Archived News

28th May 2009

In checking the pig paddock today, Dick found the plastic coating on the electric fence wire has been eaten by rabbits again, so the wire has been replaced and the power switched on ready for the pigs.

The piglets were weaned off Prudence a few weeks ago and Percy has been kept separately during this time, allowing Prudence to rest and recover after rearing her first litter.  Now the two of them have returned to the paddock, Percy is following Prudence around like a love-struck teenager even though he’s only 14 months old!

Phoebe’s piglets are now weaned off and she’s having her rest before going back to Percy next month.

Percy bent a metal gate in the livestock trailer; he was so impatient to reach Prudence.  The photo below shows Axel straightening out the metal gate and William fixing the drill.

William was in his element repairing the drill today, searching through boxes of nuts and bolts in the workshop and tinkering with machinery. As William has gone home now, I asked Laurence for some details, but Laurence is working through a pile of invoices and really doesn’t want to be disturbed.  However, he managed to focus briefly on my question before replying ‘William is replacing bits of drill that have dropped off or worn out’ - very technical!  After further probing, I at least discover that a side plate has been welded and the wearing parts of a drill coulter are being replaced.

We recently sold six tractors, two Matrbro’s and a combine harvester to a local tractor dealership, who sold the whole lot on to another dealer.  These have been replaced with three tractors, two tele-handlers and a combine harvester, all made by Claas. The new tractors will be more efficient, with a lot less break-down time and should be powerful enough to disc, press and roll in one pass, just as the Ford FW30 used to.  The new kit will have a Claas service team, hopefully keeping everything moving throughout the coming year.

What is it about some people?  Rather than earn an honest wage, there are some who think they have a ‘right’ to ‘pick up’ anything that’s not screwed down.  There have been a spate of burglaries from garden sheds in local villages and we unfortunately have a steady stream of chancers in the area. 

Back in 2007 during the Foot and Mouth outbreak, we used old milk churns to carry water to various disinfectant points, but these were stolen overnight and over the past week or so, all our pitch forks have disappeared. 

On Sunday, Laurence received a call to say 15 Belted Galloway cattle were wandering down off the hill.  As Laurence was at the Guildford show ground preparing for the County Show, Amanda (and 3 other unfortunate people who were enjoying a day off), ‘drove’ the cattle back onto the North Downs where they had been grazing.  You might expect a fallen tree and a hole in the fence had led to the great escape, but you’d be wrong.

As the cattle were driven into the field there was no need to open the gate and nor could the gate be closed behind them, because it had been stolen!  It is difficult at times not to lose hope in human nature.