The Wall starts to go up

At the end of September we started on building the new wall. The centre of the wall is being built out of blocks and each side of the wall will be faced with the stone from the old wall. The concrete footings was laid thankfully in good weather and then allowed to go off before Russell could start laying all the blocks. This has only been laid to a height which he can comfortably work to until one circuit has be completed. Russell will then need to bring in a tower block so that he can reach the top of the wall.

We are now half way through November and he has almost completed the first part of the stone walling which is inside the future outdoor school. Half of the drainage in the outdoor school has been laid, but this cannot be completed until Russell has finished working on the inside of the wall which will probably be after Christmas.

We are planning to have a door installed in the corner of the school with steps on the outside which will take you down to the stream. The photo shows Russell working on part of the wall beside the opening for the future door which shows the upright to the left of the photo.

The Wall Comes Down

We have now got the go ahead from Exmoor National Park to start to take the wall down and rebuild it 10 metres further back so that the riding arena can be the full 40 x 20 metres with a grass surround so that we don't have to ride right up to the wall. We have found a local stone wall builder, Russell Liversidge from Timberscombe who will be starting on the project in two weeks time. The foundations for the replacement wall need to be built first before Russell can erect the scaffolding to start rebuilding the wall. We are planning for block work to go up in the centre of the wall and the stone will be faced on the outside. The plan is to faceup the wall on the inside of the arena so that the riding arena can be built and then Russell will come back in 2009 to finish off the outside of the wall. The first phase of the project is likely take three months, which should take Russell up to Christmas. We just need the rain to stop and dry up so that we are not working in a muddy bog.

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