scalpings to be delivered. Planted a few of the sunflowers outside in a warm corner, started the framework of canes in the greenhouse ready for the tomatoes and cucumbers. The donkeys have just about eaten all the grass in the bottom paddock so will soon move into the square, the sheep will move into willow. A sunny start to a cloudy day that turned colder, lit the woodburner.

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Feeding Time

William paused in the avenue to look at the sheep over the fence while they had their hay. Fresh straw, warm water, apple sticks and a mug full of vitamins were waiting for him and Toby at the stable, as usual. Interesting cycle along the Sika Trail in Wareham Forest, slight delay when I caught the handlebars in a bramble loop and promptly fell off! Thankfully, no damage done and the ride continued with a coffee stop and then an ice cream at the Quay. Watered some of the hedge and the beans and the sunflowers in the greenhouse. A cold start to a sunny day with a chilly wind, no rain, water butts are nearly empty.

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Happy Birthday Blog

Started a year ago today, the blog is still going! There have been some changes over the months; this bottom paddock has been divided in two and with regular grazing by the sheep there are no buttercups in flower, and no rain for the last month means the grass is shorter as well. Adjusted all the gates so that they can be opened and closed with one hand, the stock wire on on of them needs raising as it’s dragging on the ground, the sheep are too big to be able to wriggle underneath. Pint in the garden at The Bennett Arms, a lovely sunny day with a chilly wind and misty sunset.

2021
2020
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Donkeys

In the lower paddock on a lovely sunny day, they watched the tractor drive in through the gate, down to the bottom paddocks and up to the pile of logs waiting to be split. It was a few hours before the tractor left and they could walk down the avenue. Stacked all the logs ready for use in a couple of year’s time, they’re already drier than wood from a healthy tree so could be used sooner. Cycle ride towards Hambledon Hill and back through West Orchard, a warm day with a moderate cooling breeze so no fleece required.

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Hedge

Starting to thicken out in places, the hornbeam is doing well with the beech following on later. Would be good to let the sheep in to eat the grass but they’d eat the hedge as well so that’s not an option. Moved a couple of barrowloads from the compost heap to help feed the hedge and retain water when it rains – promised for a week’s time. Gathered together all the logs for splitting, watered the raised beds and the seeds in the greenhouse. The runner bean seeds are up, not sure what happened to the French beans so have sown them again. A sunny day with a cold wind from the east.

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Ouessants

Grazing happily in the sunshine, the gate was opened later in the afternoon to allow them to nibble at both paddocks and use the arcs as well as the corner shelter for shade. Cycled from Pamphill to the golf club for coffee, all the hedges at the roadside are trimmed very neatly and some are growing new leaves, but not all – they need rain. Collected four straw bales for the donkeys, the farm is optimistically cutting grass and are also desperate for rain, there’s none in the forecast for the next week, we’ve had less than a fifth of the monthly average. A fine sunny day with light winds.

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Poo

Toby taking an interest in his sample, William has a bag of his own and both have been sent off to the Donkey Sanctuary for testing, the amount of worms in the sample will determine the quantity of medicine required. Historically, Toby has a greater worm burden than William but we’ll find out what the result is in a week or so. Bianca is running around the paddock so no more purple spray required. Stacked wood, moved woodchip, collected more rubble. Bought a salt lick for the donkeys. A lovely spring day with light winds and a hazy sunset. Beer on the terrace.

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Jessie

Sitting watching the donkeys and sheep in the bottom paddocks until disturbed; a neighbours cat has started wandering around, she likes to walk towards the donkeys on the yard and then rolls over before moving just beyond the fence. Toby puts his nose through the rails and sees a paw moving quickly towards him so backs off, and then there’s more rolling over from the cat! William then takes his turn at the rail, with the same result, they could become firm friends. Finished moving the pile of woodchip, stacked the rest of the logs. A sunny day with a fresh chilly wind.

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Balloon

At sunset, the first of the year to travel along the vale, climbing and then descending over the hill towards Shaftesbury, would have been cold as the temperature drops quickly at the end of the day. Bianca has stopped limping and is still shedding her fleece, the shearer isn’t due to arrive until June so there are a few weeks to go before she loses the lot! Six water butts are empty and the ground is starting to crack, need rain to invigorate the new leaves, having to water the greenhouse and the new plants in the border. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Bianca

Limping in the paddock this morning so rugby tackled and upended, four feet cleaned and trimmed and an dose of purple spray applied to each one. Still limping this afternoon, may take a couple of days to cure, she’s started shedding her fleece. Watered the hedge early, in the shade the hose was filled with ice, melted ok in the sun. Released the fresh green leaves sprouting on the young hedge plants, if they stay in the rabbit proof plastic wraps they overheat, turn brown and fall off. A very warm spring day with blue skies and sunshine with a bright orange sunset.

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Sunflowers

Potted on, and in the greenhouse with the beans and the parsley, a warm day so both the vents opened. Lots of bees and wasps around the ceanothus and wisteria, they’re not flowering yet but must still be an attraction. An orange tipped butterfly was out and about round the border and the nettles in the ditch. Watered the raised beds, currants and rhubarb. A group of hang glider enthusiasts circled round Hambledon Hill, mirroring the flight of the buzzards over the field. A cool start to a lovely spring day with light winds, didn’t light the woodburner.

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Blackcurrants

Have replaced the rhubarb in the border by the hedge and will produce clusters of fruit from June until August, have added a few redcurrant plants as well. There’s an increase in the number of flies on the poo picked from the paddocks so the cold nights aren’t stopping them multiplying, the sheep have been dosed so are protected from fly strike, and the donkeys are having a daily application of citronella spray. Lunch in the marquee at The Baker Arms, a cold sunny start to the day with a fresh easterly breeze.

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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.

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Plum Tree

So far the blossom has survived the frost, a profusion of white petals that are ahead of the leaves, the adjacent fishpond is full of toad tadpoles and hungry fish, the daffodils are mostly over for this year but the primroses are still in full flower. Stacked logs, raked the woodchip, fixed the gutter on the back of the stable. The sheep and donkey poo is attracting flies, a good reason to remove it from the paddock, it will help reduce the faeces worm count and subsequent medication. A sunny start to a cool day with light winds and the occasional shower.

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Ouessants

Running up the paddock in the sunshine for a handful of treats, they spent most of the day in the shade under their shelter, another reason to run is to be alongside the donkeys when they come back to the stable for the night. The first house martins swooped round the stable eating the insects, no sign of the swallows which must be here as well. A hard frost overnight helped form a ribbon of fog down in the vale which took a couple of hours to lift, the morning was warm and sunny with temperatures dropping as the chilly wind from the east moved in.

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Oak Rounds

These need to be much smaller, will have get someone in to do it as I’ve never used a log splitter, it’ll double the size of the pile behind the fence, I think. Spread some of the woodchip on the rose bed, raked the remaining pile around to let out some of the heat. Cycle ride from Shroton to Sturminster Newton for coffee, and back through Child Okeford, 14 miles of country lanes and trailway in a moderate cooling wind with some sunshine, followed by chips at The Cricketers. The donkeys and sheep spent the day out in the paddocks eating grass and chewing on branches. A lovely sunset.

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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.

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Oak

The tree that dominated the view from behind the stable has been cut down to it’s lower limbs, all of them are hollow and some have worms working at the very top of what’s left. The limbs have flattened tops and horizontal perching places, and an owl box has been fixed in the centre, the nesting hole faces south and encourages any inquisitive owl to fly in over the open field. The box may become home to a sparrow hawk or kestrel and if not then maybe a pigeon! There’s a big pile of logs that need stacking and seasoning ready for the woodburner in two years time, and the woodchip will be spread around the garden. A cloudy day with sunny spells, variable temperatures and moderate winds.

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Different Paddock

The bottom paddock still has some grass but the small paddock by the stable with the mound the sheep love so much is looking bare and brown so they have been moved into the square paddock to allow it to rest and rejuvenate. To help them settle in they have a new apple branch and although it was cut weeks ago the buds are still bursting through the bark, the water trough has been cleaned as well. The shelter in the bottom corner needs the roof raising to make poo picking easier and the ground could be leveled at the same time. A cloudy cool day with some warming sunshine later.

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Driveway

Making good progress towards the final few square metres, several loads collected and spread around, the edges are almost finished, the first real test will be tomorrow when the tree surgeon drives over it. Fixed a couple of narrow planks to the bottom of the owl box ready for fixing in the oak tree, watched the kestrel hunting above the field, after a few minutes it was chased away by a couple of crows. Groomed the donkeys, William’s bald patches are improving as he starts to shed his coat. A bright cold cloudy day, warmer when in the sunshine and out of the brisk wind.

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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.

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First Bluebells

Lovely seven mile walk from Tarrant Gunville to Ashmore for coffee by the pond, sat on the aquafer bench and returned through the bluebell wood. The hint of blue will turn into a carpet over the next few weeks and blend with purple violets and white wood anenomes before the tree canopy closes overhead and blocks out the sunlight. Lots of wildlife and birds around including a herd of deer, buzzards, skylarks and owls. A frosty, cold, sunny day with a moderate and gusty chilly wind, snow showers late afternoon with a pale crimson sunset, still light at 8.15pm.

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Tadpoles!

I’m very happy to say I was wrong about the toad spawn, there are lots of tadpoles in the pond, all being ignored by the fish who are bigger than last year and prefer the pelleted food. The strings of spawn must have been laid lower down in the water, out of sight in the elodea. The water is clean and clear with some weed growing on the waterfall. Friends came over to talk with the sheep and donkeys and stayed for lunch, which was lovely. A sunny day with a cold persistent wind and a pale orange sunset.

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Oak

Lovely calm spring morning across the vale, may have had a frost, not sure. The sun was up early and shone all day, a breeze at lunchtime cooled the temperature but late afternoon was glorious. Watered the seedlings in the greenhouse, the automatic openers were working so opened the side vents. Dug up two buckets of dandelions and planted three new azaleas, snowdrops and bluebells. The first carrots are showing, sowed land cress and cos lettuce in the raised bed and runner beans in pots. The animals were happy in the paddock. Beer and crisps on the terrace at dusk.

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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.

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Blackthorn

There are clouds of blossom all over the branches, should be a bumper crop of sloes in the autumn but in the meantime the bees are making the most of the nectar and pollen, the foliage appears later. A lovely sunny afternoon after a cold start, the sheep and donkeys chased about in the paddocks. Herds of cows have been let out onto the grass in adjoining fields, they’ve been kept inside since before Christmas so will be enjoying their freedom. Sowed French Bean and Runner Bean seeds, the tomato plants are doing ok and the cucumbers look good as well. Repotted a few parsley plants, would be good if it self seeded. A warm end to the day.

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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.

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Mackerel

Named after the sky, her tummy has the same markings, likes to hunt mice and roams around and about the paddocks and the edge of the compost heap. A few bags of rubble dropped off on the driveway, it’s been widened a little and will now be edged with lumps of oak and surplus fencing posts. Donkeys and sheep spent the day in the paddocks; collected four bales of straw, the grass should be sufficient for the sheep if the weather stays warm so didn’t get any hay. The Robin is still sitting on the nest, no eggs yet. Blackthorn blossom nearly out. A cloudy warm day with light winds.

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Hellebores

Survived the frosts and strong winds very well, full of buds and flowers, alongside Cornus, Primrose’s and Pulmonaria. Cleaned the stable, discarded all the straw and cleaned the floor with Hibiscrub, most of the cobwebs and dust removed from the walls and ceiling, drinker washed out, the chaff mixed with dirt had gathered in the corners so they needed to be scraped several times. Looks a lot better, needed to be done before the warm weather settles, maybe it will help William’s itchy patches, he had a dilute Hibiscrub wash followed by an application of Sudocrem. A very warm and sunny day with light winds so shorts and polo shirt instead of fleeces.

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Female Robin

Incubating eggs just outside the garage, and very hard to see unless you know she’s there, most noticeable are her orange cheeks and her tail sticking up against the wall; the nest is in a tray that forms part of the hose pipe holder and is about three feet off the ground. The plank was put there a few weeks ago, singled out for use on a not yet built sheep activity centre, so maybe that’s why it’s a relatively safe place to be; sheltered from the wind and rain by the overhanging garage roof. Incubation of the eggs will take 13 days and fledglings take a few weeks to become independent. A misty start to a very sunny and warm day.

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Sheep

Grazing together in oak paddock, lower down the bank out of the strongest gusts of wind, it blew a gale all day under dark skies, the sun and a patch of blue did break through at lunchtime but soon disappeared, the hills all but hidden in low cloud. Planted redcurrants and blackcurrants and sowed mangetout seeds, all the sunflower seedlings are poking through the compost and some of the nasturtiums. Smudge is pretty much his usual self, going out and about and eating normally again. The donkeys stayed near the shelter of the stable and ate apple twigs. A cool end to the day with a promise of warmer days to come.

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British Summer Time

Today we have an extra hour of daylight in the evening which will last until late October when the clocks change back. The hyacinths were planted in the garden after flowering indoors in 2019, they put on a colourfull show despite the frost and wind and complement the primroses. Enjoyed a sunny cycle ride from Pamphill, one of the trackways was very muddy and narrow which required some concentration to avoid too many wobbles. A sunny windy day with late cloud and falling temperatures, too wet for the donkeys to be out on grass after heavy overnight rain, they watched as the sheep ran down to the laneside paddock.

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Straw

Collected three bales of yellow wheat straw for the donkeys and one bale of soft green hay for the sheep, the grass is starting to grow in the paddocks so this may be the last bale of hay until the winter. Lovely dry cycle through Farnham and the Gussages with coffee and a sausage roll at Chettle with super views across newly ploughed fields, it started raining just as the bike was put on the car. Fed the fish, no sign of any toad spawn, perhaps there won’t be any this year. A wet end to a cloudy sunny day.

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Smudge

Needed a visit to the vet as his face was swollen and red round his whiskers, a few hours later he’d had three teeth removed and his ears cleaned. He always shakes his head and then wobbles about a bit so hoping his balance will have improved, definitely not too steady on his feet when he came out of the cat basket, he slept for twelve hours and then went out for ten minutes before having a wash and falling asleep again. No doubt he’ll liven up over the next few days, I’m not sure Poppy missed him! Fish and chips from the van in Child Okeford. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.

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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.

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Seeds

The tomato seeds are an inch or so high, using the mole hill soil mixed with vermiculite didn’t work out very well, the soil had too high a proportion of clay and stayed too wet so the plants have been repotted in compost. the sunflowers are just poking through the compost. Sowed Blue Lake climbing beans and green courgettes, the beans are in the greenhouse, everything else is cluttering up the utility room. The donkeys and sheep spent their day grazing the paddocks. A sunny day with a cold wind and a lovely sunset.

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Ouessants

Running for home and their afternoon hay after spending the day in the laneside paddock. The view across the lane continues to improve as the hedge is thinned and fencing finished, the light is much brighter in the mornings, picked up some tree off-cuts that will be stored and seasoned for a couple of years before burning. All the activity in the field gives the donkeys something to watch before they walk down to the paddock. Collected slate chippings and pushed a few of the willow whips into the ground. A chilly start to the day with sunshine and a glorious sunset.

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Willow and Alder

Collected stems of bright stemmed Alba Britzensis (Coral Bark Willow) and Alder from Castle Cary, the alder will be eaten by the donkeys, the willow given to them in smaller amounts so that they don’t overdose on the naturally occurring aspirin. Will push some of the whips into the ground to supplement the hedges, they’ll root easily if the soil remains wet for a few weeks. Planted rhubarb in the largest pots available, good roots so given enough water should produce lots of tasty stems. The donkeys and sheep were all out in the paddocks, a mild sunny day with light winds.

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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.

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Spring

Vernal equinox, which means the sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of equal length, this is the start of spring for most, the birds are nesting, the days definitely feel warmer and the wind is less abrasive. A pair of partridges stayed in the garden most of the day and a pheasant has adopted a routine that includes the stable and the paddocks, it takes little notice of sheep, donkeys or humans and walks and scratches about talking to itself. The first rhubarb crown was moved a month or so ago, have dug up the rest and will plant them in large pots, the ground was too dry where they were under the hedge. A cloudy sunny day with light winds.

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Vaccination

The sheep need protection from various diseases of the kidney and gut so an injection of Heptavac is recommended every year, it’s administered at the same time as a stripe of liquid Clik along their backs which guards against fly strike. The pink Clik stripe is repeated again a couple of weeks after shearing to give protection until the end of the summer. The sheep didn’t seem to mind being confined and then treated one by one, and were soon back grazing in their paddock. Collected more rubble and widened the driveway a little. Fed the fish, no toadspawn yet. A mild sunny day with light winds and a deep orange sunset.

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Garlic

Doing well in the raised beds, the elephant garlic has more space than the softneck, both varieties store well so the harvest in August should last most of the following year. Sowed sunflower, carrots, pumpkin, cucumber and lobelia seeds. Potted on the parsley plants sown six months ago, there’s a big difference between the plants, not sure why some are twice the size of others when they’ve all been treated in the same way. A cloudy start to the day with warm sunshine later, didn’t wear gloves first thing although the poo picker and wheelbarrow handles did feel quite cold.

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Ouessants

They spent the day grazing in the laneside paddock before coming home for their hay, Winnie, Walter and Digby ran over to investigate a fresh apple branch in the late afternoon sunshine. Enjoyed a lovely walk from Pamphill, fringing the River Stour to Walford Mill for coffee, the ground is drying out and the river has dropped so the swans should soon start nesting. Levelled rubble, have been offered some willow for the donkeys so will collect that later in the week, hope the ground will be firm enough to let them out into the paddock tomorrow. A wet start to the day with moderate winds.

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Driveway

Delivery of three tipper truck loads of mixed rubble should take the driveway to the paddock gate, not sure it’ll reach the straw. The area already leveled stood up to the weight of the truck very well, only the last yard suffered and sank a little, so more reinforcement required. William was spooked by the first batch arriving and was calmer for the other two loads, Toby just watched from a safe distance. The surface to the paddock gate needs to be finished by the end of the month so that the tree surgeon can drive round to the oak tree. A warmer day with moderate winds and no rain despite dark clouds arriving late afternoon.

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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.

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Oak

A cold wind accompanied the squally showers that peppered the day, William and Toby stood out in the hail and carried the stones on their backs for an hour or more before they melted. The vale is filling with water and the spring in laneside is running into the ditch, no time in the paddocks for the sheep or donkeys, just too many puddles. The buds on the lilac are swelling and the elephant garlic shoots are a few inches above the bulb, trying to catch up with the softneck Marco Polo planted a month earlier, they need these cold nights to trigger splitting into cloves.

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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.

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Grooming

Not exactly grooming, more eating the hay off each other; Pixie likes burying her head in the hay bucket and doesn’t take it out until she’s ready, so her head ends up covered, Walter likes to be king of the castle so they often play there and pause to pick the bits off each other. Did the weekly collection of bales of straw and hay, the donkeys definitely prefer wheat to barley. No damage from the very high winds, the water butts are all tied to something, the two on the greenhouse are the most vulnerable but they were ok. Dodged the showers and poo picked the paddocks, tasty fish and chips from the van in Child Okeford.

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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!

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Copper Bowl

Left in a bag of general purpose granular fertilizer for the winter, the copper has grown an array of bright crystals that are various shades of blue, white and purple, the fertilizer has been thrown on the garden in anticipation of a few days rain and warming temperatures, the water butt used mainly for washing down the stable yard is empty for the first time this year. Collected more rubble for the driveway, the current pile being given away is quite large so the owner has offered to deliver it on a tipper truck which would be great. A frosty start to a lovely sunny day, the first time this year that I’ve been too hot working in the garden and had to change into shorts and a polo shirt for a few hours.

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Owl Box

Made locally from weatherproof ply it’s a bit larger than I expected but I guess there has to be room for a pair of owls and their chicks. It’ll be put in the oak tree once the top leafy branches have been removed so not sure it’ll be used this year, the ground is drying out so the tree surgeons truck may be able to get in and out at the end of the month. Sowed cut and come again lettuce and basil in a few pots for the windowsill. A cold, bright, frosty start to the day, lovely in the sun, chilly in the wind.

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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.

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Bianca

Ahead of Winnie through the gate, leading the run up to the hay feeder at sunset, which is unusual, Winnie must have been distracted by something….? Bianca has a streak of lanolin under both eyes so is easily recognisable. The sheep spent the day in the lane paddock and they watched the donkeys as they wandered down the avenue to the fallen oak, taking their time and grazing as they went. Moved several barrowloads of black compost onto the budding hedge, it’s full of worms and will help keep the moisture in the ground. Raked the raised bed, not warm enough for sowing carrots. A sunny day with a chilly wind.

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Sunshine

A lovely sunny start to the day with blue sky and light winds, the sheep are still enjoying the fringe of greener grass and escaped for a time into the garden. Soon coaxed back with hay they wanted to explore and run around somewhere new. The owl box has arrived, it’ll be positioned in the oak tree with its entrance away from the prevailing winds once the tree has been cut, the lower limbs are hollow so the higher branches must be removed. Light by six in the morning, the flower buds on the wisteria are starting to fatten. Another vivid orange sunset.

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Fresh Grass

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.

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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.

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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.

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Home Time

Winnie looking through the paddock gate, wanting to lead the rest of the flock up to their shelter and the recently filled hayrack. The donkeys enjoyed the grass in the paddock and took little notice of the hedge cutting in the field the other side of the lane. The new trees have had their protection refitted, it had to be removed to clear the grass from around their trunks, a layer of mulch from the compost heap will help settle the soil. A chilly start to the day, warmer once the mist cleared and the sun came out. The sky glowed bright red at sunset.

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Rhododendron Ferrugineum

First flower of the year, this evergreen is also known as the ‘rusty leaved alpine rose’ because of the brown spots on the underside of its leaves. The frosts made it wilt and the sun has made it shine and blossom. Collected bags of pea gravel for the driveway topping and emptied a barrow-full of compost from the heap onto the hedge. A peacock butterfly was out and about in the border, the nettles they like are only a few inches high, heard the woodpecker tapping. A misty start to a sunny day, light winds and an orange sunset.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Owl Barn

Saved by public appeal, a barn that’s next to the trailway running from Sturminster Newton to Blandford, this used to be the railway line, now it’s a cycle route. The barn owl was out and about in the field behind. Found four thistles large enough for the donkeys to eat and the goose grass is growing steadily so should be ready to pull in a couple of weeks. Levelled the mole hills, used the excess soil to fill in the gouges left by the donkeys when they ran round the paddock. Collected a load of rubble for the driveway. A very windy mild day with some sunshine and the occasional shower.

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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.

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Seeds

Sorted the numerous packets of seeds, these will probably be the first to be sown. Have collected a few mole hills from the bottom paddock and left the soil in pots in the greenhouse to warm up, it’ll be mixed with some compost for the seed trays. Carrots and outdoor lettuce will be sown in the raised beds which need to have their covers removed and be raked several times to give a fine crumbly surface. The trees and hedging on the other side of the lane have been cut in half to reveal the hills to the north-east, should give an earlier view of the sunrise. A wet start with increasing sunshine and light winds, the end of the day was warm.

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Winnie and Nola

The sheep ran down to the bottom paddock for a few hours of grazing fresh grass, remembering the route from yesterday; as the sun set they lined up along the fence ready to run back up to their shelter for their hay. Picked up more leathery oak leaves, in the wetter patches the grass needs to see the sunshine and the leaves gather together in piles to block out the light. The water lilies are unfurling new leaves under the water in the pond, fed the fish a few pellets, no sign of toad spawn. A mild cloudy day with light winds and a brief spell of sunshine.

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Witch Hazel

Growing in a very windy spot and flowering better this year than last the yellow bronze flowers will produce fruiting pods that mature and explode, scattering their seeds, in October or November. Collected oak leaves from the bottom paddock, the sheep followed the wheelbarrow down and enjoyed nibbling fresh grass for an hour or so in strengthening winds. A squall sent them back to their shelter encouraged by a bucket of hay. The donkeys watched from their stable, just too wet for them to be on the grass. A wet day with late sunshine and a bright sunset.

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Bianca

Managed to get a photo during the running and jumping keep fit session, all the sheep join in although Nola is the least energetic, Walter and Digby lead the charge with a pogo and sidekick routine that may or may not involve Pixie, and includes head butting anyone who wants to meet them square on. Disassembled the small area of paddock formed by the electric fencing, the donkeys aren’t interested in going in there and it is very boggy. A lot of rain overnight and a wet start and end to a mild day.

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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.

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Silver Birch

Planted here to provide shade for the straw area and the small paddock in the summer the first tree didn’t survive so this replacement is a year older and has a much better root system. Doubly protected from the sheep it should straighten up as it grows taller. A poplar was planted in the lower paddock where it should thrive in the puddles. The movers were collected for their annual service, the ride-on was used to control large areas of buttercups in the paddocks so the cutters definitely need sharpening. A very wet, mild, day with some breaks in the cloud, light until after six o’clock.

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Nola

Standing away from the flock some of the time, drinking more than usual and not eating unless fed by hand, Nola was upended and checked over. Nothing unusual, cleaned and trimmed her feet and applied the purple spray. Happy to eat from the bucket afterwards and much livelier this afternoon, so not sure what that was about, just wanted some personal attention, maybe? Added donkey poo to the bank in the meadow strip, would be good to sow flowers along the top once it’s rotted down. Everywhere still very soggy underfoot, heavy rain last night and a cloudy mild day with the occasional sunny spell.

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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.

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Greenhouse

The shelving has been in its box for the last six months so it’s good to get it off the floor and bolted to the frame, it’ll give the greenhouse a bit more stability in the strong winds and there’ll be lots of room to store all those essentials! The last of the trays can be taken out and the glass cleaned ready for this year’s tomatoes and cucumbers, a trowelful of the casts from the wormery will go in the bottom of all the pots. Cold driving ran all day, two wet donkeys mooched about near their stable and the sheep stayed in their shelter, a promise of sunshine tomorrow.

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Blandford Wood

Circular route from Durweston through Bonsley Common and back past the Mill, a few snowdrops along the way, bluebell leaves starting to push through the fallen leaves. Stopped for coffee and cake at the top of Shillingstone Hill. The water was flowing over the weir at the Mill but the pond was covered in a layer of ice, unusual for it to freeze, there was a slow ripple of movement beneath. The donkeys stayed in and around their stable, the sheep out and about as usual. A very cold day, slightly warmer out of the wind, sleet and snow showers in the afternoon.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Icicles

All the water butts have icicles, the ice has forced the stoppers up a little so the water can slowly seep out. The water troughs in the paddock needed de-icing three times during the day and were topped up with hot water at dusk, not sure how long they’ll stay defrosted overnight. Keeping a watering can full of water in the greenhouse for the first water boiling of the day. The donkeys stayed close to their stable, the sheep preferred to stay outside and chew the cud in the frosted grass. Snow in the morning with a raw wind that strengthened in the afternoon.

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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.

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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.

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Ouessants

Chewing the cud in the morning, all the sheep sitting on a south facing slope in the sunshine on a frosty morning. Cut and bagged the chewed and bark-less apple wood for storing and burning in a couple of years time, it’ll mature in the shed. Moved hurdles down to the bottom paddock ready for the sheep moving there in a few weeks time, the acorns are still in the grass. Set up the wildlife camera outside the garage, there’s a birds nest, maybe the wren or a robin, hope to get some pictures. A mild sunny day, warmest of the year so far, forecast is for snow tonight!

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Cycle Ride

Along country lanes and through Child Okeford past drifts of snowdrops in the hedgerows. Stopped for coffee and cake at the Owl Barn and lucky to see the owl flying low over the field and moving from post to post, it must be hungry to be out at midday. Started later than intended to avoid a downpour and finished the ride in bright sunshine, lots of puddles, debris and potholes to avoid. Collected a few more bags of rubble for the driveway, the donkeys sand sheep had apple to eat, the D’Arcy Spice are keeping well. The day ended with another lovely sunset.

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Workshop

Looking better after a tidy up; the number of bales can be kept in single figures as there’s a year-round supplier of wheat straw and hay within five miles, so collecting four or six of what’s needed every couple of weeks shouldn’t be a problem. The hay is really soft and green and the sheep like it a lot, the wheat straw is golden and quiet tough so the donkeys prefer it to barley straw. Fitted bristle to the bottom of the doors to stop the rain driving underneath as the edges of the workshop are a bit damp, the donkeys noticed the new sweeping sounds. Heavy rain to start and end the day with fog and drizzle in between.

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Earthworms

This worm when it stretched out to move along was nearly a foot in length, it was on the edge of the hard standing where the soil is rich with manure and leaf litter, could be a Blackheaded Anecic? The new hay feeder stood up to the wind ok overnight and the sheep were running around enjoying their usual pogo / headbutt routine by the woodpile. Moved a rhubarb crown to a large pot by the greenhouse, it was planted between the hedge and an apple tree so was starved of light and water most of the year, hope it does better in the pot, have a couple more to move. A rainy start to the day with some sunshine and a lovely sunset.

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Hay Feeder

An addition to the original sheep shelter the hay feeders are attached to a hurdle and protected from the rain with perspex sheeting and a sheet of onduline roofing. A little confusing for the sheep who tried to eat the hay from the wrong side of the clear perspex sheet. A quantity of bailer twine was used to make sure the sheets didn’t blow away in the wind. Emptied a couple of layers of worm casts into a compost tray, over the next couple of weeks the worms will congregate in a lump in a corner and be returned to the wormery, the casts will be used in the bottom of the tomato pots. A windy but mizzly drizzly day.

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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.

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Hay

Straw is too tough for the sheep to eat so they have a big bucket of hay between them twice a day to supplement the grass. More rain overnight so the spring is still running into the ditch and the puddles in the paddock are getting even bigger. Cut up the smaller branches from the oak tree to be stored and burnt as kindling in two years time, the rest went in the bin. The woodpeckers were on the lawn and a pair of pheasants were chasing round the borders. Didn’t spend much time outside, snow flurries most of the day with a cold biting wind.

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Wrench

All the fence strainers in the paddocks seem to have moved slightly so both hands are needed to open the gates, not ideal as always moving things around or carrying a poo picker. Invested in this wrench to adjust the nuts and bolts and so far it’s done the job easily, two gates done, ten to go. More torrential rain overnight, the donkeys stayed in their stable until breakfast time. The sheep must have spent the night in their arcs as the ground inside was well trodden and muddy, moved the arcs to fresh ground in one of the drier moments. A mizzly drizzly day with a freshening cold wind and falling temperatures.

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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.

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Sleepy Sheep

Chewing the cud must be exhausting as Bianca and Pixie both had a proper sleep afterwards, Winnie is usually the first to lead off, she and Digby are still happy to settle a little further away from the others in the flock. Nola has been bleating on and off all day and moved to the bottom end of the paddock; the sheep in the field across the ditch took some notice but didn’t reply, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong, nothing untoward is happening in the ditch or the lane. Heavy rain overnight means the Vale is starting to flood, a mild showery day with increasing winds.

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Sunset

Dramatic skies over the hills have everything; low cloud, rain and blue skies, paddock rails bathed in winter sun. A pair of woodpeckers spent half an hour feeding on the frost free lawn and the pheasants passed through on their way to the discarded stable straw in search of grain. Emptied more rubble bags onto the driveway. The spring is running into the ditch, paddocks too wet for the donkeys and the sheep are starting to forge favourite pathways to and from the hay feeders and their arcs. A milder dry day with light winds and rain later.

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Ouessants

The snow lingered in places, very frosty overnight with ice outside the stable which needed salt, the concrete doesn’t get any sun at this time of year. The Ouessants munched their hay happily and poo picking yielded a lot less as it was hidden in the snow. The donkeys had a couple of hours in the square paddock which is still squelchy, the spring in the ditch has stopped running. Emptied more barrow loads of compost onto the hedge, a dry cube of grass cuttings in the centre of the heap has given way to more worm laden compost. A sunny day with light winds, gave the donkeys their mix in daylight.

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Snow

Almost an inch overnight, it didn’t last long in the sunshine although some has lingered in the shade. The donkeys were spooked by the sound of scrunching snow underfoot, it does have a peculiar sound so maybe they’d not heard it before, they had a couple of hours on the patch of grass by the stable before their daily cup of vitamin mix. The sheep carried on as usual, eating the hay and visiting their de-iced water trough after a couple of minutes at the mineral lick. The spring is running in to the ditch again, must decide how best to measure the flow rate. A cloudy end to the day with sleet showers.

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Scratching Post

Smudge always walks to this dead tree whenever he goes outside, he likes to keep his claws nice and sharp, it’s main purpose is to keep the front gate open so I’m not sure how long it’ll be before it needs replacing. Checked the ditch, spring not flowing, ferried a few more barrowloads of compost from the heap to the hedgerow. Watched the rooks swooping around as the shoot scared the wildlife in the field on the other side of the lane. A frosty start to the day, early sunshine and light winds replaced with increasing cloud and falling temperatures with a promise of snow overnight.

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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.

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Meadow Strip

Gave the sheep the opportunity of fresh grazing in the meadow strip, herding them there was less straightforward, they missed the pen made of hurdles and headed up towards the top paddock gate, the idea was to allow them to graze grass without nibbling the new hedge. Managed to get round them while they grazed and they were soon in the allotted area but they didn’t settle and bleated and head butted each other until they were released and happily trotted back to their paddock. Moved a few barrowloads of compost from the heap; checked the ditch which needs more work to clear debris, spring still running. A cooler day with light winds and no rain.

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Ditch

Looked too full of water this morning, the paddocks all drain down into it so decided to clear a couple of downstream dams made of a few years of acorns, branches and brambles. Cleared the dams and then discovered a small trickle of water half way up the bank. Digging increased the water rate until a real gusher was cascading down into the ditch, hoped more digging of the bank under the fence would reveal a drainage pipe, but none discovered yet. There is a deep hole in the clay under the paddock out of which water is flowing, so maybe it’s a rising spring, had to clear the ditch several times to let clay and water run away into the lane. A two sets of waterproofs day with strong winds.

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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.

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Daffodil

The first to brighten the garden, this Narcissus has it’s back to the south facing wall and is in the shelter of the hedge, it survives the attention of nibbling animals when food is short because it contains poisonous alkaloids. Removed another rail so that compost can be removed from the front of the big heap, it looks really good, crumbly, and smells fresh, with a layer of leaf litter on top. A brilliant orange sky started the day and the sunshine was really warm for a couple of hours before the cloud increased, started to rain at dusk.

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Waiting

For their morning hay, the sheep come up the paddock towards the stable as soon as they hear gates opening and closing, Winnie usually heads the charge with a lot of bleating. Walked the donkeys down to the fallen oak paddock where they chased each other around, braying and kicking up their heels before settling down to graze. The puddles have mostly drained away although the post hole by the compost heap is still full of water, rescued a ladybird which was floating about, put a brick in the hole to help them climb out next time. Warm in the morning sun, otherwise a cool day with a hazy sunset.

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Fresh Apple

The donkeys and sheep all love chewing apple branches and nibbling at the bark, so collected another load from a village a few miles away, the donkeys were the first to sample this variety and gave it the thumbs-up. Not sure the roof lining in the car will ever be the same, and there’s some of the remnants of straw bales collected earlier in the week. Emptied the last of the bags of rubble onto the expanding driveway and levelled a couple more yards, I thought the recent heavy rains would make it less firm to drive on, but it’s ok. Heavy rain overnight, the puddles in the paddock are getting bigger, a bright and breezy day with some sunshine.

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Bianca

One of her front hooves looked like it had split, there was a piece hanging to the side, almost detached, so upending required! It turned out that the lining on the outside of the hoof, the thickness of a nail, had grown very long and curled under and somehow been pulled sideways, it came off easily enough with a tug. Her other hooves had ‘curled under’ nails so cut all these level with the hoof with the dagging sheers, which did the job ok, and finished off with purple anti-bacterial spray. Must check the other sheep at some point, if they all need doing may invest in hoof trimmers. A colder, frosty, sunny day,

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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.

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Native Hedgerow

Planted in autumn 2019, the Field Maple trees, Hornbeam, Hazel and Beech hedging plants have had to withstand both drought and deluge, so twice weekly watering and having drainage ditches was vital. They’re budding now, so spring should mean a big difference in terms of new growth. A pair of Green Woodpeckers were yaffling their way down between the trees, coming back up and picking around on the lawn for ants, they particularly like licking the grubs out of the nest and have a long tongue that can loop round the back of their necks. A wet start and finish to a mild day.

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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.

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Pear Tree

Severely pruned to a more productive shape the tree is much more open and the idea is that a bird should have enough room to fly straight through, and it looks like this has been achieved. The cut branches and twiggy bits have been saved for the donkeys and sheep to eat, the lichen and bark are chewed to reveal a deep orange core. Moved the last of the compost out of one of the raised beds and started filling it with donkey poo; the compost will go back on top ready for planting carrots in a couple of months. A milder day with a brisk wind and the threat of rain; the cloud gave way to a stripy pink sunset.

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Ice

The water troughs in the paddocks are used by the donkeys and the sheep, so when the night has been cold the troughs need to be cleared of ice. This pile of ice is the result of two cold days / nights; it doesn’t melt away in the foggy day with temperatures only just above zero. Occasionally there are rooks and pigeons drinking, garden birds choose the smaller bird baths in the garden. The fish are resting at the bottom of the pond and have stopped eating, the waterfall is still running so there’s enough oxygen for them. A warmer day with some sunshine.

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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.

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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.

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Head Butting

Walter and Digby squaring up to each other with Bianca watching, they each take a few steps back before rearing up on their hind legs and charging at each other with heads down, the sound of skull crashing against skull is a bit alarming. The younger ones especially like to play this game every day, usually just before dusk, and not just the wethers, Pixie joins in and occasionally Nola. If the older sheep really want to interfere they approach from the side in defense of their offspring. A cold and cloudy overcast day with light winds, the woodburner was alight and roaring all day.

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Frost

The view down the paddock to the sheep where they’re having their daily portion of hay. The water supply to the tack room has been restored, the problem was actually in the joint below the tap where one of the washers was missing, the below zero night-time temperature was enough to stress the joint and result in a leak. Checking the water meter gave reassurance that there were no other problems, apparently a slow turn of the wheel every few seconds is normal. An easy remedy for the plumber who was wearing shorts and a t-shirt when he got out of his van! He soon put a hoodie on. A sunny cloudy day with a cold wind.

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Dagging

Relatively easy to lift up, Digby was first in the queue for dagging, having the soiled wool and dry poo cut from around his back end. All the sheep’s fleeces are four or five inches long now and as the wool grows it becomes dirtier in places so is best removed and used as a fertiliser in the garden Although they’re not keen on being upended the process doesn’t take long and once on their feet they like to come and watch the next in line and are then happy to eat hay from your hand – sheep don’t bear a grudge. A cloudy cold day with a brisk wind and some sunshine.

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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.

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Walter

The grass is really frosty except where the sheep have rested overnight and then it’s squashed flat and bright green. Walter has a frosty back because he stayed chewing the cud in the same place for a while, and has a fleece that’s a great insulator. Emptied more bags of rubble onto the drive which is progressing OK. The Woodpecker has been sitting up in the tree waiting for the ground to soften so that he can have his daily feed from the lawn. All the water troughs and bird baths needed de-icing and the basket next to the woodburner seems to need filling all the time, some of the stores have stayed dry which is good. A warmer end to the day.

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Hydrangea

With flowers still attached to protect from the frost it withstands the cold as does the Bergenia behind which wilts its huge leaves. The water tap in the tack room had frozen overnight and broken one of the connections underneath so as it thawed the water started to leak out. The water supply was turned off nearer to the house and the repair will have to wait for a plumber. As the water butts are all full this shouldn’t be too much of a problem as long as they don’t stay frozen. A very cold day with mist and light snow showers.

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New Years Day

A very cold foggy start to the day, and the frost lingered well past midday, never clearing in places. The sun helped raise the temperature for an hour or two but once past two o’clock it felt cooler again. The tap in the tack room had an icicle this morning and the stable yard was icy in places – all the drinking troughs were frozen over and had to be thawed. The donkeys had a few hours in the paddock and the sheep ate a couple of buckets of hay and didn’t mind whether they were in sun or shade. A clear sky at sunset with the mist rising in the valley. A very Happy New Year to all (both) my readers!

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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.

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Cycle

From Witchampton to Farnham and round the Gussages, about 20 miles. Groundwater levels are high after the recent rain so the fords were a step too far for bicycles and some of the ditches couldn’t cope with the volume of running water so the road became part of the ditch. Everyone made it through OK, we just kept peddling! The donkeys had to stay out of the wet paddock and eat straw and apple branches. A cold cloudy day, when the sun broke through the temperature lifted a few degrees.

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Tatty Bianca

Tatty was limping a little, looked like her front left hoof was painful so she was lifted off the ground and sat on her rump while her hooves were inspected. Apart from being a bit muddy they were all looked fine with no stones so a dose of the purple spray was administered to each hoof and she was soon enjoying the grass with the rest of the flock. Paddocks too wet for the donkeys so they stayed on the straw and hard standing, emptied a few more bags of rubble onto the driveway which held their attention for a few minutes. A cold cloudy day.

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Christmas Pudding

Made by sister and flamed with brandy, was soon eaten and tasted really good. The reindeer head on the wall usually looks really effective but has blurred a bit in this photo. Planted more hazel in the meadow strip to plump up the hedge, the Wren was flying about round the hornbeam and the Robin was watching to see what was changing, they’re all looking well fed and are singing well. Another deluge overnight so the donkeys couldn’t go out into the paddock, the puddles are quite obvious now and will take a few days to drain. A colder day with the odd sunny spell between showers.

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Poppy

Poppy is half Maine Coon so very fluffy, and at this stage of winter her fur gets tangled very easily, the ruff round her neck will have to be trimmed or she won’t be able to reach beyond it to groom herself properly, which isn’t easy without being scratched! The snow has nearly gone, a few piles are left where it blew under north facing hedges. Cold, misty drizzly rain most of the day so the hardstanding was easier to sweep. No time in the paddock for the donkeys, they did a bit of mutual grooming and had fresh apple branches. Puddles in the paddocks and the spring is running into the ditch again.

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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.

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Christmas Day

Walter became a reindeer for the day, sporting a lovely pair of antlers. The rest of the flock were very curious, he eventually lowered his head and shook them off. The donkeys were having no such adornment and spent a few minutes cantering round their paddock churning up the ground. William took hold of Toby’s mane and held on, showing his teeth, Toby didn’t appear to mind they just ran round together hoof by hoof. A bright and breezy day with a bright orange sunset last night.

Happy Christmas
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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.

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Willow

Blown off the big willow in the bottom paddock these twiggy branches are a treat for the donkeys, Toby especially likes to eat the smaller pieces with buds and come back for the larger pieces later. Any particularly desirable branches will be eaten by both donkeys in a tug of war moment. Moved the sheep arks higher up the paddock to a fresh area of grass near the hay feeder. Several Robins are sitting on top of the trees singing and the rooks are flying around calling to each other. A warmer sunny cloudy day with a couple of showers, fed the fish.

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Cycle

Along very muddy roads, drains clogged with hedge cuttings and soil from the fields, through very big puddles at Hammoon to Sturminster Newton and back through Child Okeford to Shroton for lunch. Lucky the rain eased off for a few hours before setting in again at dusk. The hay feeder in the sheep field needed more support for the roof after last nights rain. Another apple tree has been pruned so the donkeys had more sticks to nibble. Looks like the car needs a wash!

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Winter Solstice

A sunrise without rain, very welcome! The shortest day heralds the start of winter but as the days lengthen the sunshine will more than compensate for the the lower temperatures. The paddocks are saturated so colder temperatures and a frost would harden the ground, the donkeys were out for a couple of hours in the late afternoon for a bit of exercise. The latest bale of straw is not to their liking so it has a topping of barley straw to encourage them to eat. A sunny dry day with light winds.

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Apple

The Ouessants are getting a liking for apples, they come running when you go into their paddock, the only variety left for them to eat is the D’Arcy Spice and they’re stored in a dustbin in the workshop protected from any mice that may be interested. The donkeys ate half the new bale of straw opened for them yesterday, no steaming required! The pheasants and rooks like picking over the straw which is been thrown out of the donkey’s stable each day, there must be grain left to eat. Heavy rain all day.

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Hay Feeder Shelter

Mk II; the first shelter has an old fence panel for a roof and is staying in the lower paddock. A shelter is needed in willow so this new one uses two hurdles, has a corrugated bitumen sheet for a roof and it will have plastic sheeting at the sides to keep the hay in the feeder dry. More rain last night so soggy paddocks and no grass grazing for the donkeys. The good news is that William and Toby like a newly opened bale of the wheat straw they’ve previously rejected, and emptied their feeder last night. A very wet day with driving rain and low cloud over the hills.

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Poppy

Likes to drink water wherever she finds it and has learnt to look for this glass because it’s usually in the same place every night. Sunny bike ride for a couple of hours, including the muddy Sweet Briar, with a nice hot coffee at The Anchor. Moved the sheep arcs from the lower paddock, which is still saturated, to Willow, the sheep were curious about the new location and ran in and out of them to make sure they were ok. A cloudy start to the day before the sunshine broke through with a promise of more rain overnight.

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Desensitisation

William and Toby are very aware when people stand on the grass above the stable yard, it’s a metre or so higher than their viewpoint, it disturbs them and they start to circle around. So the plan is to introduce them to things they may not be familiar with and standing on a chair in the paddock may be a little different. In the event the donkeys are chilled, curious and calm. Heavy rain overnight followed by torrential rain, the waterproofs just about held out for the poo picking and were then hung above the boiler to dry out. Toby brayed in anticipation of the nightly feed. A cloudy sunset with the promise of sunshine tomorrow.

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Playing

It’s the time of year when the Christmas music books come out of the cupboard, a CD provides the orchestral backing track for the trumpet solo, hope the donkeys like hearing the result! The rain has made cleaning the hardstanding easier, it had developed a green tinge that is gradually disappearing with energetic sweeping a couple of times a day, and there’s no shortage of fresh water. Torrential rain overnight was followed by showers and occasional sunshine, no grazing in the paddock for the donkeys today.

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Corfe Castle

Bike ride in sunshine and showers from West Holme to Corfe Castle returning through Creech, some 17 miles. Soay sheep graze round the ruins of the Castle, originating from St Kilda they are extremely agile and traditionally take refuge on cliffs so the steep sides of the castle mound are ideal for them. Partly feral they don’t need shearing as their fleece is shed naturally in spring, very different from ouessants who crave company and need delicate shearing because they’re small. Overnight rain left a patchwork of puddles in the paddocks, a mild and sunny showery day.

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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.

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Elephant Garlic

Six big cloves are now in the bed next to the Marco Polo garlic which was planted five weeks ago, they sprouted quickly and are now six inches high, once harvested and dried they should keep for up to a year. These shallow beds were filled with compost for the strawberry plants but there were only enough plants to fill half the beds so there’s been lots of space available for the garlic. Collected the last load of rubble for a while, there are lots of bags to empty and the contents will need leveling. Heavy rain overnight followed by a sunny day with a chilly wind.

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Tyres

Two new tyres and tubes waiting to be fitted, it’s the end of the road for the old ones, not sure the donkeys will be interested in playing with them but will give it a try. The new ones are less mountain bike and more hybrid so will roll better on tarmac while giving reasonable grip on gravel and mud, I’ll be trying them out on Monday. Wheeled the bike into the paddock for the donkeys to see, they ran around for a while so left it there for a few hours before putting a few apple slices on the saddle. The donkeys weren’t scared of it then… A mild sunny cloudy day with light winds, more heavy rain overnight.

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Ouessants

Moved the sheep shelters to a different part of the fallen oak paddock where there is fresher grass, the sheep are sleeping in the shelters more often as the nights get colder and their footfall is creating a few tracks to and from their favourite places. They always enjoy a handful of sheep mix. The donkeys are eating steamed straw with a couple of slices of barley straw and ate a few leafy twigs from the top of the apple trees. Rain overnight meant watering of the new trees wasn’t necessary, a cloudy cool day with light winds. The owl was hooting at dusk.

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Driveway

Making progress towards the paddock gate, three more loads of rubble collected today and last week’s contributions leveled and driven on with no problems. William and Toby are eating more of their old straw, ferreting underneath the new barley straw which is on the top. A very cold cycle ride in mist with ice drops falling from the trees, difficult to keep hands and feet warm. A very welcome coffee stop half way round meant I could warm my gloves on a radiator. Sunshine for half an hour before dusk.

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Donkeys

William and Toby are still less than impressed with their wheat straw, they’ve been chewing at the big silver birch log and are still nibbling the rails and kickboards in the stable. My sister advised steaming the straw in a dustbin with a kettle of boiling water, and that has certainly helped. So today I bought two bales of golden barley straw and tonight they appear to be a little more enthusiastic about rummaging around in the feeder. A very cold day with persistent fog, the sun tried to break through but didn’t make it. The sheep had their usual portion of hay and an apple.

mde
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The Hunt

Turned on to the road ahead of me, dogs running around everywhere and barking with excitement, after a few hundred yards they turned right onto the bridleway. A wet and cold day to be out and about, I hope they had their thermals on, horse boxes were all over the place off-loading horses wanting to join in, and the gateways along the road each had a crowd of people watching and waiting for them to jump the hedges and chase across the fields. A cold day with sunny spells, a lot of rain overnight has led to soggy paddocks and squelchy pathways.

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Pixie

Always has her head in the bucket licking out the last pieces of hay or biscuits. The rest of the flock are off to eat the new strip of grass, they get very excited when the fence is moved. Hope it doesn’t result in runny poos as they’ve been ok for the last week. More rubble was delivered, nearly finished arranging the bottom edge, just the infill to sort out. The donkeys were spooked by the guys delivering some trees, took a while for them to settle, they’re still picking at their straw and have started eating the tops of the rails. A cold day with sleet showers.

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Birthday

I don’t always get a tree decorated for my birthday, it means I had somewhere to put my presents and cards before I opened them. Some more trees were delivered today, the guys spooked the donkeys with their post banging and a bit of hammering. Also had a delivery of rubble so double trouble, they’re picking at their straw, changed the batch in the feeder completely. A cold day with sleet showers.

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Advent Calendar

A bit different from the usual advent calendars, the contents are best eaten with a glass of port and a slice of fruit cake, just maybe not every day…. Early cycle this morning from Pamphill Green, along Sweet Briar, and past White Mill, wet and often muddy, the raindrops felt cold but fortunately the wind was light. Heated seats in the car essential! William and Toby are nibbling at their straw in the hope of something tastier, they still don’t look as if they’re losing weight. Cut a few apple tops for them. A sunny end to the day with cloud building from the west.

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Straw

Good news, the donkeys have started picking at their straw again, they went straight into their stable from the paddock tonight and started munching, their reward was a few apple tops from the Bramley, which still has some of it’s leaves. Hopefully the feeder will be empty by the morning. Collected more rubble for the edge of the driveway and topped up one of the raised beds with donkey poo. The sheep are eating their way through a strip of fresh grass and bleat loudly every time they hear a gate shut. A chilly cloudy day with a bit of drizzle.

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Smudge

Sitting in front of the woodburner keeping warm, Smudge doesn’t mind the bright frosty start to the day, there was a coral pink sunrise sky followed by bright warm sunshine. Spent a few hours sawing willow and eucalyptus branches which are now stacked and seasoning under cover, ready for burning next year. Cut several beech branches for the sheep and donkeys, William and Toby are still not eating their straw, they pick at their bedding while waiting to be let out into the paddock and trot back up to the stable for their vitamins when it’s getting dark. A cold and cloudy end to the day which may mean no frost tomorrow morning.

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Durdle Door

Super 16 mile cycle ride from Moreton to Crossways, Winfrith Newburgh and Durdle Door, with coffee and chips at The Red Lion on the way back. The track along the ridge has wonderful views although the far distant hills disappeared in the mist that persisted all day. In the summer the roads are clogged with traffic and the pathway down to the beach full of people, today it was very quiet. The donkeys are still not eating their straw, gave them an apple before bed. A very foggy cool start to the day with a watery sun and showers later.

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Delivery

A very welcome surprise parcel today, came in a huge box with lots of packaging, looking forward to an evening of pure indulgence. Took down the bean sticks and rescued some of the seed pods that had been missed, the roots don’t look big enough to have provided the above ground structure with sufficient energy to produce masses of beans. The hedge can be cut and then donkey poo will be added and the ground covered until spring, ready for next years plants. Would be good to change the positioning. Collected more rubble for the driveway which progressed another meter. A slightly milder cloudy day with rain overnight.

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Walter

Runner up in the ‘Ouessant with a view’ photo competition organised by The Ouessant Society of Great Britain, handsome Walter loves the wood pile, literally eats out of your hand and, as all models, likes being the centre of attention and to have a good scratch, he’s a star! I’m always surprised by how sheep look at you; they really look, and hold eye contact for a long time, longer than any other animal I’ve seen – apart from the cheetah in Kenya who was eating a lump of meat provided and spotted a sleepy lazy tourist swing his legs over a wall. That was a scary moment, fortunately, the cheetah went back to eating the lump of meat.

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Poppy

Chilling on the settee before going out to watch the local wildlife, long haired Poppy collects all sorts of things in her tummy hair including slugs, ticks and goose grass. Combing these things out can be perilous as Poppy has a low tolerance and sharp claws, the last resort when the hair becomes matted is a sharp pair of scissors. Used the dagging shears on the sheep to remove soiled wool from their rear end, they’re easier to deal with, just wriggle a lot. A bright sunny start to the day, ice on the gate but not nearer the house, light winds and cloudy later.

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Beech Branches

This is a photo from six weeks ago, some of the last branches with greenery, the sheep ate all the leaves and the bare stems were passed on to the donkeys, Toby especially likes to carry them around while munching the ends. The donkeys ate some of their straw yesterday and have no sliced apple to eat tonight so may eat even more, the straw smells fresh so apparently they’re trying it on! Cycling much colder today, frost last night and the mist persisted in the valley, sunshine later.

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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.

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Caterpillars

Enjoying the nasturtium leaves, these are probably cabbage white butterfly caterpillars making the most of a mild November. More hardcore has been added to the driveway together with a few bags of finer cement chippings, the car can be driven and out on the first ten yards or so with no problem. Five fallow deer crossed the busy road near The Larmer Tree, lucky not to hit any of them. Spotted the barn owl flying at dusk, I think he was resting in the oak tree before flying off for a busy night out hunting. A lovely sunny day with a chilly wind.

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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.

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Ladybirds

Hibernate once their food source of aphids runs out, they find a frost free place to aggregate in their hundreds to sleep until in the spring the day length wakes them up. These six were being stalked by two more who were marching round the top of the post. They can live for up to two years so must reproduce often, somewhere near a food source. Ran an extension cable to one of the trees and decorated it with a string of lights, must buy a couple of uplighters for the palm tree. Cycled to the farm to buy eggs, the lane is getting increasingly muddy, a mild sunny day with light winds.

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Bean Seeds

A mixture of varieties, mostly runner beans with some french beans. These are drying on a couple of sheets of paper towel placed on a tray, they’ll be moved backwards and forwards each day as half the towel dries out and sucks the moisture from the beans. In a month or so they can be stored ready for use next year. Cycled from Moreton along quiet lanes and the rhododendron mile, past the watercress beds. Stopped for courgette fruit cake and a can of coffee. Cloudy with some sunshine and a cool wind.

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Hay Feeder

A gift from a neighbour, two ‘hang on a gate’ hay feeders are a success with the sheep, added a hardboard back panel to stop the hay from falling out, will probably use marine ply when that falls apart. The usual bucket feeding can be replaced by these if they’re in a sheltered spot, definitely need a lid of some sort to keep out the rain. Moved the sheep back to the fallen oak paddock and they all had their heads in the salt lick. The farrier spent a lot of time with William sorting out his seedy toe, Toby doesn’t have it so it’s hard to know where he’s catching the fungus, he must have softer hooves. A sunny start to the day with rain later.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Beech and Willow

Sheep and donkeys love to eat beech leaves and chew the bark of willow, there’s no chance of identifying the six ouessants competing for the best bits today, although I think Walter is at the front. The donkeys had the same choice of branches and ate them very quickly, tugging at the willow first. The paddocks have a lot of puddles and would benefit from a few days of warm sunshine. Today was filled with sharp showers, the raindrops had a sting that made me turn away from the wind. The fields are flooded in the valley and the river level at Hammoon is 2.7M which means minor flooding of the road.

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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.

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Oak Leaves

Leaves are falling in the lower paddock that’s out of bounds to both the sheep and the donkeys, unfortunately they don’t stay in that paddock, they drift everywhere else. They’re not very tasty and a last resort for the sheep, to be this interested they must think there’s sweeter grass under the leaves, and it’s bleating Winnie who’s standing guard. Three large barrows of leaves are now on the compost heap, filling the sides where the sinking donkey poo is leaving gaps. A delivery of several bags of rubble for the driveway was dropped off ad spread out. A bright sunny day with light winds, the fish in the pond are still hungry as the water is still not cold.

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Walter

Likes the woodpile and posing for photos. The hay feed has cured most of the runny poo but Pixie was the one that needed a closer look. Corralled into a small space with tempting treats, the hurdles nearly did their job but Pixie wriggled and squirmed until turned onto her back. The new dagging shears were very sharp and easily cut through the soiled wool, which is useful as a plant pot fertilizer. No sign of any flies which was good, and the shears can be used for topiary as well…! A sunny cloudy day with light winds, cooler later.

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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.

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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.

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Ouessants

The sheep compete for slices of apple, Bianca loves them, Walter and Pixie nearly as much, Digby and Winnie won’t fight for them and Nola is not too sure, I think she’ll get to like them eventually. The last of the eating apples are stored in the garage and should last until next spring. The dagging shears arrived so will have a go at cutting soiled wool from the rear end, it’s not so important to remove it during autumn and winter but must be done in the spring and summer to avoid fly strike. The shelters are being used occasionally, the mild weather means sleeping outside in the paddock is still the preferred option. A wet start and end to the day with light winds and overcast skies.

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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.

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Sheep

This card made me smile! Nice bike ride from Pamphill today, stayed off the muddiest tracks as my mountain bike had a flat tyre, used the hybrid with the rubbish brakes instead, which was fine. Raked the maple and ash leaves in oak paddock, they were beginning to smother the grass, put them on the compost heap which is lower already. Sawed up a few pallets for the woodburner, helps to have some fast burning wood to go with the oak and silver birch. Pulled the last of the carrots, a warm sunny day with light winds.

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Driveway

Not pretty to look at but coming along well with bag loads of free rubble, it’s easy to see where the professionally laid driveway ends and the rubble begins. As more rubble is added the vehicles will drive over it and tamp it down, hopefully a load of sand spread on the top and the use of a roller will finish the job next year. The hedges have been cut so the views that disappeared over the summer have been restored. A misty then sunny day with light winds and lots of pheasants grazing in the paddocks, as always they seem to spook the donkeys.

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Straw

A foggy start to the day, the mist persisted in the vale until mid afternoon when the buzzards took off to fly in the sunshine. Cycled from Badbury Rings for a couple of hours and wore gloves as the wind was cold, warmer going uphill. Delivery of thirty bales of straw for the donkeys arrived, didn’t want the trailer turning round in the wet paddock so unloaded in the driveway and used the wheelbarrows to ferry them to the store, it was getting dark by the time we finished. Another lovely sunset.

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Pampas Grass

A lovely bright, cold and frosty start to the day, with mist lingering until lunchtime in the valley. topped up one of the raised beds with more donkey poo, it seems to rot down very quickly. Split and planted three garlic bulbs in the empty space in the strawberry beds, hope they grow ok. Fed the sheep a handful of hay and the donkeys a willow branch. The owl was out and about before dusk and the pheasants are hiding in the hedges, very noisy when disturbed. Sunset was a vivid orange graduating into a deep blue.

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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.

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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.

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Fish

Still hungry even though the pond is a bit murky; the fish know when you’re close, must be vibrations through the soil to the water as my shadow doesn’t reach the pond until I throw the pondsticks at them, their mouths wide open, they’re a mixture of gold, speckled gold and brown. The water lilies need their leaves cutting off before they decompose and take too much oxygen from the water. The blanket weed may be growing more slowly now and the elodea at the other end of the pond is doing very well. I’d like to grow watercress in the waterfall, just not sure how to anchor it down, may have to try the tiny pond at the top.

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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.

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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!

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Verbena Bonsaris

Still flowering in the border, towering over nasturtiums and crocosmia. Moved the animal arcs next to the old sheep shelter as they’re not as popular as hoped, the sheep prefer their old resting place even though they’re getting wet, hopefully they’ll have adopted them by tomorrow. The donkeys slipped and slid down to the lower paddock and didn’t stay there long, A very wet and windy start to the day, cycled to The Anchor and back from Pamphill for coffee without getting wet. Levelled more of the hardcore for the paddock driveway and stewed Bramleys on top of the woodburner.

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Tomatoes

These must be the last of the Gardeners Delight, the leaves have lost their green and are almost yellow, some have blight but luckily it hasn’t spread to all the plants. Picked up the windfall Bramleys and stewed them the on top of the woodburner. Lunch at the Baker Arms. Managed to give the donkeys their vitamins and settle them with a little more straw in the fading light, went out to see them at 5.15 and it was dark by 5.45. A cool day with weak sunshine, strong winds and rain at dusk.

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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.

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Hockey’s Farm Shop

Starting at Moors Valley Country Park a 20 mile cycle to Hockey’s at South Gorley via the Castleman Trailway. Had a puncture en route so stopped for a while to remove the back wheel and replace the inner tube, fortunately had a couple of knowledgeable riders with me to do the job quickly. Sausage roll and coffee for lunch before heading back, this week’s rainfall meant a few muddy stretches and the ride through the ford was interesting. Cut a few beech branches for the sheep and donkeys, the grass is growing more slowly now so they need to be moved into a paddock that’s been fallow for a while. A sunny day with the odd shower.

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End of British Summer Time

Dark mornings turn into dark evenings as we move towards the winter solstice. A red sky to start the day, and a lovely sunset. The woodpecker spent more than ten minutes pecking at the good things to eat in the grass this morning while a plump pheasant sat on the fence calling. A day of sharp cold showers and warm sunshine after yesterday’s rain; the rising spring in the paddock has formed muddy puddles which the donkeys paddle through to get to their favourite hedge. As always, the sheep run for cover when it rains. Runner beans for tea.

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Mahjong

A very wet and windy day, easy to clean the stable area but difficult to stay dry. The donkeys were a little disturbed by the shoot happening in the field across the lane, sounded very close but didn’t last long, they soon trotted down to the paddock. The sheep didn’t like the heavy rain so huddled together in their shelter most of the time. The hurdles that were delivered a few weeks ago proved to be difficult to put together in a row so were replaced today. Played several games of mahjong and lost!

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Tatty Bianca

Tatty has lost an ear tag which will have to be replaced if she ever moves, she’s not as tatty as she was after shearing but the name suits her. Gave Winnie the purple spray treatment on her front left hoof, she has developed a slight limp and the leg above feels warmer than her other three; will have to check it again tomorrow, couldn’t see any sticks or stones that could be causing discomfort. All the sheep have been eating a little hay every day and the runny poo from Nola has improved. Rained a lot overnight, all the water butts are full again, no need to water the hedge for the next few days. Another lovely sunset.

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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.

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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.

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Head Butt

The sheep definitely have a daily playtime. Usually starting around 5 o’clock they chase each other round and round and over the woodpile and up and down the paddock, jumping as high as they can with all four feet off the ground. Tatty Bianca and Nola stop for a while to head butt each other, Tatty retreats a few steps before rushing headlong, head down, into Nola, the sight of two skulls in contact made worse by the noise – neither sheep is harmed and Nola eventually breaks eye contact with Tatty and is rewarded with a nose rub. All part of life in a flock! A cloudy day with some sunshine and fresh winds.

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Cycle Ride

Cycled 22 miles from Cranborne to Chettle and back through Wimborne St Giles and Long Crichel on country roads with lovely views through deciduous woods rich in Autumn colour. Gave the car seats a quick clean to remove the brick dust and adjusted the timing on the outdoor lights, the mornings are really dark and the sun sets a lot earlier so the lights on the stable are important. Picked more apples. A sunny day with light winds that cooled and strengthened later, the woodburner is alight every evening so the log basket needs to be topped up regularly. Watered the strawberries.

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Runner Beans

Pretty much on their last legs, picked the last beans and will leave the rest to fatten up for seed for next year, they’ve more than earned their place in the veg patch, and they definitely smell different when they’re cooking. The tomatoes in the greenhouse are over as well, one last cucumber to pick, and the courgettes have turned into marrows. Cleaned the donkey stable and water trough and planted the freshly rooted strawberry plants in the filled beds. Picked apples, all stewed and in the freezer. A sunny day with light winds. Lunch at the pub.

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Mower Trailer

The most flexible accessory in the garden, used for carting things around, and up and down the paddocks. This was the last load of the day, a tarpaulin with grass cuttings from mowing oak paddock, poo collected from the donkeys in laneside, a few beech hedge cuttings for them to eat later, a green hurdle, and a now empty cardboard box of crunchie ice creams destined for the compost heap. Moved the fresh cuttings along the top of the heap which is sinking nicely. Another warm day with light winds and late cloud to hide the sunset.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Bramley Apples

A bumper crop of red and green apples that fall beautifully when cooked and taste delicious. There are a lot more to be picked and stored, hopefully lasting until after Christmas. Moved both arc shelters in with the sheep, they had a nibble of the edges with no success and settled down between them to chew the cud before moving off to graze. A family of four deer were in the field until quite late, they had to watch out for traffic in the lane before crossing into the copse. Trimmed the wisteria, some of the leaders had grown 20 feet or more outwards and sideways. A cool showery start to the day with bright sunshine later and a clear red sunset.

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Animal Arcs

This arc designed for use by two pigs will be home to the ouessant sheep. Two were delivered on a pallet, one ready assembled and one flat (curved) packed. Assembly was delayed from yesterday because of the strong winds, so two hours of drilling, screwing and manouvering pieces of plastic into place resulted in an arc that’s ready for use. The sheep were very curious and although Nola and Digby had a look Walter was the first to go inside; it’ll be interesting to see whether they choose to sleep in and around this one or prefer the temporary shelter further down the paddock. A sunny cloudy day with light winds and warm sunshine. Picked Darcy Spice and Bramley apples.

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Roe Deer

Still sitting under one of its favourite bushes at nine o’clock this morning, would have stayed there all day if it hadn’t been disturbed when I fed the fish in the pond, I think the windfall apples are the real attraction. Too windy to assemble the animal arc, mowed the rest of the laneside paddock instead and added the buttercup and grass cuttings to the compost heap which is warming up nicely, turned a few feet of steaming straw. The sheep poo is slightly less sloppy today and there are no mucky bottoms so the drier grass must have helped. Picked runner beans and tomatoes, a dry windy sunny, sometimes cloudy, day.

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Phlox

Creeping Phlox, 50 well rooted plug plants, potted-on and safely in the cold frames where I hope they’ll stay warm enough to grow on over the winter months and be ready for planting out in the borders in the spring. The sheep arcs from Solway Recycling were delivered on a pallet, one assembled and one flat packed, the horse riders waited a while when the lorry blocked the lane, and then turned round and re-traced their steps; the challenge of moving the load across the stones in the driveway took a little time. A warm sunny day with a cold wind, another lovely sunset.

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Hurdles

25 powder coated hurdles and a pass gate in a lovely shade of green arrived today, a few have helped to fence off the fallen oak to stop the sheep from eating the bark and let them have more grazing. Talked with the vet because there are a lot of sloppy poos in their paddock. It’s probably the after affects of a lot of rain making the grass too lush and should sort itself out in a couple of days. The concern is always fly strike which can kill a sheep, the soiled fleece under the tail is an ideal place for flys to hide and lay eggs, but at this time of year it’s usually too cold for them to breed, so hope that’s the case. Picked tomatoes and a cucumber. A warm sunny day with cloud later and a lovely sunset.

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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.

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Sheep Shelter

A temporary shelter In the bottom paddock, not really a Mk III, just enough to keep the rain off until the new arcs are available, hopefully next week; they’re made to order by Solway so take a few weeks to arrive. Collected more rubble for the paddock entrance, need someone to drive on the bumpy surface to see if they get stuck, may try the ride on mower when the box is full of grass. Getting through a few logs every day in the woodburner so cut some pallet wood to get them burning well at the start. The rose bed has been weeded, must give them a scattering of manure before the frosts. A windy showery day with a glowing sunset.

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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.

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Driveway

The paddock entrance has been a bit of a problem with several vehicles getting stuck in the mud when it rains, so in the winter bales of straw etc are often left at the front of the house and manhandled to the workshop for storage. A quantity of rubble should help to form a base that’ll be worked into the ground by the next set of tyres, fortunately there’s lots available locally. Rained all day, good for the garden, made a few additions to the temporary sheep shelter to afford more protection from the weather, the donkeys are very wet but still stand outside. Wore gloves most of today as the temperature dropped, hope the weather improves tomorrow for a cycle ride.

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Acorns

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!

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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.

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Ouessants

The sheep have enjoyed their time in the square paddock and especially liked the new wood and stone obstacle area that held their interest for at least half an hour….! The grass is getting shorter so they’ll soon be moved into oak paddock where the grass is much longer, it mustn’t get too long before they start to graze or it’ll become too tough and they won’t eat it at all. Straw delivery today, 24 bales unloaded and stacked in the dry before 0930, which should last the donkeys until mid November. A sunny start to the day with rain later, picked tomatoes, runner beans and Bramley windfalls.

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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.

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Michaelmas Day

A lovely splash of colour, Michaelmas Daisies flower at the end of summer and long into autumn, fighting against the dark days of winter. Traditionally Michaelmas Day marks the end of the harvest and the start of the new cycle of farming, goose fairs were often held with the luxury of eating a goose fattened on the stubble left in the fields. It’s the last days of picking blackberries as the fruit often turns sour as October approaches. Fixed stock wire to the lower paddock gate so that the ouessants can graze there next week without escaping. A hot air balloon was drifting along the ridge at Bulbarrow as dark rain clouds advanced from the west, a sunny day with warm sunshine and the promise of rain tomorrow.

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Cycle to Ower

A lovely sunny ride from Norden to Ower and back across Rempstone Heath, sandy in parts, not hilly, super sea views and coffee and biscuits on the beach. Before Poole existed, Ower, in the Isle of Purbeck, was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ‘Ora’. Ower Quay was the principal port for Portland in the 18th Century, so timber was brought in and the local Purbeck stone and marble was loaded and taken away. The roadway to the sea crossed private land so every Shrove Tuesday the locals presented the owner with a pound of peppercorns to make sure this valuable trade route remained open, a custom which remains in place today although the quayside is long gone. A chilly misty start to the day, 4* and the grass felt crispy underfoot, warm sunshine later with the promise of rain.

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Strawberry Beds

All the plants that had been in pots for the last few months are now settled in the raised bed, a lot of them had thrown out new runners so the empty beds along the row can be filled before Christmas, I hope, ready to give a bumper crop next year. Made an attempt at making a hay feeder for the sheep, think I’ll have to move on to Mk II as some modifications were required. Mowed the grass in the meadow strip, the hedge will need watering if it doesn’t rain in the next couple of days, and will scatter some poppy seeds. William appeared to limp last night so had his hooves checked, all appeared ok and he’s fine today. A warm sunny day with light winds.

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Dorset Oak

This lump of oak was destined to be cut into rings but the chainsaw found the task too difficult. It’s found a new vocation as a testament to the visitors who have the inclination to carve the date and their initials in its trunk with the tools provided. Traditionally, guests have written on our toilet wall with interesting and varied contributions that remain, or fade over time, depending on which pen they select. Hopefully the oak will last a lot longer. Flying between the tall trees is the green woodpecker who is squawking louder than ever, he stops and feeds on the ants in the lawn on his way past. A cooler day with strong winds and cloudy sunshine. Pulled carrots and picked tomatoes.

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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.

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Ouessants

The donkeys have never played with the orange horseplay ball so it’s now in the ouessant’s paddock. Digby treads on it and gives it a headbutt to move it around. Pixie and Walter like to watch and run around in circles. The red football isn’t as popular, maybe in a couple of weeks? The worm test results are back from the lab, the tapeworm we found in the field and put in a jam jar is not an issue for the adult sheep as they develop immunity, and they’re only a problem for lambs if they are losing weight. There’s no evidence of roundworm so no treatment required, the sampling and testing will be repeated in December. A cool showery day with rain later. Picked runner beans

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Salvias

The bright pink salvias are creating an early autumn display of colour in the border with the wild geraniums, most of the daisies have finished and been cut down and added to the bonfire pile. It rained a lot last night, all the waterbutts are full again and the stable yard was easy to clean. Donkeys hadn’t made a mess in the stable overnight, I think that’s the first time ever, it made mucking out easy. Spread fertilizer along the hedges and borders to make the most of the last weeks of growth before the first frosts, most of the field hedges are being cut to reveal more of the views across the valley. A cooler breezy rainy day with a cloudy sunset.

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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.

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Autumn Equinox

A balloon landed in the vale just before dusk, it had been burning a lot of gas to gain height but landed in a ploughed field a couple of miles away, the mist was already gathering so the view from the basket would have been very mellow. The sun was a vivid red as it set, it made the sky glow a dusky pink. A lovely sunny day, cycled 15 miles and then had a pub lunch, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth bumped into me in their garden, something I’ve never seen before. They like bright sunshine and nectar rich flowers and will often return to feed from flowerbeds at the same time of the day; sadly the moths don’t survive our winter so this one will have migrated from France. The equinox is at 2.30pm, at this time the sun is above the equator and day and night are of equal length.

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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.

dav
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Black Sheep

Arrived at the gate together, Walter, Digby and Winnie, expecting their treat mix, they don’t have it every day but the sound of a gate opening is enough incentive for them to gather round just in case. Cut the hornbeam hedge and gathered together another bonfire pile, cut the hornbeam which is much too dry and already losing its leaves. Watered the hedge, picked runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes and blueberries. Went to turn off the electric fence that’s stopping the donkeys grazing the acorns to find it hadn’t been turned on! Useful to know it serves its purpose whether on or off. A cool start to a sunny day with a fresh warm wind.

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Water Melon

This is the first time I’ve grown these in the greenhouse, they can never have enough water to drink and it does look like they’re doing well. Not sure how to tell they’re ready, a smaller fruit did fall off the plant and it was sweet and juicy so maybe all of them are good to eat regardless of size. One of the tomato plants grew out of the side window and now has blight which is spreading to the other plants inside which is a pity as the tomatoes will have to be picked before they’re all ruined. The donkeys are enjoying eating the hedge, it’s reasonably wide so they can’t reach the other side. A cool start to the day, warm and sunny later, picked a courgette that’s more like a marrow.

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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.

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Bonfire

A mound of garden rubbish was burnt in an hour or so leaving nice fluffy ash that can go on the compost heap. The cutting of the hedges that the donkeys haven’t grazed will create another bonfire pile, the ground elder and perennial weeds always go in the bin for the fortnightly collection. A local farmer has supplied a few dry hay bales for the sheep to nibble over the winter when the grass stops growing, if they stay dry the bales will be good to eat for the next five years. A very foggy start to the day, the sun was slow to break through but when it did the temperature rose quickly. Lazy lunch at the Baker Arms in Child Okeford.

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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.

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Cycle Ride

10 miles, mostly up, sometimes down, in glorious sunshine from Milton Abbas to Bingham’s Melcombe and back via Gallows Corner. The yew hedge at Bingham’s was planted by Henry VIII, yew was planted to keep out livestock and supply the wood to make longbows. Gallows Corner is at the junction of six green paths that lead to local droves, barrows and ridgeways and Hilton Church has medieval paintings of the apostles that were rescued from Milton Abbey. The terrain was varied and sometimes technically challenging and needed concentration, a lovely ride. Walked the donkeys up and down the avenue, the sheep stayed in the shade, panting until the day cooled. More watering, no rain in the forecast this week although the dew is much heavier in the mornings.

Gallows Corner
Yew Hedge
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Apple Harvest

There’s a good crop of Bramleys that will need picking soon, the windfalls are more than sufficient to keep us supplied with flavoursome stewed apple. The eating apple Beauty of Bath was the first to ripen, then there was a smaller crop of Ellison’s Orange. Ribston Pippen is still being picked and Darcy Spice will ripen last and keep longest. The Conference pears can be eaten off the tree or poached and the majority are given away. A lovely sunny and warm day with light winds; picked and watered the runner beans which are producing even more blossom. Picked tomatoes and a small water melon.

Bramley Apple
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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!

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Silage

The field behind us has been harvested for silage, the yield is down but it couldn’t be left any longer, the combine did the cutting two days ago and yesterday the neat rows were turned and gathered ready for the bailer which finished the job in an hour today. Walked through the sheep paddock several times, managed to give all of them a scratch apart from Winnie who ran off and was bleating for Digby to join her. Considered additional space and waterproofing for the Model 1 sheep shelter as they don’t all fit in the original space. A sunny cloudy day with a chilly wind and another bright red sunset. Picked blueberries and a cucumber.

dig
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Seasoned Oak

The oak tree that fell into the paddock had seasoned while still standing so the logs can be burnt this year, moved them all to the side of the garage where they should stay reasonably dry before being stacked outside the boot room just before bringing inside. The larger pieces that won’t fit into the woodburner will be used as tables or supports for bird baths. The silver birch behind the rail is doing ok, it was planted to replace the horse chestnut which has sprouted again so will need to be pruned. Cycled 8 miles on quiet roads near Wimborne, a sunny warm day with a lovely red sunset.

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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.

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Strawberry Beds

Delivered and assembled at the end of July they’re now being filled with donkey poo and then topped up with compost. The plants in the pots are producing lots of new plants so I should be able to fill these beds before the winter. Mowed the meadow strip and moved the new grass to the back of the compost heap so that the middle section can be removed. Started painting the kitchen. Poppy went to see the vet for her regular thyroid test which came back normal so she’ll keep taking the same medication, a new early indictor test for kidney problems gave a result that’s a little high so a urine test will be carried out in a few months time. A warm sunny day with light winds. Picked tomatoes and pulled a few carrots.

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Cycle Ride

A lovely 17 miles from The Stocks Inn at Furzehill to Manswood, Horton Tower and up to Chalbury along quiet roads, bridleways and narrow forest tracks. Manswood reputedly has the longest thatched building in Britain comprising eleven estate cottages and an ex-post office although this is disputed because of a similar set of buildings in Suffolk. Cut the long grass alongside the meadowstrip hedging, some of the wild flowers which have now set seed were taller than the plants. The intention is to mulch with donkey manure to give the hedge a feed before winter and that means digging out the compost heap. A warm and sunny start to the day with rain later, picked and ate the runner beans.

Horton Tower
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Worms

The Can O Worms wormery lives in the shed and produces excellent liquid fertilizer and worm cast compost all year round. The worms like living in eggshells and love eating cardboard and anything sweet, like apples. They don’t like acidic waste like citrus or onions and regulate their numbers according to the amount of food available. What’s left after they’ve finished eating is the plastic from the teabags and the gluesticks from the cardboard boxes. The lambs bounced around the paddock today and Nola joined in, donkeys watched, nodded and went back to eating grass. A mild day with light winds and the odd shower. Picked tomatoes, conference pears and ribston pippin apples. Watered the beans.

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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.

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Fallen Oak

The oak has been removed from the ditch and elements of the trunk arranged as a seating area, that lower corner of the bottom paddock is the warmest and always a place to linger as the hedges offer protection from the strongest winds. Skyward pointing limbs have been shortened and now there is no danger of the remaining pieces rolling over and squashing a sleepy sheep! I’ve started wearing slippers again, the nights are definitely colder although the sun still has warmth. It’s time to fill some buckets with water and leave them in the greenhouse, they’ll warm up nicely during the day and then release their heat slowly overnight which will help maintain an even temperature. Picked a few tomatoes.

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Ouessants

Definitely more approachable than when they arrived, the lambs like a good scratch under their chin and even the ewes are touchable near feeding time. Walter and Digby like to run around together in the paddock, Digby bounces around with all four feet of the ground and Pixie joins in with them occasionally. Their paddock adjoins the avenue where the donkeys are free to roam and they interact through the fence. Walter licked William’s nose, he didn’t move away so must have liked it. The runner beans have more blossom, which is great, just have to step inside the tangle of stems to pick them. A warm mizzly start to the day with rain in the afternoon so no watering, no swallows either.

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Roses

These may be the last blooms of the summer, I hope they’ll flower again before Christmas after a prune, the petals on the red rose are really thick and the sun dazzles around them. The grass in the paddocks has turned a bright shade of green since the thunderstorms and is growing well, a sprinkling of donkey and sheep poo must have helped; the rain came too late for the fields opposite, there’s not enough grass for the customary second cut as there are large bare patches, so no more hay this year although there may be a cut for silage in November. A low lying mist started the day which cleared quickly in the morning sun, watered the runner beans and the greenhouse before cycling.

sdr
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Green Logs

A chilly start to the day with the valley bathed in rolling pink mist. Moved the green oak logs to the old stone crate ready for use in a couple of years time, they will be well seasoned by then. The nasturtium on top will give seeds for next year’s plants. Heard the green woodpecker when poo picking in the paddock, he appeared on the lawn early evening to eat the ants but no swallows today, maybe they have moved on. Trimmed the new growth off the rampent pumpkins and cut back some of the larger leaves to encourage ripening of the fruits. The runner beans are not quite as green as last month and the tomatoes are paler as well despite regular feeding, day length is shortening and the nights are cooler, it feels like Autumn is on it’s way.

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Cycle Ride

20 miles along Dorset lanes in sunshine and light winds with a stop at Manswood for refreshments and at the waterfall at Witchampton to look at the waterfall – we disturbed a kingfisher further along the river; a lovely flash of blue. From a distance the hay bales in the fields resembled French knots. Didn’t see any swallows today, filled up the bird bath for the wren which was singing loudly in the wisteria. A glorious sunset lasted for over an hour, enough time to turn off the electric fence in the bottom paddock and water the greenhouse and the runner beans.

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Shoes

This pair of Ecco shoes were so very comfortable after years of use, they’ve walked many miles and as they looked so tatty have lately been the preferred option when painting, gardening and poo picking. The stitches have disintegrated and the soles have very thin patches – spiky bits of straw find their way in to my socks, so it’s time to recycle them, have saved the laces for tying up plants as the ends won’t fray. The replacement footware is the black Wrangler boots, more appropriate I guess. A surprisingly hot day with light winds, picked Ribston Pippin apples, Conference pears, runner beans, courgettes, runner beans and tomatoes.

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Music Festival

At Mill Farm near Sherborne, a relaxing afternoon and evening spent listening to live bands in a lovely setting on the banks of the river Yeo. The raffle was an interesting mix of prizes including a session in their recording studio, a singing lesson and a couple of hours walking with llamas. Winnie and Digby came from Mill Farm so it was good to report on their progress and see the rest of the flock in the distance. Took a couple of loads of garden rubbish to the lower paddock ready for a bonfire, the pile is big enough already and there’s more to add. A calm day compared to the thunderstorms of yesterday, no watering required.

Millfarmdorset.com
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Oak Tree

The large oak tree behind the stable is over a hundred years old so it needed a balancing prune and it’s lower branches lifted. The view is even more spectacular, and the branches will still provide shade in the summer although the pile of woodchip is much smaller than expected so may have to get more delivered for the seating area. The sad news is that a visual survey of the centre of the main trunk revealed significant cavities in each of the three large limbs, the biggest is more than two meters deep and full of loose fibrous material, the other two are smaller but taken together there’s a risk of the tree being felled in a gale either tomorrow or in a few years time, it’s difficult to predict. One option is to have it felled; decided not to do that as it’s such a joy to look at and a significant landmark, I hope it lasts another hundred years!

Before
After
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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.

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Sloes

There are lots in the hedgerows, and the trees that adjoin the paddock are laden, too many are not good for the animals so access has to be restricted, these will go in the freezer for use later. Swallows are still flying in and out of the tack room, no noise from the nest so not sure what’s going on. The bags of donkey poo outside the front gate are still there, the new ‘free’ notice must be attracting attention… ? Widened part of the driveway as it becomes a bit of a mud patch in the winter. Weather much calmer today with light winds and some sunshine, watered the runner and beans and the greenhouse veg.

dav
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Storm Francis

Rushed in overnight and stayed all day which meant poo picking and sweeping out in the rain. It was too warm to wear the wet gear so it was back to shorts and a polo shirt. The wind has been at gale force all day, buffeting the hedgerow and trees and the wisteria is bashing against the window and losing the last of its blossom. Sheep don’t mind the wind but it makes the donkeys skittish. The good news is that there’ll be more windfall apples for crumble. Had lunch at a pub which had put it’s marquee out of bounds so had to eat inside, hope it’s calmer tomorrow for the tree works.

dav
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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.

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Pond

Poppy likes fishing so the net has to be a permanent feature unless there’s time to watch what she’s up to, the fish are always hungry and thrash around when they see you or feel the vibration of your footsteps. The black fish gradually turn orange with age and the older orange fish become paler and their tails seem to lengthen. The water lillies have done well this year and the oxygenating weed is flourishing so there’s lots of shade and places for the fish to hide. The blanket weed is disappearing as the temperature starts to drop but the filter and pump should be cleaned before the water gets too cold. A cloudy sunny day with no rain, picked runner beans, carrots and cucumbers.

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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.

sdr
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Windy Day

The runner beans have nearly fallen over, the supports have been strengthened with more canes and bailer twine – it will have to be a metal frame next year, it’s become difficult to pick the beans in-between the rows because of all the foliage dropping down. The greenhouse has been shut up all day but it’s still warm enough for the autovents to open. There are lots of windfall bramleys to pick up and prepare for the freezer. The donkeys don’t like strong winds so they’ve been unsettled for most of the the day. No rain, this shower passed us by with a colourful rainbow and differing shades of grey on either side.

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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.

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Crab Spider

The Sweet Peas outside the back door have been flowering for weeks and attracted this bright yellow spider. Crab spiders don’t build webs to trap their prey they just wait for an insect to land and make a grab for it. Some change colour to camouflage themselves but this one wasn’t blending in at all so I guess it will have moved on to a different flower. A stormy day with strong winds and horizontal rain, made it easier to clean the hard standing outside the stable as there was more than enough water available. Good news for the hedges and trees, no watering required.

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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.

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Blueberries

Planted six new plants in the freshly weeded border, I hope they do as well as the one in the pot, will need to feed them with an ericaceous mulch, the daisies have been trimmed so there’s enough space for them to stretch. The runner beans are still doing well despite being buffeted by the strong winds, it’s difficult to walk between the rows as the frame has developed a bit of a lean. The all shapes and sizes mediterranean carrots are tasty, they’re being overrun by the courgettes in the adjacent bed but I don’t think it’ll make any difference. The trees in the lane are starting to lose their leaves, the hot weather combined with not enough rain has dried out the tops. A cloudy day with a few showers and late sunshine.

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King of the Castle

Pixie is on the top of the woodpile with Walter and Digby waiting for their turn, Digby soon got bored and left to inspect the new addition to the sheep shelter – a side panel to help keep out the rain. Moved the lemon trees to the other end of the terrace out of the wind, the wren has been hopping about in the branches, I hope she’s eating the bugs. The donkeys were let out later in the day and browsed the hedgerow picking out the beech leaves. The day started with rain and light winds and ended with no wind and lifting temperatures, the mist in the valley may develop into fog in the morning. Jupiter, Saturn and The Plough were clearly visible tonight together with a few criss-crossing satellites.

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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.

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Texels

The six sheep borrowed to keep the grass cut in the paddocks will be going to rejoin the rest of their flock in a few days, they all need to get to know each other again before meeting the rams in September, and they need to be fattened up a little, the donkeys will miss them. Tupping will carry on for six or eight weeks before the rams are separated from the ewes for the rest of the year. All the sheep have been talking with the flock that’s moved into the cornfield across the lane; the sound of bleating carries a long way. A much cooler day with persistent mist and the threat of rain, not much watering to be done.

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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.

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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.

August 12th
July 6th
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Blueberries

Should have taken a photo before I picked today’s crop, this bush will be full of berries for another month at least if kept watered, probably 30 every day so enough for a fresh topping to deserts and breakfast cereal. The runner beans are also cropping well, lots more flowers, need to keep them well watered. Cucumbers and tomatoes are suffering in the greenhouse and need watering several times a day. The donkeys enjoyed an apple lolly, they made short work of the frozen disc. A very hot day with a few drops of rain at dusk.

dav
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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.

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Ellisons Orange

I thought there were very few apples left on the tree after the frosts earlier in the year but I picked over fifty apples, crisp and juicy they may or may not develop an aniseed flavour. Topped up the hedgehog water tray, haven’t seen any poo on the grass recently so she may have moved on. The ouessant lambs are becoming more confident, Walter is the first to want a scratch and Pixie is eating out of my hand occasionally, Digby is licking the feed bucket so won’t be far behind. A very hot day, the flies are annoying the donkeys, may have thunderstorms tomorrow, the waterbutts are nearly empty.

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Herbaceous Border

Weeded for the first time in over a year, not sure what’s happened to the vibrant colours of last year, could be the deer. The edge looks very neat and the visible ground elder has been removed, it should be weed free for a few weeks before it re-emerges with new robust shoots. Had a squidgy surprise when I put my crocs on today, a slug had crawled in and made its home where my big toe would normally be – not an experience I want to repeat! A misty start to a very hot dry day, watered the hedge and the vegetables, picked cucumber, tomatoes, courgettes and runner beans.

dav
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Apple Picking

The Beauty of Bath apples are ripe enough for eating with lovely red and green skin, some were blown off in the strong winds and provide free forage food for the deer; there’s still enough to pick from the tree. The Donkeys and Texels like them, will try slicing them even smaller for the Ouessants, they’ll make a good alternative to the treat mix. I’m pruning the Bramley and giving the long lush leafy growth to the donkeys, there are a few windfalls and it looks like there’ll be a good harvest. A misty drizzly start to the day, the sun came out later and the temperature rose quickly, a very hot end to the day with light winds. Watered.

Beauty of Bath
Bramley
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Ouessants

The ewes are feeding their lambs several times a day, the enthusiastic approach seems a bit harsh and could continue until the lambs are four months old. Pixie is almost the same size as Nola. Digby is the youngest at 8 weeks old and is called to feed by mum Winnie, his horns are fully grown and have lots of ridges. He lies down and sleeps in the paddock quite often and is only just licking the feed bucket, he doesn’t eat the treats like the others. The day started with low cloud and light winds, by the end of the day the wind was gale force and buffeting the runner beans. A pint at the local pub and fish and chips from the van was delicious.

Nola and Pixie
Winnie and Digby
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Muck Heap

After filling the raised beds and mulching the borders I needed somewhere to create an ideal place to grow next years courgettes and pumpkins where it won’t matter if they grow in all directions. This structure is the old sheep pen, now lined with dumpy bags and almost full with donkey poo and grass cuttings. It’s getting quite hot in the middle and already rotting down so I have to keep topping it up, fortunately there’s a constant supply of raw material, at least two full wheelbarrows every day. The Magpie moth was resting close to the water butts, they like living in the hedges especially if there are brambles, which there are! A cloudy start to the day, the view soon disappeared in thick fog followed by persistent light rain; good for the garden and the paddocks.

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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.

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Cycle Ride

38km along Dorset lanes and up and down a few hills we crossed Ackling Dyke, the old roman road which stretched 22 miles from Badbury Rings to Old Sarum. The road provided a rapid transit route for the soldiers to cross Cranborne Chase in full view of the local population and when extended it joined the coast at Hamworthy with London. The White Nettle Leaf Mullein grows in the verge alongside the road, a tall perennial herb which has various benefits if correctly administered, it’s also an extreme irritant if the hairy leaves are handled in the wrong way. The day dawned with a thick bank of fog in the valley that gave way to warm winds and sunshine, watered the vegetables.

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Sloes and Frogs

Filling the hedgerows, Blackthorn spreads into the paddocks and veg patch and grows very quickly. The fruits look ripe but they become sweeter if picking is left until after the first frost which may be as early as September. Sheep like to eat the seedlings so the spread into the paddocks should be controlled. The little frog was in one of the water buckets, I moved him into the nearby shallow pond margin. The fish in the pond will eat frogspawn so I hope the frog will move to the wildlife pond. Lunch at the pub, a sunny cloudy day with rain later, watered the beans and the raised beds.

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Ouessants

The sheep are looking more like a flock, moving around the paddock as one when they’re grazing, Tatty Bianca likes talking with the Texels through the fence with Walter not far behind. Digby and Pixie definitely have round worms, they’re very obvious in their poo so the Vet gave them an injection. It’s likely they’re all going to get worms from grazing the same paddock even though we’re poo picking, so we’ll have to gather a representative sample for testing in a months time. Worming will probably become routine for them without bothering with the test. A warm sunny day with gentle winds, picked courgettes and runner beans.

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Vegetables

The yellow Tumbler tomatoes are growing in the same pot as the sunflower and a few red Outdoor Girl have ripened in the border, all different shapes and sizes. The sun and wind has been so hot today that some tomato plants have shriveled in the greenhouse, I hope they recover, will let a sideshoot develop if not. Picked more runner beans, they’ve been thrashed by the high winds so tied a few back to their poles. There’s been a real variety of weather conditions that the plants have to withstand – both varieties of courgettes are doing OK, the drop in the level of compost in the raised bed means they’re protected. A few drops of rain evaporated as soon as they touched the ground so more watering.

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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.

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Wildlife

This black beetle was swimming in the rainwater bucket, guess it must be a stag? Released onto the damp woody area close by. The tiny newt was in one of the water buckets by the greenhouse, I moved him to the nearby wildlife pond where the water was a bit low so I topped it up with rainwater. Hope they both survive. The Ouessants have moved about a lot today, nose to the ground. Have the vet visiting tomorrow, donkey teeth need to be checked and the lambs need worming, moved hurdles into the small paddock so that the Ouessants can be corralled. A sunny and warm day, watered the vegetables.

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Raised Beds

In one of the square beds the pumpkins are starting to overwhelm the french beans; the early purple sprouting plants are doing ok although the butterfly’s are laying a lot of eggs that need removing regularly. The intermediate beds need filling with donkey poo ready for the strawberry plants Which need planting out ready for next year. A pair of wrens were hopping about on the bench by the ceanothis tonight, they amused Poppy for a while, fortunately they’re too quick for her. The ouessants are all grazing in the paddock, they sat together chewing the cud in the shelter, a lot calmer today. A sunny windy day, watered the vegetables.

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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.

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Sharing

All six Ouessants in the shelter together, they like resting against the lining boards, whenever they run around they have their noses to the ground all the way. The fallen oak tree now has the addition of a couple of extra hurdles to prevent sheep climbing on top and jumping into the ditch, it’s quite deep and full of brambles so we’d have trouble getting them out. Cut the nightshade in the hedge, can’t see where the root is so it’ll grow back next year. Will need to move the texels in the next week or so and then the donkeys can graze the hedgerow. Picked French beans and cucumbers, a cloudy day with heavy showers and strong winds.

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Two New Ouessants

The two new Ouessants safely in a dog crate in the back of the car – forty minutes of loud bleating all the way home! I made a shelter in willow paddock with hurdles and a fence panel for Winnie and her lamb Digby. They actually joined the existing four in the small paddock quite quickly; thought it best to keep them separated at first, but there were too many heads poking through the stock wire just wiggling around trying to get stuck. When the gate was opened between the paddocks Nola butted Winnie several times and there was a lot of bleating. I made a third shelter next to the existing one in the small paddock so they could decide how close to sleep, it’ll be interesting to see how they get on tomorrow. A cloudy day with much needed heavy rain in the late afternoon, which filled up a few of the water butts and gave the garden a good soak.

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Cucumbers

There are a lot on these two plants, they seem to double in size overnight. The first flowers set really well and the cucumbers continue up the plant, which is still growing, there’s more than we can eat so will give some away. The sheep and donkeys are content, the Texels are beginning to eat down the grass in the lower paddock so we may be able to let the donkeys in there next week. The Ouessants are making little impact on Willow paddock, two more may make a difference. A sunny day with lunch at the pub, promise of thunderstorms tomorrow.

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Cycle Ride

Starting above Pimperne we admired the view from the top of the longest Long Barrow in Dorset – 107 meters long and 27 meters wide in places. Full of wild flowers including Orchids, Ladies Bedstraw and Yellow Goatsbeard, also known as Johnny-go-to-bed-at-noon because the flowers open at dawn and close by lunchtime; this seed head was the size of a tennis ball. Stopped for coffee and a sausage roll at Rawston Farm where there was a good display of plants, rawstonfarmbutchery.co.uk. A hot day to ride up the hills, great coming down! Watered the vegetables, the compost in the raised beds is disappearing, the level has dropped by a third.

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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.

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Woody Nightshade

In the hedge that borders the ditch round the lower paddock, very delicate lilac and yellow flowers with shiny green berries that turn red as they mature. A little poisonous, not as toxic as Deadly, would give a nasty stomach ache though. Cycle ride, 15 miles round Dorset lanes with a coffee stop at Sturminster Newton, lovely sunshine with a gentle breeze. Poo picking when I got back, Walter had creosote on his leg, must be from the fence posts ‘bleeding’ in the hot sun. Will have to make a wrap of some sort, some posts are much worse than others. Very hot at the end of the day.

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Common Toad

Lovely speckled tummy with knobby skin, cool to hold on a warm day, they wriggle constantly. This one is big so must be a female, they come out late in the day to feed around the greenhouse. There are lots of damp places to relax in the shade under the hedge and to paddle in the water in the outdoor tomato plant trays. Runner beans and French beans today with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Assembled the raised beds for the strawberry’s, they just fit in the space between the tree and the hedge, will put weed proof fabric in the bottom and then grass cuttings and donkey poo. A cool start to the day with a brisk wind, hot sunshine later so watered the vegetables and the greenhouse.

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Swallows

A pair are building a nest in the tack room, they tried 3 or 4 different places and have settled on a middle beam at the gable end. The tack room door is closed overnight so they gain access to their nest by flying up into the roof of the stable next door, and squeezing through a small gap, the donkeys wander in and out of their stable all night so the door is never closed. Tolerant of people walking around they fly overhead and only veer away from the entrance if you look at them directly. No mess so far! Must get a wildlife camera. A cloudy start to the day, ended with hot sun.

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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.

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Ouessants

The new sheep are really cute, have had them a week, now, Tatty Bianca bleats loudly every time she hears a gate open or sees me in another paddock. If I talk to them they all come running over to see if there’s any food available. When there’s no food they stick around for a while nibbling at your clothes and prowling around, three of them will eat out of your hand, Pixie is still too timid, so she hoovers up anything spilt on the ground. Walter likes a bit of a scratch. They return to their shelter often and like chewing the cud and resting in the shade of the willow tree. A hot day so watered everything, hope to have more beans ready tomorrow.

Walter at the front, then left to right, Tatty Bianca, Pixie and Nola
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Raised Bed

Lower than my other three beds at a foot high these will be filled with donkey poo and then packed with new strawberry plants and relocated rhubarb. Easy self assembly, no fancy packaging, all bought from Solway Recycling who make all their products from waste farm plastic. A fire last month delayed delivery but they’re back in production now, and offer an excellent service. Picked 6 cucumbers today, gave a few away…. no pumpkins yet, sheep and donkeys happy, a cloudy start to the day with hot sun later, watered the vegetables, removed sideshoots from the tomatoes.

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Bristly Oxtongue and Wild Marjoram

Oxtongue is considered a bit of a pest by farmers, it’s a traditional herb used to get rid of parasitic worms, it’s growing alongside maturing poppy heads and Wild Marjoram in the rose bed. The donkeys enjoyed grazing the central avenue and eating their ration of thistles, beech twigs and apple branch prunings. Toby briefly escaped from the stable through the workshop and was tempted back by a rattle of special donkey mix. Lovely hilly cycle ride up and along Ballard Down to Old Harry Rocks and on to Studland for coffee, a bit of a cloudy day with some drizzle, views to the Isle of Wight and Swanage still amazing.

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Produce!

A decent picking of runner beans and one cucumber today, the cucumber tastes very different home grown and one of my favourite meals is well seasoned runner beans with lots of butter and two soft fried eggs on top, absolutely delicious. The new sheep are settling in and like their daily cereal mix, not eating out of my hand yet is Pixie, I’m sure she will in a week or two. They’ve explored Willow paddock and grazed closer to the donkeys who stared at them through the fence. A really warm day at first following overnight rain, it clouded over later and there was a really cold wind.

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Wasps Nest

In the roof void at the highest point in the upstairs hall. There was a brown stain on the ceiling that looked like a water leak, and a pitter patter noise. Turned out to be a bad idea to touch the paper thin ceiling (wasps eat plasterboard) and they quickly emerged through the hole, very angry. The cats made a run for it, unscathed, and a few moments later the hall was full of wasps. Pest control arrived within the hour, dealt with the nest and taped over the hole. A check outside revealed no other activity, but this morning wasps were emerging from around the wisteria, so another nest has been treated today. A hot day that ended with cloud and some light rain, more expected overnight. Watered the vegetables, the runner beans have reached the top of the sticks so rain may not reach all of the roots.

dig
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Sunflower

Grown from a seed taken from a ‘help yourself’ pot that was in Ledbury Church. It had been kicking around in my purse for a couple of years before I finally planted the last remaining seed last month. Hope to be able to grow lots more next year – and share the seeds with friends. The Gardeners Delight tomato plants in the greenhouse are sprouting new stems from under the soil as well as further up the plant, and they’ve really thick and strong stems which must be the result of being wind damaged in the spring. Picked the first cucumber and courgettes. Fixed the stock netting to protect the vegetables, sunnier and hotter today than yesterday, no rain, so watered the veg and the hedging.

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Ouessant Sheep

New arrivals today, Nola with lamb Pixie, and Bianca with lamb Walter, who has horns! Four shy sheep that travelled 10 miles to get to us in the back of a pickup liked the comfort of their new shelter. They a rare breed originating from the island of Ouessant, off the coast of Brittany, and are the smallest naturally occurring breed of sheep in the world. Full of character and very hardy they’re easier to handle as they grow to a maximum of eighteen inches high. They were greeted by bleating from the sheep in the square paddock and William and Toby were very curious, they both brayed when they saw them being fed their daily treat.

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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.

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Smudge and Poppy

Eyes tight shut, smudge likes sleeping outside on the woodpile. Poppy prefers to be under a hedge and being a long haired cat she has a lot of grooming to do. Finished the sheep shelter today and had to add another rail to the softstanding as William managed to knock off one of the middle rails in an effort to reach through the fence to get to something tasty. Luckily, he didn’t step through onto the paddock driveway and into the little copse. Always need to keep a few spare rails and posts, I think. Collected fish and chips from the travelling van in a heavy and persistent drizzle, no watering required.

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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.