From the Farm
Dec 26, 2012
26 December 2012
Another busy week as usual. It has been extra busy as Beate has been away to the other mountains, I will give an update on her trip next Newsletter. The grass has been growing flat out and we have started the fly season with a ewe and a lamb needing attention. Had to get all the sheep in and sorted the blown two, had a look at the ewes tag a Dorset horn and she is 114/2006 so that makes her 17 years old - her teeth are fine but she is light, it is her large lamb that is also blown. I had a look in our stud book and she started lambing as a hogget with a single and has had twins every year up to this season. Not bad since modern farms cull every ewe at 5 years. I hope the old girl gets past this lot.
And its been heavy thunderous weather right up to and including Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve we had a heavy electrical storm with no time between the thunder and the lightning, the track ran like a river and water came in the buildings under the iron as the gutters could not keep up. But still the ponds are well down and the water table is low. The gardens are going well and the hemp is on the move, the rabbits seem to have got a taste for it and are nipping the tops out of a few but I will fix that.
Last week when Ross called we were looking around and there on the road was a full family of stoats playing on the road, clearly not a worry in the world and to them we were nothing. I said I will go up and get the shotgun we will get 6 with one shot. With that a jogger came down the road with a Labrador dog and spread them to the four winds. We are losing ducks and chickens daily but the traps are set and once I get one I will have em all as I use the first one for bait and on from there.
On Christmas Day we had two litters of pigs, one Canterbury blue and one Wessex so we are into the new season already.
Samuel has been house hunting and has an offer on one so maybe this time he will have it sorted.
Hayley is filling in for Ruth feeding the chooks etc as Ruth and Beate are off to Wellington for 3 days from Boxing Day.
The Farmers Market on Currie Street was busy but people were not spending like other years. The market was great with good music from the Gazebo girls.