The July Project Day 3 and 4

Diary

Posted: Tuesday 1 July, 2014

by Rosemary Champion at 7:46pm in Smallholding 1 comment Comments closed

Well, Day 3 (Monday) was quite interesting.

I milked Annie for the first time. The delay (her calf is a month old) was because I couldn't get my head round the logistics, but thanks to a prod from Sally in't North, I got my bum in gear. Annie was very good, I reckon. Her two front quarters are much easier to milk, being larger and more accessible, than the back ones so I might leave them for Rosie (the calf). The other problem is that I'm not the most dextrous peson in the world - and my left had is really just for decoration :-( Still, I'm sure if I persevere, I'll get better.

First milking First milk from Annie

My routine is to bring Annie into the field shelter at 6.30am when I let the ponies out. I then milk her at 9am. I might try leaving her longer before milking though. It's trial and error and I'm sure there will be tweaks to the method along the way.

Dan finished moving the stone to the orchard and, since we haven't got the guttereing and IBC connectors to do that job, he started on the tree guards. I have to say the new method looks smart and should be much easier to maintain.

Dry stone tree guards.

Today (Tuesday) was a day off. We decided that we must build in one day off a week during July. I can get a bit "list-obsessed" :-( So after the chores were done, including milking and poulticing Smokey's foot, we headed off to Glamis Castle, childhood home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It was a lovely day - we had tea and cake on arrival; the tour; lunch; walk round the gardens (see photos of espalier trained apple trees); tea and cake then home for dinner. Now chores done and just about to go watch the footie.

Smokey is almost sound, although the bute will be helping with that. I've just ordered a "How to train your horse to drive" DVD - if he hears that, he'll be limping again :-)