2014 Season

The season has gone so well this year, after last year’s debacle!!

That said the new build was only just completed a few days before lambing. It was touch and go!!

Here is our newest project.

8 of the ladies went to the ram, or actually he came to us and all but one was covered. Not bad for the 16 day window that we opted for.

From that we had 14 lambs, sounds great and it would have been but we ended up feeding 5 ourselves, the mummies had ‘issues’.

One we lost during lambing, very sad, but gave us 2 healthy lambs, we lost another who was the only lady not pregnant from lysteriosis, very sad. One just didn’t want her babies and another liked one twin and hated the other, So there you have it.

Then to top it off we lost another lady who had had triplets 5 weeks in. The babies (all quite big now) fended for themselves and joined the orphan gang, who by then were with all the rest.

Overall a good year with very pretty lambs, the Kerry Hill does throw a beautifully marked lamb if nothing else.

The upshots of this year were many.

1) Lambing with older ewes is a no no!!, all the older girls will go and leave us with the 3 two year olds and 2 shearlings.

2) We definitely like the Suffolk breed. All our ewes are Suffolk over Suffolk/Mule, so we decided that’s the way we shall move.

3) the best way not to rely on others is to have our own ram.

So that’s exactly what we did, enter Gatsby!!! He arrived at 4 ½ months old and was quite wild and frightened of everything. After some nurturing and feeding in a few weeks he was quite tame and growing nicely. He should be just right to do the 5 girls in November.

THE NEW MAIN MAN.

Late September and 6 of the lamb gang have gone + one of the older ladies for mutton. So we have 8 lamb and one more mutton ewe to go, but 5 is an odd number, So we have friends on the lookout for a pedigree Suffolk shearling. We shall have to see whats about.

Our breeding this year has gone well, approximately 75 hens sold throughout the year and of course lots of boys for the pot.

We have had fairly good hatch rates throughout at around 80%, though the earliest and last hatches were not so good.

Have bred some lovely birds most of whom have gone to lovely new homes and are producing tasty eggs for their new owners.

2014 is the ‘pig year’, the first year to have three batches, if only for a short while for some and the year we decide to create some more practical housing and areas, enough for at least 2 batches at any one time.

The saddles left us late January and were pretty good weight wise. In comparison to the blueys, they were definitely a different shape and didn’t finish as quickly but carcases between 60 and 75kg are acceptable. No sooner as they have gone the next batch arrive. 4 blueys, 3 boys 1 girl (Pippa).

The boys did well but Pippa struggled, another lesson learned, same sex or an even split is better, though I still always go for boys!!

These were ‘monsters’ as the haulier called them on collection for the abattoir and came in 65kg for Pippa and 82, 84 and 91 for the boys. Lots of yummy pork!!!

and this gang left early July.

Our latest batch arrived end August and the pictures say it all. One of the runts (a girl no less) had made it to 8 weeks unaided so benefit of the doubt and all, she had to have a fair go. So we took her along with the 4 boys we already had booked. She is a scream, though on the day of arrival we realised after the event, that the fencing and gates were not suitable for e piglet the size of a Yorkshire terrier!!!! Oh what fun.

WHAT A WEE PIG!!!

PITA as she is known(PAIN IN THE A*S*)

Veg this year has been an interesting thing. Some things (like every year) have been fantastic, parsnips, tomatoes, cabbages, peppers, pumpkins, beans (all types) carrots, potatoes and melons. But others have been abysmal, squash, spring onions and other salad stuffs have been really hard work. But hey ho, good placing’s in all shows and a freezer full of produce can’t be bad!!

We again attempted the NF show with ok results, with the veg a 1^st and 2^nd and 1^st’s, 2^nd’s and 3^rd’s for eggs. Not bad at all. Back late Friday evening from the forest and a mad pick for the following morning at Chale where staging had to be completed by 10am.Just about did it but not to my usual standard, that said many prizes, 2 commendation cards and a cup for best novice entry (runner beans) can’t be bad for a rush job.

Newchurch next and though we had other plans for later in the day, we had to support our local show. Again lots of prizes and yet another cup for best vegetable entry, runners again!!!

Autumn is upon us, and the night are drawing in. Now all the hard work starts again the prep fpr next season. Lets hope 2015 is just as fruitful and eventful.

The new lambs in 2015 will be 90% Suffolk, can’t wait to see them.