Til the cows come home

Well seasons greetings to you all, Ruby the red Hereford here. Where's Boris I hear you ask, well he has now got three sows in season and is, shall we say, slightly distracted, so he asked me to help out. And we cattle have had a busy old week...

The last school of the term had been caring for us very nicely, but they were finding it a bit of a struggle getting our breakfast out to us across the muddy fields, so the decision was made, time to come home for Christmas. Now I was slightly worried when I heard the plan, I've always been happy out here with the other Herefords and the Aberdeen Angus. Every morning and evening 8 children with 8 buckets of feed shared into 2 troughs, even I can do the maths. However every mealtime 8 calves at one trough and me, Ruby, pretending to hold back then getting a whole trough to myself. I've been doing it for months and they never twigged... Suddenly I find we're all in with the Gloucesters, some of whom are at least a year older than me, 3 troughs, 13 hungry animals...... and yet the same trick still paid off.

The roaming piglets have been weaned and re-housed in a more secure unit, once they learn to dig up the grass then there's really no option, so it's a warm dry sty and plenty of straw to play in and keep the bed warm.







Of course as soon as the piglets were shut in, the puppies get more adventurous by the hour, so you can never quite relax.











We had special guests this week, children from a local prep school who brought a lovely big cheque full of money they'd raised by making and selling chutney. They were delightful and not only did they bring the cheque, they spent the whole morning here helping with the farm jobs - and took some of our mud back to school with them.





Our staff managed to get out into the orchard to keep going with the restoration work. I can see it all looks very tidy and I'm sure it helps the trees grow, but from a bovine viewpoint those fences around each tree are very annoying, we love to help with the pruning..... Mind you I guess you have to keep the sheep off, they just don't know when to stop.












The orchards should be looking good ready for the big Wassail in January and I've heard a rumour that there are new trees going in after Christmas, eaters, a firm favourite with us cattle, those endless cider varieties play havoc with your digestion. Let's just hope they forget the tree guards.








After a very very wet week, the resident children had glorious weather to end their week with the "Long Walk". The river looked lovely in the sun and even the maize fields were looking stunning.

















However, the children managed to find the mud.....










and finished with the traditional hill roll!










Back at the farm Silver popped out to the orchard to help with the fencing









meanwhile two very friendly cats have moved into the house





Anyway, the good news is that we cattle have settled our differences and we have all moved in together in the newly-restored barn with fresh straw and plenty of hay, and just as I write that it has started to snow so perhaps it'll be a white Christmas after all. So from Wick Court we would like to wish you all a

very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

love

Ruby

pp Boris

Boris comes Home

It's true what they say, when you revisit a place it all looks smaller. It could be because I've grown, I have to say I was royally entertained over at the egg farm, two lovely Tamworth sows and eggs for breakfast every morning - always scrambled for some reason. In fact when I got back home the sty seemed very cosy with two of us in it. Apparently due to a slip of the trotter I had been down as a Middle White but in fact I'm a Large White, so perhaps that explains it.





So is it good to be home? Of course, there's no place like it. The teenage litter are all weaned so I moved back in with Doris, their mother, ready to think about thaving some more. In fact they're all leaving home this week, four moved to Tetbury today and the other three leave on Sunday. It'll be sad to see them go but there's also a feeling of pride as you watch them make their way into the world.



The other two litters are all thriving and as the piglets get more confident I see more of them, I love to see them out and about calling on all their friends and relations. This morning they were very confused when they got up and found the world had been turned white by the first frost of the winter.
















And at the end of the week, the Georges and JohnandEdward are off too, once they'd reached that magical target weight then they were "voted out". Apparently though this is good news for the rest of us, while there are vacant pig sties some of our accommodation is being refurbished. Well I was brought up not to complain, but the furnishings are a little dated shall we say. To be honest it's only fair, the calves are in their lean-to after a complete makeover and the stables have just had a lot of work on the structure and the interior decor. According to the horses they were in a terrible state, but then they would say that, they can be rather highly-strung and demanding.



And of course at this time of year the poultry starts to get a bit edgy, who'll it be this year? I can now reveal that....



cockerels.....it's not you










ducks.......it's not you











geese........it could be you




but no

turkeys....it's definitely YOU!!










Anyway, as the only boar on the farm I'm definitely staying, so here's to the next time.

Stay warm

Boris

The Old Spot Observer

We've had a couple of weeks with no children here, really throws your routine, the staff are nowhere near as reliable. We've found it very hard to find a quiet moment to sneak into the office and use the technology - hence the lack of communication. This week it's my turn - Curious George, a fine and handsome Gloucester Old Spot pig. Apparently I was named because I'm the first pig at Wick Court ever who's more interested in what's going on in the world than in eating. It's true, I was brought up to be curious about my surroundings, my neighbours, the environment and what is happening in the wider world, it's easy to become parochial living here. There's nothing I like more than resting my trotters on the wall and just watching the world go by. My brother, George 2nd, who I share a sty with, is the complete opposite, show him a bucket of feed and the world could end, he wouldn't notice.

Next door it's the twins, John and Edward, no-one's really sure which is which, but they answer to both so no problem. You wonder where their names came from? Have you heard them sing?? Apparently they're well on their way to their target weight for Christmas, so I guess that's good news.....only 40 troughing days to go.




On the other side we have Boris' first litter of piglets, seven newly-weaned teenagers, not the quietest of neighbours, but it could be worse.







Round the back we have two sows and their two litters, all fathered by Boris, more spotless wonders. At the moment they're too young to venture far but it won't be long before they're knocking on the doors and running off and other games that they find entertaining.




And the reason the office was locked....? Well apparently the brick sculpture of our great-aunt twice removed, Isabella, was entered in a national competition and one of our admin staff had to go to London and show willing at a gala dinner and awards ceremony. Isabella was entered in the Best Landscape Project category, up against brick buildings from all over the country. Sadly the judges were not swayed by a beautiful Old Spot and chose a very boring, box-like building instead. However judging by the rather tired state of the staff member on her return, I think she and Karen, the sculptor, managed to have a good time losing.


The other hot news, Oakey the lurcher had her puppies, nine, yes nine lurcher puppies. The proud mother is delighted with them, but very happy to disappear off over the fields and have a break from them all. Goodness only knows what it'll be like once they're out and about playing with all those piglets.





And then there's the sheep, the last school rounded them all up and brought them down to the pig yard so we had a chance to catch up. They've been off and away to our next-door neighbours for a couple of weeks and now they're bqck, and I've heard they've brought the rams back with them. So watch out next spring, there should be lambs everywhere if all goes to plan.











And last, but not least, the hottest news on the farmyard, watch this space because......Boris is back!

Welsh Welsummer to the rescue

Over to the poultry, very important residents of the farm. I'm Les, a Welsummer cockerel hatched and reared in West Wales. I fully intended to spend my days there, it was a beautiful spot - fantastic views, fresh sea air - a little too fresh sometimes maybe - but lovely friendly people. So how come I'm now in sunny Gloucestershire I hear you ask?
Well, a call came from Wick Court, a whole flock of hens newly arrived and needing some guidance and support. Damsels in distress as it were, no gentleman, certainly no Welsh gentleman, would refuse, so I came straight down and I've been here ever since.
The ladies are good as gold, once I'd get them into some kind of routine. Columbian Blacktails they are, little beauties, very quiet and well-mannered. We have a lovely home in the orchard - real trees all around, something I'd only heard about back in Wales. Ever since the summer they've been dropping fruit on us, at first I was very excited and tried it all - trust me they don't taste good. Really dry and sour and they soon make you feel ill. But the children seem to spend a lot of time picking them up - bucketfuls have been collected and taken away so they must be good for something.


So life here is good - it would be perfect if it wasn't for one thing - the neighbours. It's typical isn't it, you travel all this way and end up right next door to the hens from hell. A small flock of Buff Orpingtons with their bird-brained, fluffy-bottomed cockerel. When I first arrived they weren't so bad, kept themselves to themselves. But ever since we had the honour of a visit from HRH the Princess Royal who happened to mention they were her breed of choice and told a few amusing anecdotes about them....well since that day they've been unbearable, if I hear them mention it one more time....

Let's face it we know who the real workers are here, just check those egg charts, it's my girls who are keeping the children in breakfasts while those "Fluff Orpingtons" are just "too posh to push".


We do have some other neighbours, across the way are the Light Sussex, no problems there, polite, friendly and no airs or graces - and I believe they do their share of egg-laying.





Anyway, the sun is still shining, Windy the Fell stallion passes by each morning and evening on his way to and from the field and brings news from the stable yard. He has a few new foals who need keeping in their place but otherwise all good. And there's work hapening in the big barn, ready for the cows to come in for the winter apparently.









And we even get the occasional visit from those piglets who have become very bold in the last week - even setting off to visit the neighbours over at Oldbury. Or perhaps they're just busy trying to sell some pumpkins for Halloween.










Anyway, mustn't get distracted - got to keep those girls busy laying.

Oakey's news

Well I promised to do this days ago and then the sun was shining and the fields were just so inviting and the sun kept shining, I could smell rabbits and had to go and investigate, and then the sun was still shining so I needed a long lie down...

Anyway, today it is raining, probably just as well as the farm was turning into a dust bowl, so the time has come to update the farm news. Firstly let me introduce myself, Oakey the lurcher. Named after the historic hollow oak tree where I was born (good job my mother didn't choose a pig sty or the muck heap). My job here is to help with the horses, entertain the children and work with my friends the terriers to keep the rabbit population under control.










Last week two more foals were sold. three were supposed to go but one attempted a tricky jump over a gate and injured it's knee, so it will go next month.









Neil, the farrier, has been this week. Here he is shoeing Jack, for such a big horse he's a complete baby about having shoes fitted and then he does his best to pull them straight off.










The garden is still keeping everyone busy and well-fed. Plenty of flowers for the house and loads of pumpkins, these two were destined for the local Harvest Festival.





















The turkeys have moved outside and have been enjoying the autumn sunshine. Today the children have been out drawing them and they are being immortalised as mosaics, I suppose as they are short-term residents it will be good to have something to remember them by.







And the orchards are just groaning with fruit. The children have already filled four large 1 ton feed sacks with perry pears and the cider mill is being cleaned ready.

They are also making 3D mosaic cats - CATS - I ask you. Isn't it bad enough that we have the two real ones stalking about the yard scratching us dogs on the nose if we so much as look at them, who needs to be reminded of them?


There is one area where I reign supreme... I am the undisputed sprint champion of Wick Court. Many, many children have challenged me to a race, "easy" they say. I did once enter a real race at Frampton Show but I saw someone I knew half way down and stopped for a chat, by which time the race was over, still my mother always said "good manners cost nothing".
So I take the children to a flat field and off we go, I love to tease them, holding back then shooting past with my sprint finish, as I said, unbeaten to date...

However my racing days are temporarily on hold, it looks like there'll be the patter of tiny paws in about a month, so for now I'm off to find a warm, dry bale in the barn for a rest...

A Cat's eye view

Greetings from Silver the cat, and of course my friend Ginger

Boris is still away so he asked me to pass on the week's news. He did a pretty good job but I think we cats have a better overview of the place. As you can see from our picture we are shy and retiring creatures, it's a good cover to keep, so no-one suspects us when there have been overnight visitors in the pantry, mind you whoever invented cling film has a lot to answer for.

We're still enjoying lovely autumn weather with cool, misty mornings when the children come out to feed the calves. They mix up the creamy warm milk and there's always enough left for us - the perfect way to start the day.

Those piglets are growing fast and getting more adventurous by the day. No sign of the next litter yet but we'll keep you posted. We've got our eyes on that heat lamp, hoping it stays there once the piglets have grown up, I reckon that could be a good spot for a cat in the winter.



At the moment our favourite place is the veg garden, I know, not what you'd expect for us meat
eaters, but it's sunny, peaceful and like a jungle for exploring. On a chilly morning there's always the cosy polytunnel and there's a great bit in the middle where someone is growing a range of berries very popular with birds. Now you may not know this but Ginger and I are very fond of birds.....

Vegetables in every direction....













































Talking of which, six new ducklings have moved next to the geese, they're still rather shy but I hope to get to know them better soon. And by the pig sties, twelve turkey poults have moved in, once they're settled they're having a large pen in the orchard so they can enjoy the autumn sunshine too. Apparently it's only a short-term let and they will have gone by Christmas.















When it all gets too hectic with 30 children out working in the garden or mucking out the pens, then we wander down the drive to spend some time with the Gloucester cows, it's always calm and peaceful in their field.

Anyway I'm off to meet Ginger in the fruit cage. Next week it's over to Oakey the lurcher who's very keen to pass on her thoughts on farm life, expect fast-action, lots of enthusiasm and plenty of reference to rabbits.

Silver

Boris the Boar's Blog Wick Court, September 17th (Boris is our Middle White boar)

Autumn is here and the first school has arrived with that lovely weather we always get once the holidays are over. Lots of excited voices and faces peering over the wall as they bring us our meals. It has been a quiet summer for us pigs but the exciting news is that I am a father - seven beautiful piglets born on Monday morning and within a day all were out running around the yard. Their mother is an Old Spot gilt but I have to say they have inherited their father's looks - not a spot between them. Her sister is due in 2 - 3 weeks so we should soon be overrun with my offspring. In the back pig sties the Berkshire boys are quietly eating and growing and the Old Spot weaners born in May are looking positively enormous next to the new arrivals.

The cattle are all still out in the fields, the barns are full of hay now, finally cut in August after all that rain, so plenty of grazing for cattle and sheep while the weather holds.

The geese have had the luxury of having a pen all to themselves for several months - although they do have many invading mallards who try to share their meals, but they will soon have 6 new Khaki Campbell ducks moving in, in time the children should be collecting duck eggs aswell as the chicken eggs they currently find - and apparently enjoy for breakfast.

And the other hot news in the poultry sheds, 12 turkey poults are also due any day, apparently it's a "seasonal enterprise", at least they're no threat to us pigs, they eat completely different food.

Round at the stables there's a lot of washing and shampooing, two foals off to the sales tomorrow as this year's young ones are being sold on before the winter. There has been a lot of comings and goings over the summer with ponies off to shows around the country, and plenty of new rosettes for the feed shed wall. I'm sure we pigs could win some prizes if only someone would give us a lift to the shows...

The orchards are full of fruit, a bumper year for perry pears apparently. A group of learned men spent the day wandering around this week with special books, identifying the different varieties. Apparently a very rare Arlingham Squash has been discovered to great excitement. They all taste good to me... The children have been picking blackberries and cooking crumbles, there have been lovely autumnal scents wafting across the yard.

The vegetable garden is also proving very fruitful, the children are coming out with laden boxes and baskets. Now this is great for the pig population as we get all the outer leaves and there is even a row of fodder beet just for us, well we all need our 5 a day.

Anyway, I shall hand over to someone else for the next update as I'm off to the egg farm across the road where there's a Tamworth sow who wants to meet me.

Bye for now

Boris the Boar