Castleton Road cows home

Feels like almost winter, but nice to have the off-lying group walked home (Thanks Keith for helping!).
It went reasonably smoothly but they weren't exactly sensible, in particular they always seem to want to go up the village rather than down to the cricket pitch.
Today the main herd were grazing down there which did help where they have to go through a rather wet gateway.

This is more or less usual time but there was no urgency as it is still reasonably dry and some grass left - however one big heifer which is supposedly due 12th November looks suspiciously likely to calve with  the next week or so.
Yesterday there was some milk oozing out.
It seems a distinct possibility she will have twins so really good to get her home, and this evening I have her in the calving shed - with the other two have been in there a week already - were due on 12th October (!)

The yearling stores are still out up near Riddings and again there is reasonable grass left, but next time it comes wet and windy they want bringing home I think.
Look OK so far but will soon go backwards spending time trying to shelter by a wall.

Ready for Winter

All gathered in, and grazing winding down.

 - Mid-October -

Busy week

Cut third crop of red clover last Friday; it was ready by Monday.
On Tuesday the new and improved silage pit barrier rail was welded together by Andrew from George Agars.
On Friday some toppings cut last weekend were baled up as sort of hay/bedding material (3rd October!)
Then today wool has been taken to the collection point.
We were lucky with that as the first serious rain was expected at the same time - but in the event there was only about 1mm.

Silage Bales

Decent pile of 2nd cut from 25 acres - haven't actually counted properly.

Post haytime spin

A rather protracted hay-making this year, despite an early start on about 24th June.

There are still a couple of fields to cart in. Those last two were also rather spoiled by 5 or so wet days at the start of July - just after being cut - but we have had far, far worse no doubt about that!

The last two flower meadow strips by Kildale road would have baled up on Friday but we had the most annoying burst of rain on the day.

Paul Houlston was passing to bale up some for Paul Muir at Dale View, so I gave in and asked hime to bale and wrap. There were only nine bales, too few to ask him out special.

There will be some second cut for silage bales in a couple of weeks.

You'd wonder where it all went, but it always seems to be nearly gone by late April next year.

My counter was sticking the first couple of fields but I think there is about 500 round hay bales.

Hay on Hold

It's been a rather peculiar haytime so far. Plenty of grass considering it is still early, but really quite chilly but dry days this past week.
Without the tractors having cabs, I would have been riding around with a big coat on I think!

Last year it was about 27C doing these top fields.
The other day more like 13C
Cloudy until 1pm or would have been able to finish all three, but has been very little rain just enough  to damp the top so hope to get it done Sunday or Monday.

Next weekend sounds dodgy then dry + quite hot to follow most likely.
Have two good sized fields still to cut, not sure whether to do them ASAP or wait to see what if the weekend rain event comes off.
They were grazed by sheep until mid-April so not as forward as what I've done.

Grass is growing ...

Spring barley and lambing

Ready to sow this today although I think it will be tomorrow before I finish as I need put fert on first. Like last year I ballast rolled the ploughing before power harrowing and what a difference it makes with only one pass needed and far more easy to level it. Even the strong clay patches in Osseker Crook have broken down well. There's a chance of showery rain almost reaching here Sunday/Monday which would be ideal to start it off. Things are generally well ahead of 2013 with more grass already than we had at start of May last year. There was a keen frost the other night though, and the cows night grazing across the river where sheep over-winter is only just starting to wake up. The dry mild-ish weather has been ideal for lambing and generally few problems but any singles have tended to be very large and need help.

Mid-April

From above

New Izuzu

 

Picked this up today, at a glance it looks much like the old one, but there are huge differences.

It’s more powerful especially lower down the rev range yet uses less fuel.
When driving it is far more planted and less bouncy.
There’s traction control too – not sure how effective that is but it’s supposed to detect one wheel starting to spin and transfer drive to the other or others if in 4x4
It can tow 3.5 tons too.
The only down side is it’s a bit bigger all round - and the older one was big enough for small parking spaces!

The dealer seemed generally OK aside from the hopelessly optimistic delivery schedule – I expected anyway.
The one annoyance was not just a low fuel tank but a tank so near empty I wondered if I would get 5 miles to Guisborough - which was the first one I passed.
Admittedly I left mine near 1/4 but if the new one had been about half full it would hardly be generous.
They had to drive it to Ripon for the canopy to be put on so must have consciously only put about £10 in.

It took £84 to fill it!

Malton there and back

January has been so soggy it's been hard to get much done.
Last Friday I went over to Malton to see how store cattle were doing, as I have a couple of loads ready to go.
The smaller ones seemed down quite a bit but better ones were getting over £1000 - probably bigger than mine though.

Surprisingly, very little flooding to be seen, rivers were about level full though

Icy moment

Taking sheep to Ruswarp this morning it wasn't obviously icy after some rain and a milder night!
No harm done.
Camera was muted, I aren't sure what I said!

First calf of the year

Simmental calf fro Limmy heifer