At this time of the year, it is the turn of the hens to make themselves heard and clearly they are loving every part of the day. The very small Lavender Brahma cockerel starts the day crowing in the stable - for a tiny bird you need the echo.
A small cockerel with a big crow
The chat from the hen house never stops while laying lovely brown eggs - if you listen to the chat of a coffee shop or a ladies’ hairdresser, it is very similar - everyone with something to say at the same time. The hens are not only happy with the longer daylight as the soil is coming to life, too, with some parts dry enough for the odd dust bath mixed with my wood ash from the fire to stop the mites.
The Highlands are happy too, but they are less exuberant - every farmer’s dream. They go where they are told, eat anything you suggest, and are not bothered with snow, gales or drenching rain.
Young Highland in the snow
They stand in a different place according to the wind - and when the time is right they wander off to produce a wonderful woolly calf. We now have five out of five calves and are hoping for more heifer calves this year.
Cilla with her week old calf
The young Highlands are no bother either.
Young Highlands being fed
The pigs are on form as well - Summer Pig had her litter, who are now weaned.
Summer pig with her Spring litter
Several of them are destined to different homes for either breeding or fattening up over the Summer, the rest will be sold in boxes of pork.
Choosing a piglet
Summer’s litter weaned
Fluffy had her final litter with our boar, Chutney.
Fluffy's last litter with Chutney
We are hoping that the new boar Brookie will produce such pretty and successful piglets.
Brookie and young Ginger
We will have some pet lambs for the Easter season and Summer; they will be fed many bottles of milk and given a lot of cuddles on the Farm Experiences, which are proving very popular this year.
The wool from last year’s sheep shearing is being recycled in the vegetable garden to keep weeds down and young vegetable shoots warm.
Last year’s fleece
Lucky I had a reason to explore the garden as the rhubarb, as ever, has caught me by surprise and is asking to be eaten!
We have had some lovely spoiling days in the Indian Ocean - getting the old bones warmed up. Thinking of our health, we centered on alcohol-free cocktails.
Holiday cocktails
It was the children who suggested that, “Sex on the Beach” probably had some alcohol in it?
When we got home Adrian took a swim in a friend’s pond pool, it was 7 degrees - just to prove he hadn’t gone soft.
Adrian swimming in the UK in March
The sunrises have been more spectacular then the drizzling rain all day.
A Yorkshire Sunrise (sounds like a cocktail?)
And if I can reach that barn in time, we might be heading to the Ocean again.
End of the rainbow
To sum up, everything is on the rise - Happy Easter,
