All change

Well first of all let me introduce myself, Mary they call me, I live with Virginia and as we have been here for almost 6 months we have been handed the enormous responsibility of this blog...... We're saddleback gilts and I'm pretty sure we were called something else at our last farm, but I can't remember what now. Anyway, our names are usually accompanied by a rattling bucket and under those circumstances we'll answer to anything.

It's always hard being the new pigs on the block, everyone seems very friendly but it takes a while to work out who's who, who doesn't get on with who and who are the real decision makers. But we're getting the feel of the place now. We've met the sows, two lovely Old Spots both of whom have had several litters of piglets. Unfortunately the farm is "between boars" at the moment so we'll just have to wait a while before we can start producing.

Valentine and Doris have spent a lot of time explaining that they are "orchard" pigs and their natural habitat is under fruit trees clearing up windfalls. However we noticed that they weren't allowed anywhere near an orchard this autumn, the children harvested the fruit and in fact they held a whole day celebrating the various apples and pears found here.












Other new arrivals are two Cotswold ewes who are grazing happily in full view of their native Cotswold Hills. They have the most ridiculous haircuts I've ever seen, how they find their way about behind those fringes I don't know, mind you I guess you don't have to look too carefully to find the next blade of grass.




For the last few months we lived across the moat from a flock of turkeys, they were living in the shed and they made the wierdest noise, until someone let them out I thought we had a shed full of puppies in there. Every morning and evening the children walked the turkeys out to graze then back to bed. It's lucky the children are so patient, those birds are so slow and not one of them can walk in a straight line. Anyway it's all gone very quiet now, just before Christmas the numbers seemed to go right down and now it's just a pair who stroll in and out.

We were just starting to feel really at home and fit in with all the routines when suddenly it all changed. We'd always lived in nice, warm pens and then suddenly we were posted out to the riverside paddock. It was lovely in the autumn sunshine, fantastic views and a really good spot to listen out for the approach of those magic buckets. And then the big freeze happened......the ground went rock hard overnight, all our water supplies froze solid and you could see your breath hanging in the air. Fortunately our shed had been well strawed out and by keeping together we could get warm, but out and about in the field trying to keep the circulation going in your trotters was almost impossible.

One morning the children read minus 10 degrees off the thermometer and bless them, they did look cold. But boy did they work, the only way to cope was to keep moving and move they did. Buckets and buckets of water were ferried to every corner of the farm. fresh warm straw beds were distributed and everyone was fed and watered on time. The cattle finally came into the barn for the winter and I have to say they looked very relieved to be inside and with a plentiful supply of hay.

The sheep are still out but they do have their woollen coats to help them cope. Even they had to have hay taken out each morning when they woke up to find their breakfast deep frozen.






However, despite the difficulties, we have woken up to some stunningly beautiful sights as each day a new layer of frost settled on the old ones. A very seasonal, winter wonderland......





And now it's all change again, the thaw has brought mud - plenty of mud. The birds have decided it's spring and have started thinking about nesting, finally the grass has started to grow again and there's plentiful water in every drinker - in fact in every hole and rut in the field. And I think you can even notice the days getting longer. Me and Virginia were getting quite excited by it all until someone reminded us that we haven't even had Wassail yet and there's plenty of winter still to come. Best way to wait for spring - a hearty breakfast then snooze under a warm layer of straw......

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness....

Yes, it's been a while, I've had so many enquiries - have I been away, travelling the World, seeing the sights, sunning myself on foreign shores? Well no, more of a "staycation" this year. Me, Valentine and Doris have whiled away the summer months in our lovely moatside paddock with glorious river views. Don't think we've been idle though, no, we've cleared back all the vegetation, created a couple of beautiful muddy wallows, done some fairly impressive excavation in the shed, and caught up on a bit of sleep while the place was so quiet.


Then before you know it, the children were back, lots of noise and activity and although our sleep is more disturbed we do get our meals on the dot. And somehow while we've been resting the summer has slipped away and those chilly, misty autumn mornings are back.













And all around the farm the signs of a bumper harvest are in evidence - the orchards are groaning with apples, pears and blackberries. The children have been busy harvesting then spend the afternoon with Mandy turning the fruit into delicious crumbles for tea.




























And it's everyone's favourite season in the vegetable garden, last week's school harvested and enjoyed eating more than 15 different vegetables over the week. The freezers are full to the brim and there is a shed-full of onions waiting to be used.





























At the end of the garden the children are also enjoying a lovely new shelter built for us by our friends from the local Severn Vale Rotary Club. They harvested the willow and built the structure around our "stone circle" (not quite prehistoric but very atmospheric). Then an expert from a local firm helped with a beautiful canvas roof and the result is a magical space providing shelter from rainstorms and shade on those hot summer days - (remember those days...?)






The shelter was officially opened and toasted by the Rotary Club and the visiting school - it's amazing how many people you can actually fit inside!














And at this time of year the local villages hold their annual produce shows and this year Saul held their first ever. With lots of classes for fruit, veg and flowers there was much gardening-as-a-competitve-sport over the summer. Cakes and biscuits were baked, photos taken, massive marrows were lovingly tended and overfed. There was a whole section of children's classes so the children of Friar's Primary spent the week leading up to their Wick Court visit painting and collaging some entries. Their creations were hung all around the tea tent and several won prizes.



The only area of the farm where the harvest wasn't quite so good was in the hay meadows. A very dry early season meant there wasn't so much grass and this year we harvested much less from the fields. However there is plenty for us animals here and some to sell, so not a disaster.


While we pigs have been relaxing in the meadow there have been a few new arrivals - the last foal of the season arrived safely and is very happy out in the field next to ours. It's always good to live close to the horses, not only do they get to mingle with all the animals, they even get to go off the farm. I'm not saying they're gossips but if you want to know anything it's always best to try the stableyard first.





That's how we heard there were new pigs on the block - black and white pigs in fact. Apparently they're Saddlebacks and they're very demure and ladylike. None of the rowdy squealing and jumping up that my offspring are so famous for - pigs with table manners, who'd have thought it? The first school named them Mary and Virginia after their past and present Headteachers, it'll be very interesting to see what their piglets will look like.



I guess now the nights are closing in and the temperatures are dropping it'll be time for us to move back to our winter quarters. Valentine and Doris should both be back in pig and they'll need to move into suitable accommodation. Apparently my name is almost at the top of the transfer list, so who knows where I'll be spending the winter.... my time at Wick Court has been very special and of course I shall hand the blog over to someone else - our own correspondent.....


Borisx

The heat is on

Well doesn't the time fly ?! July already, half the year gone and the long evenings starting to slip away again. Not that we've been sitting around doing nothing, oh no plenty of goings on here. The best news is that me, Valentine and Doris have moved to our new summer quarters. It's lovely, lots of shade, a big house for shelter and grass as high as our shoulders - we're as happy as pigs in clover!


Spot was due to join us but on her first day out here she wandered into the electric fence - I always said those lop ears were a liability - now any normal pig would have squealed and jumped back from it. Not Spot, no she jumped forwards straight through the fence and didn't stop running till she got to the far end of the biggest field on the farm. Now I don't want to be disloyal, but she'd never run further than from her bed to the food dish before and no-one should attempt such a long sprint without warming up properly and some training. Once she was finally retrieved and returned to the farmyard she'd pulled a muscle so she's back on bedrest for a little while.


When I last blogged all my piglets were out and about, I do love to see them playing in the sunshine. However once they try to leave down the drive or dig up too many grass verges the time has come to pen them in. I currently have 25 of my beautiful children spread around the pigsties, still it keeps the children busy doing all that mucking out.




The first broody hen has managed to hatch 3 chicks which are now growing fast. They have their own run right at the front of the house with a very grand view - however it's not on quite such a slope as the picture implies, a slip of the trotter there.




Down in the other shed there's a whole box of broodies - how they'll ever tell whose chicks are whose if anything hatches I've no idea. Maybe they'll do childcare in shifts - not such a bad idea. I leave it to the ladies of course, but they do mention it can be a little tiring.




Every evening as we have a late night supper we watch the bats flying around the hedges and along the moat. The local bat experts have been to check on the roost and the children were allowed to see them all hanging up, (strange way to sleep but I suppose it means you never have to change any bedding) then sat in the garden with special bat boxes so they could hear them as they flew out for their evening feeding. Anyway news reached us that there are more bats than ever - 86 were counted, the 17th largest roost in the country! Lesser Horseshoe they call them and apparently they're quite special. As long as they keep flying over each evening and eating all the midges then that's good enough for us pigs.


With all the hot days the sheep were very relieved when they got taken next door for shearing, they positively skipped back into the orchard and for a while were as lively as the lambs.






One patriotic ewe was flying the England flag - however apparently it didn't do the trick....







For the rest of us the best we can do is hide in the shade during the heat of the day. The horses are gradually working themselves further into the hedge.







And when it's really hot only mad dogs and Wick Court farmers go out in the midday sun. After a hot, sweaty climb to the top of Barrow Hill, there's really only one way to get down the other side.....






The sunshine is of course working it's magic in the vegetable garden, apparently the children have already had fresh runner beans this week. Hopefully there'll soon be some that get too big that we'll have to help with.









For now we'll make do with those rather moreish pig nuts and the delicious grazing all around us.
Stay cool
Boris

It's in the air

Hi there, Gertie and Grace the turkeys here. So much happening out on the farm at the moment we're out and about all day now. Sometimes I think the children have trouble finding us when it's bedtime since we've become roving reporters. While the sun is shining and there's so much going on we have been trusted to wander the farm and keep an eye on events as they happen.

Obviously a favourite spot is the feed barn, some of these children are a little clumsy and manage to drop some feed while weighing out the rations, we're only too happy to help clean up.





We noticed a lot of activity around the tractor and after a closer look discovered a a pair of robins have built a nest in the toolbox and despite the noise and the fact their home regularly moves off around the farm, they've hatched a brood of chicks.








Other birds seemingly immune to noise are a pair of collared doves who've chosen a spot in the courtyard for their nest. we can only assume they're basketball fans as they're right by the hoop and with this lovely weather it's been in use almost non-stop.






However out in the garden it seems we birds are not so welcome, 3 scary figures have appeared guarding the new seedbeds. Obviously we're not worried - we saw them being made, but some of the small, wild birds seem too scared to get close.









































Down at the pond Sid and Lucy are still attacking anything that moves, Lucy has started to sit at last so you never know, we might here the patter of tiny webbed feet yet.....







And the first hen has gone broody. They tried to get her to sit on goose eggs but they were just too big and she kept wobbling off, so now she has a nice clutch of hens' eggs and a lovely quiet shed to sit in.






Out in the meadows the wildflowers are changing almost daily. Anyone walking through comes back with yellow feet or wellies from the buttercups. To be honest it's getting so long now we have to be careful we don't get lost out there. But from our eye level it's amazing how many different plants are out there, in some places you're hard pressed to find any actual grass.














The sheep are very happy out among the flowers. The lambs are all in training for the next Olympics, racing round and round while their mothers grab the chance of a little snooze in the sun. And of course it's the only time of year when you can use the word "gambolling" and get away with it. Only a couple of weeks and the shearers will be in to remove those woolly coats. Well it is getting very hot during the day now, you should try black and bronze feathers, they just soak up the heat.


We've been watching the trees and this year it was definitely "oak before ash" so if all goes to plan we should be in for "a splash", after the past few summers being a complete "soak", that would be very welcome indeed.







And after their extended holiday, the horses are back at work again. With the sun and the flies they're quite glad of a shady stable during the day then a stroll back to the field in the evenings.








And, we can't avoid mentioning those pigs, here in piglet city where everywhere you look there are gangs of small, pink creatures running, sleeping, digging, trying to get in the garden and sampling everyone's food. After a busy morning getting up to mischief they flop down in piles to sleep before waking up to start again. Wherever you go there's a piglet or two to trip over.













And after a hard day's reporting maybe we can try for a lift home tonight....

A Vote for Ducks

Well that's enough of the porcine view of the farm for a while, to be honest this was turning into Pig Breeders' Weekly. As this week's school travelled all the way from Aylesbury to see us, we have been feeling very special so it must be our turn to blog....yes, hello, Aylesbury ducks here.

It's been quite a week, first we were moved in next to those geese - they never stopped, every time someone or something moved anywhere near them they were off hissing and honking - so who's great idea was to put them right by the main entrance of the farm? After a couple of days to get used to our new quarters we were allowed through to the moat - after the initial shock (it was cold) well we loved it, we never came off the water for 3 days we were having such fun. Then Sid and Lucy discovered a new game - sneaking up behind us (quietly for once) and trying to drown us. Well, we love the water but that was no fun at all.

Fortunately for us someone was watching and before they could hiss or honk the geese were quick marched up the track to the solitary confinement pond. To be honest I think they're very happy up there, we've heard word they've managed two eggs in a week which must be a record.


So now we find we're living in "Duck Heaven", just us and the Khaki Campbells, and they're as good as gold, never hear a peep out of them. It's given us a chance to explore, well it's like living in Venice, hidden waterways that stretch in all directions, and yet all within easy reach of the duck house. In fact wherever you are, if you hear the feed bin lid go you can be back by the trough before the children get there with their buckets.



While exploring this week we met our first mallard ducklings, the adults are a right pain, always trying to steal our food then flying off to help themselves to the pig's food for afters, in fact they eat so much I'm surprised they can still get off the ground. But you can't fail to love the brown and yellow ducklings, and then we met the first moorhen chicks of the season, small balls of black fluff following their mothers around the moat. We tried to get some photos but we weren't allowed to take the camera into the water!




























































Away from the water signs of spring contrinue. Gertie and Grace are getting very brave, even venturing in with the cows.








The bottlefed lambs are growing fast, they have the most amazing bodyclocks and go off on the dot three times a day. A good drink of warm milk and they're quiet for the next few hours.






After the white perry pear blossom the apple trees are catching up with their pink flowers. Which will it be this year - a good one for apples or a good one for pears? Looking at the healthy state of the trees, who knows it might be a bumper year for both.






And behind the old cowshed there has been much activity, Jacob Sutton who has been on and off Artist in Residence here since before Christmas, is putting together an art exhibition to raise some funds. We love to go past and see what he's working on next, Frampton Village Hall is going to look amazing once the exhibition is hung.






Anyway, sun has appeared so it's time to get back to the bank for a snooze.

The Aylesburys





PS Ok for those of you who were hoping for pig news, here it is, Doris has produced 10 piglets, she farrowed mid-afternoon and an audience of children didn't seem to put her off. Everyone was amazed, last time she farrowed she managed 2, and this time it was well known that a similar performance could end in sausages. Fair play to her, she's pulled out all the stops this time, 10 healthy piglets and no-one's using the "s" word now. She has literally saved her own bacon.

Spring at last!

Finally the sun has arrived, to be honest it just hasn't been worth getting out of bed for the past couple of weeks - except for mealtimes of course. But although it's still advisable to have a lie-in to avoid the early morning frosts, in the middle of the day it can be quite pleasant if you can find a sheltered spot away from the north wind.



And it's amazing what changes have been happening out on the farm while we've been hibernating. Turn your back for a second and the fields are full of cows again. On one side of the drive we have Ruby and her gang and on the other the Holstein Friesians from Oldbury. After a long staring match they have got back to some grazing and contemplation and all is very peaceful out there.













The Aylesbury ducks have also moved, one step nearer the moat. They are now next door neighbours with Sid Vicious and Lucy , I don't envy them one bit. I can't think of worse neighbours than a pair of geese in spring.







It's all action in the vegetable garden and field, I do hope that's fodder beet going in there......









In the fields the hedges are turning white and the dandelions have come out overnight with the cows.








Cowslips and cuckoo flowers can be seen in the meadows and hedges and even the first bluebells are appearing in the wood.

























And a very exciting event in my extended family, Valentine has produced 11 beautiful piglets - and yes of course they are plain pink, unblemished and spot-free like their father. All are doing well, out to play on their first day and they soon found the cosy heat lamp when it was time for their nap.
















Spot's litter look huge beside the new ones, and from the look of her I think she's about ready to wean them. They are getting a bit of a handful, only yesterday there was a phone call to come and get them as a neighbour had spotted them all heading off down the road towards Frampton.





However, the booming and blooming pig population has been totally overshadowed by the arrival on the farm of the first lambs, the orchard is full of the noisy things. The sheep don't seem to try to teach them manners and let them run around anywhere making as much noise as they like even in the middle of the day when some of us are trying to sleep. And now the bottle-fed ones are coming, and we all know what trouble they can be. And guess where they're being housed - yes right next door to me and Doris, we won't get a moment's peace. I don't know what's wrong with these sheep, can't feed 3 lambs, er hello, look at my Valentine, rearing 11 quite happily and no-one mentions the b word.









And just as we were trying to enjoy the last few hours without bleating neighbours, the blissful peace of the past week has been shattered as yet again the sky is full of planes, I have to say I'd never really noticed them before, but without them the place has been so quiet and still. However I believe a few staff members are relieved to see them back in action as they might signal the return of missing friends and family.




Meanwhile, me and Doris can probably manage a couple more hours before teatime....
Boris

In Search of the Sun

Well I started to write this over a week ago, we had one day of sun and Doris and I caught up on a spot of sunbathing.....








I set off round the farm looking for some cheery signs of spring to lift everyone's spirits. Sadly I couldn't find any at all, just the snowdrops and they're winter flowers really. So I decided to hibernate for another week, only getting up for mealtimes, and try again. To be honest it's like an endless winter in Narnia, I hunted high and low and still no signs of new life.



However while the plants are still dormant the animal life has been quietly putting on weight. My beautiful offspring are about 3 times the size and they're getting really good at that trick of digging up grass with their noses, it's a real skill, they can clear a patch of lawn in minutes. Funnily enough no-one else seems to appreciate their talents....




Those Aylesbury ducks continue to grow before our eyes, I'm wondering whether their legs are going to be able to carry them. Still they've nearly got their adult feathers now so perhaps they'll be able to start going on the moat, a few lengths morning and evening should get them in shape.






Gertie and Grace have now been given the run of the yard and will venture out if the sun does (ie almost never). Georgina prefers to rest in the shed, perfectly positioned so she can reach the feed dish without having to get off her bottom.





Finally in the garden I found a bit of new life, seedlings growing on every available windowsill








potatoes chitting on the shelves







and even some winter salad in the polytunnel, now there's a lovely spot, I wonder if they do them for pigs?








And there in the corner the first vegetables of the year growing nicely - broad beans already in flower. Now I know this is just a personal opinion, but if we ever did have to vote for a vegetable to make extinct, broad beans would have to be near the top of the list wouldn't they? All that growth and the only tasty bit is a few tiny seeds hidden in some awful pods which taste of cotton wool and stick in your teeth. It's a good job they crop before everything else, any later in the year and we'd all walk straight past them and head for some tasty runner beans or peas.





Finally I spotted the first signs of life in the orchard - a bud on a new fruit tree....










And these are buds on the plum trees, sadly I couldn't get a grip with my trotters so I had to take the photo from the ground








And in the garden and courtyard primroses and bulbs have finally made it through the permafrost to flower







And today news reached us from next door that the first sheep has lambed, triplets and all doing well. However despite the signs, I'm still cold, it's still wet and I'm very tempted to go back to sleep or try to find some winter sun. Wake me up when it gets above 25 degrees out there....
Boris

Just keep moving

Despite some signs of spring we are still waking up to frost most mornings, and many pipes and taps are frozen until the sun gets to them. The children find the early mornings cold, if they only moved a bit faster or filled my feed bucket fuller I'm sure it would keep their circulation going. The clue is in my name, surely anyone can work out that if a "Large White" is to keep his figure he needs a Large portion.





They're definitely thinking of spring in the vegetable field, the tractor came and rotavated it and the soil is now ready for planting. I don't know why they didn't ask us pigs, our noses can do the same job as any tractor and we manure the soil as we go. Last year there was a delicious row of fodder beet grown just for us, looking at the field I reckon they could grow at least 10 rows this year...









The sheep are on the move again, I believe they're not meant to hear the church bells twice from the same field, but these ones move around faster than a gang of contract mowers. They have now been given the drive field, this is the prime location on the farm, not only does it produce the sweetest grass, but you're on show for all the world to see as they walk or drive past. Needless to say we pigs are banned from this field...





There are some new residents amongst the poultry. Two Aylesbury ducklings arrived last week, the hope is that once they mature they will move in with the Khaki Campbells and teach them some sense. Personally I think that's a big ask. The Campbells have been confined to barracks after it was discovered they were laying their eggs in the moat and one had an unfortunate encounter with a fox. Suddenly the egg count is massively increased, which means of course lots of delicious cake smells coming out of the kitchen.. The Aylesburys are growing fast, now I thought I could put away food but they must consume almost their own body weight each day.







George the turkey has two new companions, Gertie and Grace, two young Bronze poults arrived and soon made themselves at home. There were hopes for breeding but on closer inspection we think George may turn out to be a Georgina.....









And finally on March 8th Hissing Sid was beside himself almost tieing himself in knots to scare off anyone thoughtless enough to get too close. And then we found out why, Lucy finally laid her first egg of the season, she hasn't managed any more yet but at least we know she hasn't forgotten how to do it.















The Hereford calves have also moved, again into the show home, the front yard where everyone can see them as soon as they walk through the gates.








However, this does mean that finally we have pigs in the corner shed, recently refurbished for pig housing - hurrah! Valentine has been resting quietly but Spot (yes they really have named her that, "Nameless" was a better option I reckon), spent a whole day nesting, every bit of straw was banked up and placed just so. Then early on Monday morning six little Borislets entered the world,and as ever they have my spotless good looks.






So here are some first pictures for you, I think we could do a programme called "Farrowing Live", let's face it when you've seen one lamb being born .... It's time people sat up and took notice of the pig.













At 2 days old they were already out and about exploring the yard, even trying some of their mother's food. I don't like to boast but my offspring do seem to be very forward in their development....



Boris (Superdad)

The Boar on the Bore

Yes, it's me Boris, life is a bit quieter at the moment so thought I'd get back on line. All three sows should be in pig, in fact the first litter is due in a matter of days. Two of them have moved out already and Doris will move on when her time gets closer. I'm devoted to them all of course, but living with three hormonal sows can get a bit wearing.



The last blog ended with signs of spring - well "ne'er shed a clout..." as they say, by the end of the week we were back under snow AGAIN. If the weather carries on like this Arlingham will be putting in a bid to hold the next Winter Olympics. This time no-one was interested, not a snowman was built and the sledges all stayed in the shed. Even the Buff Orpingtons just got on with it this time and managed to venture out into the orchard.











And here is Ginger lurking around the cowshed door, why is he braving such conditions? Well new calves have arrived so of course there is a twice daily serving of warm milk to be had by any cat smart enough to be in the right place at the right time. Five lovely Hereford calves who have made themselves at home - in the shed recently refurbished for pig housing! In fact anyone who has followed this blog will know that the stables, cattle housing and chicken accommodation have all been upgraded in the last few months, I'm not one to moan and there's no suggestion of getting up on two legs and calling myself Napoleon, but surely something's gone wrong with the hierarchy here. We pigs work hard and fast to keep the children fed and the freezers stocked and yet we're last on the list when it comes to housing.








The sheep have moved on again, down to "Trish's field", recently vacated by Windy the stallion. He's been sent back to the Cumbrian fells to see if he is ready to take on a group of mares and get breeding. They're still under a thick blanket of snow up there and for the life of me I don't know how they'll ever find him again, a white horse on a snowy hill...no chance. Yes, yes I know he's officially a grey, just like they call me a Large White but anyone can see I'm pink - and don't even get me started on Belgian Blues.....

The sheep have been scanned and at least 10 are expecting triplets, including Mel. This doesn't seem to have bothered her, only last week she rounded up two fox hounds who foolishly strayed into her field and were promptly shown the the gate. Because they're within a few weeks of lambing the sheep are now getting extra feed, maybe by the time they actually give birth they'll have worked out that it's the sheep nuts the children pour onto the grass rather than the bag they come in which tastes the best.

Anyway, the snow has gone again and the sun shone this morning for a 5* Severn Bore. The children found a good vantage point and waited with very cold feet. Quite a good wave but lots of surfers, canoeists, power boats, a camera crew, a light aeroplane, a helicopter and a microlight all added to the drama.

Some of the children tried to race the wave, but they had no chance, we all know time and tide wait for no-one!



As for me, these natural phenomena are all very well but it did make the children rather late with my breakfast.

Boris

I will if no-one else is....

Well as you can see Boris is still flat out, and no-one has stepped in to post the blog, so I thought it was time I spoke up for my breed and my hens. I am the Buff Orpington Cockerel and I have a small flock of beautiful golden hens down in the Perry Orchard. Now we like to keep ourselves to ourselves and certainly are not ones to push ourselves forward, but having read some of the, frankly unfair and possible even libellous, comments posted I feel it is time to give our side of the story.
Our breed dates back to 1890, developed by a Mr William Cook who lived in - surprise surpirse - Orpington in Kent. Each year we have a group of children from Orpington working on the farm and I've never heard them show much surprise at our name - I've never been there but maybe the streets are paved with golden chickens.... Our heritage is as a dual purpose bird, for egg laying and the table, but sadly not all breeders are as rigorous as Mr Cook. However my girls do their bit, they choose the season when the eggs are most likely to be hatched and reared and put their all into laying beautiful, pinkish brown eggs. I was brought up to believe that we are just caretakers of our genetic heritage, our job is to look after it as best we can can and pass it safely on to the next generation.

I don't want to lower myself to name calling and petty comparisons, but those Columbian Blacktails everyone is so fond of have only been around for the past 15 - 20 years, developed by a supermarket! I think that says it all. And when these large corporations set out to breed their new superchickens where do they go for the genetic material? The traditional breeds of course!

As I said I'm not one to crow about our qualities but when you are introduced to Royalty, who let's face it could choose any chickens in the World, and find yours is the breed of choice - well that says it all really.

The other day we were lucky enough to be given a new house, the last one had a very small pophole meaning that going in and out was a rather undignified affair, especially for me with my tall upright stature. We now have a lovely sliding door and a very gentle ramp, making life much easier. Our old house has been taken round to the Home Orchard where a whole new flock has been installed, and yes you've guessed it, they're more Blacktails!

There has been much activity round in that orchard recently, fortunately the snow cleared in time for the annual Wassail Ceremony led by the Lassington Oak Morris.




Hundreds of people turned out to toast the tree, enjoy delicious homemade food and mulled cider.







This year we had an extra surprise - the Mummers came and performed their unique play in the Courtyard.








The music carried on into the night, but by now everyone had gone back into the warm.








The new Blacktails have certainly made themselves at home in the orchard, there's always plenty going on, no doubt they'll think they know enough to write the next blog before we know where we are.






We have taken delivery of some new fruit trees, all local Gloucestershire varieties and all eaters - delicious!









A team from a London school helped with the planting, all that digging certainly helped keep them warm.







Most days we have a chat with George, the sole surviving turkey after the festive season, apparently he's hoping for a wife - or two.








Valentine's Day has passed and Lucy failed to start laying, Hissing Sid is getting more and more protective so it can't be long now.








And of course on February 14th Valentine celebrated her second birthday in her favourite way - eating and sleeping. Not long before she has her next litter....







And finally, some signs of spring, and with that I must get back to my girls, it's that time of year when they definitely need a man about the place.

A Wick Court Wonderland

Well a very Happy New Year to you all, wherever you are. We woke up on New Year's Day and the farm seems to have been moved to the South Pole - everywhere is beautiful and someone seems to have stolen all our mud (nb if found please do not return).

Boris is still otherwise engaged so the golden keyboard has been passed to me, Mel, a very special sheep. How do I know I'm special? Well, firstly I have very beautiful black legs and face and a very long, diverse heritage, so special there isn't even a name for my breed. It has been suggested by other - jealous - ewes, that being singled out to have a name may not be entirely a good thing...... I admit that I am a bit of an individual, I like to think outside the box/pen/field, I can't help it, I was brought up to think for myself. It just seems to happen that the staff and children decide to take us all in one direction and a better plan comes into my head and I go the other way. I can't help it if the others all follow like....like....whatever the phrase is. People do seem to get a bit cross with me, but I'm only trying to help.

Anyway the staff brought us down to the yard, we'd been in the Home Orchard all over Christmas and we were tiring of the short grass. We stopped on the way for a few who had pedicures booked, then they let us move into the Perry Orchard - heaven! It hadn't been grazed for several months and if you can bear the constant noise and fussing of the chickens, well it's pretty well perfect.

Next morning we were up early to get started on the long grass, and some joker had hidden it all under a pile of white stuff, unbelievable.

I now find it has been spread everywhere, they weren't just picking on us sheep. The Blacktails are plucky little birds, nothing stops them getting out and about or laying for that matter. The Buff Orpingtons? Haven't laid eyes on them, those posh chickens haven't even got out of bed. Oh well they only lay between May and September and then only if there's an "r" in the month.






The geese are very confused by their new white world, but I have spotted them showing off their new trick to the ducks - "walking on water".


















The cattle are happy as Larry, all cosy in their barn with fresh hay every day and they don't even have to dig for it.


















I have to say the place does look beautiful and now we sheep have been brought some hay I'm starting to enjoy the views.

































It is eerily quiet here, no staff at all, someone said something about collecting the penguin eggs and checking the polar bears - but I reckon they've all gone sledging.
Keep warm!
Mel - the leader of the flock!