Farming
THE FIELD
with Tria Stebbing Did I say that I was glad to see the back of the mud? Silly me, we are now battling a quagmire of epic proportions, and every farming job involves getting soaked through, muddy and wet. Him outdoors was very grateful for his Christmas present of a new pair of waterproof trousers as was I... A sheep dog whistle. The other two Poll Dorsets lambed a week after Lunar was born. Grumpy Dorset went into labour early afternoon, and not having had her scanned we were still unsure as to how many there would be. The lamb had an odd presentation, which we discovered after many hours of getting nowhere with the labour. We had to call out the vets
as it became apparent that mum was getting distressed. After an examination the lovely vet helped a very large ram lamb out, who we have called Mercury. Mum almost suffered a prolapse and certainly needed the vet as Mercury came into the world with his arms tucked beautifully behind his head. He knew what to do straight away and was quite a size, he drank immediately and sensed that Mum needed some recovery time and has been amazing. We did not get much time to rest on our laurels as two days later we welcomed twins, a ram and a ewe, into the flock, again both a good size and good drinkers. We kept the nursery stables open for two weeks after which, as the weather was mild, we decided to let them out into the field. It was becoming a challenge to keep the stable dry and the
warm weather was a worry, a danger of moist, wee-infused air was not good. It was an awesome sight opening that door and letting the ewes out, the lambs running close behind. To see the wonder in the eyes of the lambs as they see the sky and the outside world is awesome and one of the many rewards of keeping sheep. They are now established in the paddock across the way from the stable, and filthy. Since they went out, they have only had one sunny day; the drizzle and grey day after day has made everything very muddy. The ewes are muddy so when the lambs go underneath to drink, they come out very muddy, it does not deter them, and they are growing fast. It will soon be time to call out Alex to scan the pedigree flock to see how well Humphrey performed.
Mercury the ram We have out fingers crossed for a few multiples, and hopefully by then the mud will be gone. They are still outside battling the elements and will be returning home to “The Field” for lambing shortly. The grass has grown well and as long as we are sensible with the strip grazing, we should have more than enough to keep them happy. I am sure that the people in the village will be overjoyed that they are soon to return.
Take pleasure in stark winter beauty whisper of scuffed damp leaves is the only As the days lengthen, so the cold strengthens Before the onset of recent climate change, this Country Diary sound to reach one’s ears. The ranks of bare time of year used to experience bad weather – trees stand sentinel under grey skies and here by AJ Selby and there a bracket fungus or clump of moss snow and biting cold – as a given but this new stand out with astonishing clarity. In winter, century has provided us with more wet and enjoying the countryside isn’t all about big colours and mild than frost and rime. The three bad winters of the 20th century, two that I experienced and one before I was born, sounds but the small details that the observant walker notes remind us that even in this benign maritime climate, we can and takes pleasure from; an oak gall, a new sapling, a busy beetle in some rotting timber, a flash of white as the ghost suffer extremes of cold. The 1946/47 winter, coming just of a barn owl drifts silently by, some deer slots in soft mud. after the war, was pretty dire for man and beast and survival A view from a high elevation shows a different tapestry to was the only goal for most families. In 1962/63 the Big Freeze (as it was known) also went into summer and the starkness of the landscape offers its own beauty. March and nearly bought the country to a standstill. The The contrast between the bare branches of our deciduous extreme cold of 1981/82 bookended Christmas and whilst trees to the often planted evergreens can be striking in the bad weather was of a shorter duration, the temperatures winter, and as soon as you head into the woodland, the reached a record low. The lowest figure ever recorded in England was -26.1C on January 11 1982, with Scotland first stirrings of spring can occasionally be seen: catkins of hazel, alder and willow are often the harbingers of the hitting one degree colder the previous night. future and will soon be accompanied by snowdrops and January walks are the antithesis of lazy summer strolls but celandines rising from the leaf mould. It won’t be long the general quiet only heightens the senses at the deadest time of year. On a still day a dog can be heard barking in the before the days are noticeably longer and we can dream of the warmer months. next parish, and when walking through silent woodland the
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New Blackmore Vale, 21st January 2022
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