January snow and slow

January started with the usual post Christmas and New Year problems as routine deliveries of feed and the like were somewhat out of sync.

Worst of all were the binmen who seem to have been completely at sixes and sevens since the first slightly icy day in early December! Although it is hardly serious it does grate when the farm pays SBC about £250 yearly to collect waste such as silage wrap but they either don't come or whiz past on random days later in the week when bins have been brought back inside so as not to get blown over.

The first markets after the break don't much appeal as it is easy to imagine sellers overly keen to push stock away to bring some cash in. 

Lamb prices seem rather ridiculously depressed with the last sale at Ruswarp (21st) showing very few making more than £50. This is very disappointing as costs have been high this year with difficult lambing season, wet summer and autumn and generally much increased feed prices.

The weather was reasonable until mid-month when a quite severe spell descended suddenly - with significant snow then some very cold nights. Lowest temperature was -11.6C which is enough to make keeping water troughs running difficult even well inside the sheds.

The sheep suddenly went from a bale weekly to a bale every other day and it is troubling seeing the shed emptying much faster than previously.
It sounds like we shall have a sudden thaw during the last week and will be more worried about mud, floods and gales again.