August, 2010
We've got pigs again for the summer.
Two fluffy day old chicks came out of the barn on the 1st August.
The calves are in the orchard eating the winfalls.
A new barn is going up and will be finished in September.
Snow and frost and snow.
The sheep that are outside have received extra rations there being no grass for them to eat under the snow.
Village Website www.north-rode.co.uk
Triplets born 8.2.09
On the Farm
Of the piglets born we have only got two left. Spoto and Big Spot..
The pork meat, joints, cuts, sausages etc is home-made and grown.
If you want some organic home produced stuff, just ask Sue.
What has happened?
When shutting the hens in one September night there was chirping sounds from the hen cote. It was dark and I thought some of the ten pullets (12 weeks old) had got themselves in the big cote and separated from the others.
I went to collect the eggs and found a broody hen sat on some. "Off you come old girl" Oh! You're the old hen we lost some three weeks ago. A right broody thing and a Welsummer (heavier bird).
It suddenly occured to me that the chirping might be some chicks she hatched. I needed to get a torch.
I brought back to look for the chicks a young lad (Christian) who is staying in the Coach House. He lives in Bahrain with his parents and his elder brother is going to Manchester University.
We looked under the shed.
We looked around the floor of the hen cote.
Still the noise came. I lifted the raised corn bin and crouched under
it was one fluffy chick.
Now to keep it warm it should be under a heat lamp or its mother. Mother is best, but she is now perched.
I put her back in a nest box on a couple of pot eggs (she will think she will try to hatch them). The chick was put in with her and it burrowed under her wings. Succcess.
We have two calves Ginger a shorthorm bull calf and Ale a hereford heifer. "Ginger Ale"
Grandpa hatched some eggs for us and now we have a small flock of Velociraptors running around flapping their wings.
We managed to make some hay this year in June and got it a bit green. The green grass was not fully dry when baled. They were stored in the barn and got very hot turning the grass to a tobacco colour and smell.
During the busy family period over the summer we took holiday makers to see the badgers and other animals and were well rewarded with our patience.
The twin heifer calves "Spot & Dab and Mary"are pictured below in Shad's Clough Meadow.
The beef animals are down at Pear Tree this summer after the hay cut. Up till now they have not got out!
This is Tommy baling. International tractor and a Massey Ferguson Baler
The view from off the lawn is of the Cloud looking over the River Dane valley.
Can you see where the lawn and the field join? Its called a Ha-ha and was introduced into many formal gardens to give an open view of the owners lands and an impression that the land came right to the house.
The sheep on the farm are pedigree Charollais.
I breed rams for other farmers to put to their sheep flock.
My rams put the carcase shape on the resulting lambs for the butcher.
This year they all have to start with an 'G' such as 'George' and 'Gill'. Much fun if you name them after people in the village!
Email us with your best names for interesting lambs to describe them as big, strong, masterful, motherly, good types.
We are showing sheep at the Cheshire Show this year on the 23rd and 24th June.
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These calves are called Reddy and Bluey.
The calves to the right are called Little and Large. -->
Apple blossom from one of our Bramley trees. Nature is beautiful.
The hens like them too. When they're let out in the morning the head straight under the trees to pick up the fallen petals to eat.
These are Polly, Tom and Sooty eating a mixture of oats, barley and soya bean.
Their pig arc is in the background
All organic and taste great!The animals slowly mature for a greater taste and live a happy life here.
We have a blue merle smooth coated sheep dog. Its called Jess and runs around in large circles for several hours a day! Its a dog from a rescue home.
