Grey / Kirriemuir / Harvest - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Tuesday 18 July, 2023

by Rosemary at 11:22am in Smallholding Comments closed

Wednesday 12^th July

We shut Grey in his pen today. It’s quite big, with plenty hay and water, a salt lick; he gets fed twice a day, so he can be tied up for mucking out and replenishing hay and water. But he’s not a happy boy without his herd. But it’s only until the 24^th July, when we’ll be doing our PCHS blood testing on the cows and Grey, BVD blood testing of the calves and jagging the cows to bring them back into season. The he gets out for extra sex. No gain without pain.

The cows have access to the shed during the day and come in and out, and the ponies are in at night, so he’s not entirely lonesome.

Grey's pen and Gracie.

Friday 14^th July

Finally managed to get 10ml of Bravoxin 10 for the calves, so we jagged them this afternoon and tagged Socks, ready for Kirriemuir Show tomorrow. It’s been quite rainy – wonder what the show field will be like. It’s not a great forecast for tomorrow either.

Saturday 15^th July

The weather forecasters were wrong about today’s weather. Apart from one shower about 9am, it was dry, sunny and breezy – which made getting out of the show field easier than getting in.

A bit of mud - but it soon dried up.

Rora and Socks loaded like a dream. When we got to the show field, there had been a lot of traffic, the way in from the gate slopes upwards and we stopped. Never to move again under our own steam. Thankfully, the show organisers had tractors on hand, and we swiftly got a tow to the RBST Scotland stand. Got the cattle settled in their pen and had a birthday bacon roll. Grand.

Rora and Dorcha at Kirriemuir Show.

Kirrie is a great wee show; friendly, well run and a proper agricultural show, but with plenty for the bairns. Plenty conversations about Shetland cows, which was great.

Sunday 16^th July

The harvest is now in full swing – peas, black and white currants (I didn’t even know we HAD white currants but we do), gooseberries, courgettes and cucumbers. The first tomatoes are ripe and we’re lifting some potatoes. Oh, and salad leaves and spring onions too. Sometimes it can get a bit overwhelming – thank goodness for freezers, The upright is now on, and almost full with fruit and peas. This is what it’s all about.

Black and white currants.

Polytunnel.

Oh, and Dan found Elsa's nest. Naughty girl.

Hidden eggs.