Tag: Paddock

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Paddock

The donkeys went out onto grass for the first time in over a month and really enjoyed the extra space, Toby had more of a run around than William who was more interested in eating. The new garden room shows how much the wooden stable block has faded, it needs weatherproofing as soon as the weather improves. Fixed a light on the corner to illuminate the small paddock, saves wearing a head torch and makes it a lot easier to feed the sheep after dark. A frosty start to a cold, sunny day with light winds.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.

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Sheep and William

William and Toby were both up close to the sheep in the shelter in the square paddock, they touch noses and set each other off running when they’re excited. A very windy day, need to put the roof on the new shelter when the wind drops. Mowed the grassy area by the stable, almost looks like a lawn, the lawn by the house has bare patches despite the rain so this ad-hoc grassy area looks much better. The tomatoes in the greenhouse are growing at last, removed the side shoots and gave them a feed. Hope to pick the first cucumber later this week. Late sunshine, still windy, no rain so watered the vegetables.

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Moths

A pair of Bright-line Bright-eye moths (I think) resting on a rubber mat in a warm and sunny spot close to their feeding ground of nettles under an elm tree. Sheep shelter progressing, ordered lining kick boards and fixed stock wire to a couple of paddock gates. Let the sheep into the lower paddock that was mown last week, they really do believe the grass is greener on the other side of the gate – any gate! The wisteria is flowering for a second time, there’s lots of new foliage to be blown around by the strong cool winds and after a cloudy day there’s evening rain, so no watering.

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Sheep Manual

I was given the Haynes manual for one of my cars, which I did look at occasionally, good to see the brand lives on in other ways, lots of pictures, must do some reading. I’m building a Model 2 sheep shelter in the new paddock – it will be an improvement on the first one, William likes drinking from the puddle on the roof. It rained for most of the day, still cool and windy, nice sunset, no watering required. The deer has a companion, they were in the neighbours field most of the afternoon, and the hosta has tall flowers so I think the barricade is still working. The donkeys had a run down the paddock today, not enough to interest the sheep who were bleating in response to calls from a flock further away down the hill.

dav
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Cycle Dorset

Lovely ride north of Blandford, up to the long barrow and on to Chettle for coffee and a sausage roll. The wild flowers were in full bloom, including yellow and white Lady’s Bedstraw, used in the past to curdle milk as part of cheese making. A colder, windy day, sunny at times but still chilly, no rain. The last of the muck heap is now around the new hedge and the new heap is warming up with a mixture of grass and donkey poo. William and Toby were in playful mood, collar tugging and running up and down the paddock trying to nip each other, the sheep watched from the other side of the fence and joined in, jumping up and down with excitement.

dav
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View from the stable at night

An intricate spiders web over the lense blocks the view of the fence and the donkeys standing in the corner, in daylight this camera sees down the paddock; buttercups, fences and trees.   Very windy today, vents on the greenhouse still opened in the sun, able to work in there without feeling too hot.  Tricky for all the plants which have to cope with daytime temperature swings of 10* or more.  Planted out the rest of the climbing beans, some of the runners are halfway up the sticks.  Lawn looking dry, need some rain but there’s none in the forecast.  A couple of branches have snapped off the oak tree, need to be brought up to the house and cut into logs for the woodburner next year.