May 2007

Where shall we start with reporting on May?

Well, the weather was most conducive to grass growing (and weeds, as those of you with gardens or allotments will know!). Sun and rain and sun and rain... would be great if we could order the rain at night and sun during the day. Anyway, silage is nearly ready to be cut, which is earlier than it has been for a few years... and there's plenty in the fields for the cows to eat.

Emily and Dale returned from their winter season work in France. It has been particularly lovely to have them at home. Not only have they taken to cooking supper (which is delicious and means I don't have to), but also, since my mother died last year, I've found it very hard to be separated from my children and Mark. I have a nagging fear that I may never see them again and sometimes I have a hole in my being that takes me over and debilitates me. These are my best friends, Mark, Anna and Emily and I love being with them.

In the on-going financial gloom here, we're again looking around at ways to make the income work. Surely producing great food has to be a tenable business? I am currently dealing with my feelings of failure that we are still not able to make this work, in spite of the overwhelming encouragement and support of so many people. Keith, our business link adviser and financial guru is coming back next month to cast another eagle eye over our lives here and hopefully make some suggestions for improvement.

Yet another unfounded complaint was levied against us (I guess we should be flattered that we are such a focus for someone's attentions!), this time to the State Veterinary Service about our "thin pigs". Well, they came along one morning and had a good look at everything - pigs, cows, chickens, geese, horses and were totally satisfied that everything was doing well.

The local Cats Protection League came and installed an "organic pest control device" - semi-feral cat! Smokey is currently finding her feet in the barn and we hope will settle to make Vowley Farm her new home. She's a beautiful tabby, used to earning her keep, so we'll see how she gets on here!

The month ends with our vehicles in trouble! On our way to see a potential new bull, Monty, in Wales, the Shogun overheated and even a new thermostat doesn't seem to have done the trick completely. The van is also currently off the road with water spilling out of the engine in a couple of places. Keith to the rescue... It would be so good to be able to fix things properly rather than be in a constant place of shoring it up with temporary fixes and "baler twine"!