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Copyright Dave Yates Cycles & Engineering 2007
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Our Smallholding Year - 2007 January/February 2007 started how 2006 ended, with our priorities once again
focused on our business rather than our smallholding activities. In early January we were
fortunate to be awarded a small Workspace Refurbishment Grant to help us create a
hardstanding outside the workshop, improve security, and most importantly create a
paintshop. As with any such schemes there is always a catch, and with this one all the
work had to be completed before the end of February. So, as usual, it was all hands (and
paws) to the pump....
We have also kept a third cockerel who lives with our hybrid and crossbred hens, if you are following the theme, his name is Electric!
Our smallholding plans were once again thwarted, this time due to Debbie undergoing a major operation in March. She is making an excellent recovery, but is not allowed to lift anything heavier than a mug of tea, and there is no digging for at least 12 weeks! One of our Buff Sussex hens is broody and is sitting on 7
eggs. If all goes to plan they should hatch mid-April. They did! Proud Mum with her chicks on 15th April
May/June We had yet another distraction in May with the arrival of a new 'gang' member..... Fergus aged 8 weeks Fergus brings our clan of Welsh Springer Spaniels to three, all of whom are actually Scottish Welshies, all born in Dumfries.
Our 8 Shetland sheep were not keeping up with their grass cutting duties so we recruited extra help in the shape of Linda and Michelle.....
July/August Well, 'summer' is proving to be a real wash out! The fields we had set aside for hay were sodden, and the grass beyond redemption for haymaking, so we had yet another change of plan (which seems to be the story of our year so far!) We found a source of hay to buy in to see our Shetland sheep through the winter, and decided to buy in some store lambs to fatten rather than trying to get a later cut of hay ourselves. We bought the lambs on 2nd August, and on 3rd August there was an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Surrey. We took all the necessary bio-security precautions, but had an anxious few days until, thankfully, we learned the outbreak had been contained. Our Texel/Suffolk cross store lambs Another change of plan (this time for the better!) was our decision not to shear our Shetland sheep ourselves this year. Instead Mike Hewson from Horncastle did an excellent job for us. We then sent our fleeces to Avocet Alpacas for processing and are eagerly awaiting their return as balls of double knitting wool! Giles from Avocet Alpacas has reported the fleeces to be good quality with a short staple (length of fibre) and high crimp. We may have a surplus of wool, so if you would be interested in buying some do get in touch. Our sheep have been raised organically since we got them, and the wool will be un-dyed, it will be the natural colour of the sheep.
Our multi-coloured flock and their fleeces September/October We were thrilled to receive our Shetland wool back from Avocet Alpacas mini-mill - over 80 balls, each label having a photo of the actual sheep who provided the wool! At long last we managed to find time to put up the Solar Tunnel we bought last year. Measuring 4.2 x 10.5m it provides us with a large 'indoor' growing area, and will hopefully extend our growing season significantly.
In between more worries about Foot and Mouth Disease and the outbreak of Blue Tongue, we took the first of our store lambs to be slaughtered and butchered. We had to invest in a new freezer, but it is now full of the most delicious and tender lamb we have ever tasted, and also lots of lamb bones for the dogs. Talking of dogs, we entered Fergus in the Welsh Springer Spaniel Club Autumn Working Assessment Test. At just 6 months and 3 days old he became the youngest participant (the minimum age for entry being 6 months.) The wee chap did well!
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