The Northfield Omnibus
Oct. 2nd, 2005 09:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
whotheheckamiA bit like the Archers' Sunday Omnibus Edition, but with less fighting!
It's been another busy old week.
The clumsiness that beset me earlier in the week persisted and was not helped by the massive bandage on my finger that seems to be doing the business. My fingertip seems to be healing OK and looks less and less like a special effect each time my dressing gets changed.
I've spent a lot of time at the farm and have continued being both stockman and chef! I was even roped in to be a decorator as it was decided that we'd give The Master's kitchen and the farm's Office a makeover before he got back. I found lots of ways to avoid the DIY, but should still be able to share in the credit of a transformed workplace!
Cooking saw the creation of large batches of Turkey and Mango Bhuna, Beef Strogannof and Chilli con Carne. I've got more planned for this week including Beef in Beer, Pork Goulash and another curry. I found out last week that the meals aren't yet available in Borrough Market in London because we don't have a suitable display freezer. No prizes for working out what is on this week's shopping list.
The livestock have needed quite a bit of attention as well. We called the vet in to do PDs (Pregnancy Diagnosis) on the 12 Dexter cows who been running with Cuddles the bull throughout the summer. There was no delicate ultrasound involved - we held the cow behind a gate whilst the fully-gloved vet diagnosed in a very James Herriot way. Most undignified, but it did show us that Cuddles had been a very busy chap and all 12 were in calf. We also took the opportunity to wean the remaining 7 calves from their mothers. This needs to be done now as the calves are more than able to look after themselves and their mothers will be put on condition to support the unborn calves. However, this plans did not go according to plan and all the weaners reminded us that Dexter cattle must have some kanagaroo gene-sequences as the calves rapidly jumped over two high fences to get back to their mothers! I guess weaning goes back on my To-Do list for the forthcoming week!
The sheep are doing well and Wednesday saw me selecting the first of this year's lambs for slaughter. This was the first time I've ever done anything like this and was quite sobering. It would have been easier to let someone else take them the short trip to the abbatoir, but I felt it was something I had to do. I didn't stop and linger; not from squeamishness, but because I had jobs waiting for me back at the farm. However, I've promised myself that I will have a proper look round next time I make the trip.
Everything else seems content on the farm. We now have 3 clutches of chicks happily chirping away in spare stables. The pigs are happy, but the weather is getting wetter and evermore colder. It will soon be time to start re-hanging gates on all the barns that have been used as garges for the summer and start thinking of bringing livestock in for the winter.
It's been another busy old week.
The clumsiness that beset me earlier in the week persisted and was not helped by the massive bandage on my finger that seems to be doing the business. My fingertip seems to be healing OK and looks less and less like a special effect each time my dressing gets changed.
I've spent a lot of time at the farm and have continued being both stockman and chef! I was even roped in to be a decorator as it was decided that we'd give The Master's kitchen and the farm's Office a makeover before he got back. I found lots of ways to avoid the DIY, but should still be able to share in the credit of a transformed workplace!
Cooking saw the creation of large batches of Turkey and Mango Bhuna, Beef Strogannof and Chilli con Carne. I've got more planned for this week including Beef in Beer, Pork Goulash and another curry. I found out last week that the meals aren't yet available in Borrough Market in London because we don't have a suitable display freezer. No prizes for working out what is on this week's shopping list.
The livestock have needed quite a bit of attention as well. We called the vet in to do PDs (Pregnancy Diagnosis) on the 12 Dexter cows who been running with Cuddles the bull throughout the summer. There was no delicate ultrasound involved - we held the cow behind a gate whilst the fully-gloved vet diagnosed in a very James Herriot way. Most undignified, but it did show us that Cuddles had been a very busy chap and all 12 were in calf. We also took the opportunity to wean the remaining 7 calves from their mothers. This needs to be done now as the calves are more than able to look after themselves and their mothers will be put on condition to support the unborn calves. However, this plans did not go according to plan and all the weaners reminded us that Dexter cattle must have some kanagaroo gene-sequences as the calves rapidly jumped over two high fences to get back to their mothers! I guess weaning goes back on my To-Do list for the forthcoming week!
The sheep are doing well and Wednesday saw me selecting the first of this year's lambs for slaughter. This was the first time I've ever done anything like this and was quite sobering. It would have been easier to let someone else take them the short trip to the abbatoir, but I felt it was something I had to do. I didn't stop and linger; not from squeamishness, but because I had jobs waiting for me back at the farm. However, I've promised myself that I will have a proper look round next time I make the trip.
Everything else seems content on the farm. We now have 3 clutches of chicks happily chirping away in spare stables. The pigs are happy, but the weather is getting wetter and evermore colder. It will soon be time to start re-hanging gates on all the barns that have been used as garges for the summer and start thinking of bringing livestock in for the winter.
