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
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Thursday, 11 March 2010
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)
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)
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
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
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
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