Chunky Monkey gang

Yes, the one neighbour doesn't want his own livestock, but came from a farming background. He was left some money when his dad died and the farm got sold, so brought the field as a little nest egg. He tops the brambles and chain harrows it. Takes some fire wood off it for a bit off income and field Rent from me. Weve been having the whole 20 acres but he only lets me graze 10 acres.

The other neighbours used to be rented for horses many years ago. Not sure why it stopped. Think he'd had enough of fussy horse people. So he just topped it off for many years. Then approached us about grazing it as the grass was really being wasted. There's also no water, which makes it difficult. But neighbour has an outside tap and we worked out how to run hosepipe through his garden under all his bushes so it wasnt obtrusive, drops over the wall into the field. He just turns the tap on each evening outside his back door which fills the tub.

Having use of these fields really helps me. I dont have enough individual fields myself so when it comes to weaning the sheep it makes life so much easier. When we first had the sheep and didn't have use of the neighbour fields I use to wean the lambs and they stayed in the shed for a month to break the bond. Which was not ideal.
 
Not having a good day today.
So much for my good intentions. Yesterday I thought I was doing the right thing weaning the lambs before they got themselves into trouble. This morning one dead lamb in the field. Why!!! I give up. Everything I do seems to go wrong. I cant seem to do anything right, no matter how hard I try.
Ive been trying to take small steps, to not over tax myself, reset my life, take one day at a time and all that. I try talking to people, to seek advice. They say talking can help instead of bottling it all up. But a number of people have advised me that I'm going about it the wrong way recently. It's one step forward and multiple back right now. Nothing is ever right.
Sat here with tears streaming down my face just now. Should be working, good job client is away and no one is here. Need to pull myself back together now and carry on.
 
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chunky monkey said:
Not having a good day today.
So much for my good intentions. Yesterday I thought I was doing the right thing weaning the lambs before they got themselves into trouble. This morning one dead lamb in the field. Why!!! I give up. Everything I do seems to go wrong. I cant seem to do anything right, no matter how hard I try.
Ive been trying to take small steps, to not over tax myself, reset my life, take one day at a time and all that. I try talking to people, to seek advice. They say talking can help instead of bottling it all up. But a number of people have advised me that I'm going about it the wrong way recently. It's one step forward and multiple back right now. Nothing is ever right.
Sat here with tears streaming down my face just now. Should be working, good job client is away and no one is here. Need to pull myself back together now and carry on.
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Aw sending tons and tons of hugs and cheery vibes. Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate right now. Resetting your life sounds good and easy, but it most certainly is not. Small steps make sense, but again, even small steps can go wrong can't they. I think talking can help, writing things down helps too. I think there are patches in our lives where every darn thing we do seems to go wrong and it sounds like you're in the middle of one of them. You will find your way through it, its what we do isn't it - but sometimes the journey is taxing and tiring and all seems too much. Perhaps it might help if you can think about something just for you? Like the thoughts of getting another horse - something to look forward to. Then see the other things as something to get through and hopefully you will be able to find your way to getting another. Sending lots and lots of positive thought your way. xxxx
 
That’s a real shame about the lamb, was it the one that looked off before you moved them? Regardless, these things just happen sometimes, no one to blame, try not to be too hard on yourself over it, you did everything with the best of intentions.
 
Been busy in the kitchen. Anybody would think I was having a party. Sadly not. 20260725_104521.jpg
Someone offered me courgette and tomato plants. Hed been given some out of date seed so bunged them in to see what grew. So i got given 3 courgette plants and 3 tomatoes plants. Well the tomatoes haven't really come to much as I forgot to open the greenhouse one day when we had 35°, so I practically killed the plants off. There are a few tomatoes forming now so maybe I'll get some. Courgettes, well the plants have gone mad. I have eaten courgettes for breakfast everyday for the last 2 weeks and in numerous dinners and I can't keep up. The fridge was full of them. So I got up early and made 3 courgette cakes and courgette fritters. Eaten some fritters for breakfast and will have some for dinner and some tomorrow. The rest will be going in the freezer. Along with all the cakes. Plus I made 2 courgette cakes last week.
I've just been up on the garden and got another 4 courgettes too. So my fridge draw is still full of yep bloody courgettes!!!!!!!!
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chunky monkey said:
Been busy in the kitchen. Anybody would think I was having a party. Sadly not. View attachment 136860
Someone offered me courgette and tomato plants. Hed been given some out of date seed so bunged them in to see what grew. So i got given 3 courgette plants and 3 tomatoes plants. Well the tomatoes haven't really come to much as I forgot to open the greenhouse one day when we had 35°, so I practically killed the plants off. There are a few tomatoes forming now so maybe I'll get some. Courgettes, well the plants have gone mad. I have eaten courgettes for breakfast everyday for the last 2 weeks and in numerous dinners and I can't keep up. The fridge was full of them. So I got up early and made 3 courgette cakes and courgette fritters. Eaten some fritters for breakfast and will have some for dinner and some tomorrow. The rest will be going in the freezer. Along with all the cakes. Plus I made 2 courgette cakes last week.
I've just been up on the garden and got another 4 courgettes too. So my fridge draw is still full of yep bloody courgettes!!!!!!!!
View attachment 136861
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Those look fabulous! Courgettes are super. I've never had a courgette cake but do like them in casseroles. Mr T puts them on the grill sometimes too with steak and peppers.
 
Tried to be an action hero today. Took a fall and dive bombed across the road. Rolling over as I went.

Grazed thumb and palm of hand. Slight rip at the base of thumb nail which drew some blood. My knee took the brunt of the fall on the tarmac. Hurts like anything but didn't even graze. I expect a shiny bruise tomorrow. Arnica is on.
Fancied a change if scenery, had to go and feed someone's cat and Guinea pigs so I thought id do a road/local park run from there's. Saw a guy crossing the road in front of us with his dog. I'm looking as he goes towards a path I didn't know existed. Wondering where it goes to. I cross the road, Quin suddenly puts brakes on, stops dead in the road and I trip over him. I knew I was a gonna, nothing I could do to save myself. Momentum just took me, turing into a body roll across the road. I felt a right fool as I got up. Think Quin was a bit shocked. He stayed behind me the rest of the way back to the car.
 
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chunky monkey said:
Tried to be an action hero today. Took a fall and dive bombed across the road. Rolling over as I went.

Grazed thumb and palm of hand. Slight rip at the base of thumb nail which drew some blood. My knee took the brunt of the fall on the tarmac. Hurts like anything but didn't even graze. I expect a shiny bruise tomorrow. Arnica is on.
Fancied a change if scenery, had to go and feed someone's cat and Guinea pigs so I thought id do a road/local park run from there's. Saw a guy crossing the road in front of us with his dog. I'm looking as he goes towards a path I didn't know existed. Wondering where it goes to. I cross the road, Quin suddenly puts brakes on, stops dead in the road and I trip over him. I knew I was a gonna, nothing I could do to save myself. Momentum just took me, turing into a body roll across the road. I felt a right fool as I got up. Think Quin was a bit shocked. He stayed behind me the rest of the way back to the car.
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Ouch hope you are okay and the arnica helps.
 
Ram lambs are doing my head in. There's 8 of them plus the big boy in a 5 acre field. The grass is so dry that the boys have decided theres nothing good to eat so they are going through our hitensile electric fence and visiting all the neighbours lawns. They also got over a fallen down dry stone wall and out onto the road. I had to turn the fencing off unfortunately as hardly any current was going through it given the long grass and some of it is needs repairing and was therefore shorting. So it's just added to the boys walking through it. There no where near ready for the abbatoir, but I cant put up with them going walkies for another 2 months. Think I will try putting the fence back on.aybe some current might deter them. We are desperate for some rain now. But still nothing showing for the next 2 weeks.
 
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Hopefully current will help, ours is very ineffective right now because the ground is so dry it just isn’t earthing properly.
 
Omg drum roll please. Big announcement.
We have rain. Yes that wet stuff that falls out the sky.

In other news. I swapped the ram lambs and ewe lambs Sunday. Cadmus decided to take himself into the neighbours garden too along with the little boys. As neighbour is renting out as Airbnb couldnt risk someone getting charged by him. So decided it was safer to swap the boys and ewe lambs over and he would be in a field where I knew there was no chance of human contact unless someone trespassed.
Phone rings at 7pm last night, neighbour with the horses. Weve got some sheep in our garden. My heart sank. I go to get them out to find its 4 little ram lambs. They got in the stream right where it flows from one property into the other and went under the fence where it dips and into there horse paddocks then through the post and rail onto there lawn. Honestly I gave them a 20acre field to roam and they were still not satisfied.
So far the girls have stayed put but im sure it won't be long before they get bored and wander into the Airbnb garden. These sheep are determined to break me.
 
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chunky monkey said:
Omg drum roll please. Big announcement.
We have rain. Yes that wet stuff that falls out the sky.

In other news. I swapped the ram lambs and ewe lambs Sunday. Cadmus decided to take himself into the neighbours garden too along with the little boys. As neighbour is renting out as Airbnb couldnt risk someone getting charged by him. So decided it was safer to swap the boys and ewe lambs over and he would be in a field where I knew there was no chance of human contact unless someone trespassed.
Phone rings at 7pm last night, neighbour with the horses. Weve got some sheep in our garden. My heart sank. I go to get them out to find its 4 little ram lambs. They got in the stream right where it flows from one property into the other and went under the fence where it dips and into there horse paddocks then through the post and rail onto there lawn. Honestly I gave them a 20acre field to roam and they were still not satisfied.
So far the girls have stayed put but im sure it won't be long before they get bored and wander into the Airbnb garden. These sheep are determined to break me.
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Glad you have rain, I could have sent you plenty from Orkney. Its gale for here and torrential at times.
And cold now too.
Just proves I know nowt. I had no clue that rams would ram a person. I lived in the middle of a sheep farm for ten years. Stupidly I never bothered about them - I was never wary I mean.
They weren't fenced in, farmer neighbour didn't believe in fencing his livestock in at all. So I just had to evict them as and when if they were being a nuisance. Mostly I just let them roam. But I did get fed up when they ate my veg growing in the raised beds outside the stables.
What are they like still escaping from twenty acres!!!!
 
All the ewe lambs were out this morning. They've stayed put for a fortnight, but I'll let them off if they don't go walkies again, as someone was letting off fireworks last night. They must of really panicking to of all gone through like that. Just hope they don't think they can start getting out regularly now.
 
chunky monkey said:
All the ewe lambs were out this morning. They've stayed put for a fortnight, but I'll let them off if they don't go walkies again, as someone was letting off fireworks last night. They must of really panicking to of all gone through like that. Just hope they don't think they can start getting out regularly now.
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Blimey fireworks already!
 
Here's an interesting thought, I'm wondering if a track system can work for cows. Inspite if the drought again this year and last summer my cows are again this year looking stiff legged and some walking as if they've got laminitis. With no longer calving them then don't loose natural body fat and being on this rotation grazing I have more grass so they look too well. The rotation grazing works really well and particularly during the winter when im putting supplimemtary hay out. So keeping the paddock rotation is great for winter.
The problem with the rotation grazing I'm now finding is because each paddock is nearly an acre in size the cows are eating the best stuff in the middle and being selective and therefore not eating up close to the perimeter fencing as a result lots of bramble and long vegetation is getting a hold under and over the hitensile fence. I'm starting to get to grips with some clearing but I'm one person trying to manage 25 acres, working and trying to live. When I had the horses during the summer I had a track set up round the top field of 12 acres. Some of the track I took down each winter to facilitate watering the cows. But part of it ive kept in situ. It wouldn't be too much to put it back in like I had for the horses. For the cattle to graze for the next few months, then back on rotation for winter. Id need to knock in some wooden post in strategic places again. I've got loads of reels of wire. The only thing I'm short of is spare poly posts. I've got loads out on the individual paddocks but I don't want to take the rotation paddocks down. I'm wondering if I could recreate the track in the top field at least and leave the cows on it for a week. Then set up and move them to a track on the bottom field, if I put in woodens down there. I could leave wires up on the wooden and just take out the polys each week to move between fields. If I move the cows each week they won't get bored and wander. The middle of the field can recover from drought and get its autumn flush and the cows will be forced to eat the strip near the perimeter. Thus helping me maintain and they might loose some weight as well. All sounds good in theory, it would be a couple of weekends setting it all up. If it keeps them for the next 10 to 12 weeks until having time it would be ideal. Wondering if this is a crazy idea, seems like more work. Guess I won't know unless I try.
 
Sounds like it would be worth a try, any rest for drought effected grazing is a good thing just now. I understand dairy farmers use tracks, not in the same way as horses but more like equicentral so the track is linked to multiple fields so the tracks get the heavier use and fields can be more easily rotated, so it’s maybe not as crazy as you think.
 
Yes some farmers do or they create lane ways back to water. My only gripe with that is you get bald/mud areas where the lane is heavily used back to water constantly. I don't want bald.
Anyway this morning I got up early and I've fenced a strip for the cows to stay in till the weekend to see if they graze it all out and then I can strim the bramble rather than the grass as well.
I've also been thinking and I've got 27 useable paddocks so working by calendar month I'm about 3/4 days short each month. If I create a track in both fields I can use that track for 2 days ish each month to graze the perimeter and also gives them more movement which might keep weight off.
(Hilariously ever since we lost the cattle grazing and the cattle have been just on my land, ive kept a daily note of which paddock they go in, ive named all 27 areas. Yes its very sad. I wish i could convert my calendar entries into a spreadsheet for analysis. One day I'll find a way. But i find it very useful and know that the field has rest to break worm cycles etc, and know that no part is ever being over grazed.)

It's a bit of work to make alterations but I think it could work going forward.
 
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Sunset is now 7.15. It was 9.30. So we've lost over 2hrs of daylight. I'm still managing the evening routine. Checking the two batches in the evening and my run. Although i get wet feet as soon as i go in the field which i hate.
As soon as we hit clock change in what about 5 weeks. Then I shall cut my run, and get my walking poles out to walk the hill with the dog with my head torch in the dark. Just run at weekends.
Hoping to sell the ewe lambs before clock change. The boys need to go in the freezer or to the market as well so I reduce the workload.
The ewes are still having hay, thats a month now. But im cutting them down to half a bale a day as some grass is coming through and there wasting hay. They are looking a little slim but they will be fine by the time they go in with Cadmus if the grass keeps growing.
 
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