Riding Arena in the Walled Garden

Well for us August has been a wash out, I guess the same as the rest of the country which has meant delays to starting our outdoor projects. However, we did have some good dry and sunny days at the beginning of the month which allowed Derek to remove all the top soil in the walled garden and then start to level the area ready for the outdoor school to be used for horse exercising. Some of the soil is going to be used on the restoration of an Exmoor bank in one of the fields and the rest we will stock pile as it is such good soil.

Baby Birds

We have had a lot of birdnests this year around the farm with Blackbirds nesting above the main door in the new barn and also the old hayloft. Sparrows are in the ivy by the pond and in the roof of the old stables and Swallows are inside the the old stables. All the baby birds have now left their nests but the swallows are still coming back at night to sleep on the rafters in the old stables.

The new bale wrapper

We have started our haymaking and so far we have made hay in half of the 10 acre field with the other half currently drying and if the weather stays kind we hope to bale on Monday, the last day of June.

This year we are attempting to make small bale haylage for the horses and we have bought a McHale bale wrapper. Our first attempt today went fairly well, although we have decided the grass is still too moist and we are leaving the rest of the grass until tomorrow. The baler is also using rather more plastic wrapper than it should per bale, so some adjustments will be necessary.

Bridge over the stream

We have finally finished work on the orchard, although we haven't been able to plant all the fruit trees but they will be coming in the autumn. We have also completed the connecting bridge from the holiday cottage garden over the small stream so guests are able to let their dogs run free and also children can play in the orchard. We have bought an old metal swing from a neighbour but it needs the feet repairing and a new seat before we can put it in the orchard. The grass is growing well and it shouldn't be long before the new grass seed catches up with the rest of the lawned area.

A foal for Moo Moo

Moo Moo presented us with a beautiful filly at 3.00pm on Thursday 15th May. It was an amazing experience to witness the birth of her foal and it only took 12 minutes from when the front feet emerged to the foal being born. I have named her Marika.

Luckily I was just putting the donkeys out for the afternoon as I had brought them all in that morning because it was raining hard and quite cold and Moo and the donkeys had been shaking. I was just passing the stable where she had been standing in for the morning when I suddenly realised she had laid down on the concrete. I quickly got her up and then realised she was giving birth. Fortunately the stable next to her had a good thick bed already laid down for another horse who is coming to stay for a week with its owner. I took her into it and although a bit small it was the best place. If you would like to see some photographs taken just after the birth then go to Marika

The Orchard

Now the warm weather has arrived the new grass is really growing in the orchard and this weekend was spent planting shrubs and fruit trees which were bought from Wibble Farm and Nurseries near Taunton. They were very helpful and gave good advice. I was't able to buy the plum and apple trees, but have ordered them for collection in the autumn. We just need the gate to the orchard to be swung and then it will be dog proof for our guests.

Baby Ducks Arrive

My neighbour Maxine Garner kindly agreed to incubate some Indian Runner duck eggs. I gave her six eggs. Maxine has had a lot of experience hatching chicken and quail eggs in an incubator so I was hopeful we would get at least one duckling. Maxine explained all the problems that went with incubating the duck eggs such as getting the humidity and temperature to be just right as if there was a mother duck to sit on them. Then during Tuesday evening this week the first egg hatched so Maxine then put the incubator in her bedroom and in the early hours of the morning another hatched. When Maxine woke in the morning all the eggs hatched except one which had died and so there were 5 duckings! It wasn't long before their legs were straight and they had learnt to drink and eat.... aren't animals amazing! Now they are with me indoors and will be for a few weeks until they are weaned off their heat lamp and ready to go on outside.