Lucy arrives

Diary

Posted: Monday 8 February, 2016

by Rosemary Champion at 7:54pm in Smallholding Comments closed

Well, I don’t seem to have got any of the things on “The List”, or at least from last week’s diary entry, done but I’ve been busy.

We planned to vaccinate, dose and split the sheep yesterday but I wrenched my shoulder, so we’re doing them tomorrow.

Dan was at the Scotland v England rugby match on Saturday, which he really enjoyed even if Scotland didn’t win. I produced 32 rolls on Lorne sausage for the “Big Dig” at Carnoustie’s Community Garden. Dan took round a trailer load of manure before he got ready for the match. It’s a big plot and there’s a lot of work to do but there were 40 volunteers there on Saturday, making a start.

The polytunnel plan has not progressed on paper but it has in my head. The early potatoes are chitting though. And I cut back the autumn fruiting raspberries and topped and tied in the summer fruiting ones. I’ve taken one row out that always did poorly and there’s another to come out. It’s too close to the wall and I have no idea what variety (or varieties) it is. I’m hoping to get the fruit garden weeded and top dressed this week too, if the weather holds.

The steers and bull are sufficiently addicted to sugar beet to proceed with fluking them so I’ve ordered a new bottle of Closamectin. What a price!

Yesterday, I was at the RBST Caledonian Support Group AGM. Dan was catching up here, even though he’s the group secretary. It’s quite an active group but, as always, there is a small cohort of members who do most of the work. The Group organises the RBST stand at the Royal Highland Show and this year, for the first time, we’re going to the Scottish Game Fair at Scone. The Highland is a four day event and the Game Fair, three, so it’s a big ask for members but the Game Fair gives us access to a different audience for rare breeds, amongst the conservation graziers.

Finally, we have a new arrival today at Dalmore. She’s called Lucy; she’s a 22 year old grey TB mare, former Grade B showjumper. She’s not mine, though – she belongs to a friend who helps out here if we’re not here. Smokey and Bug are smitten :-)