Archived News

21st September 2007
Members of the public are keeping a close watch on livestock as they walk in the countryside which is appreciated.  Please don't worry if you see one of our cattle in Sandy Meadow, Park Farm with warts, Our vet advised us some months ago that although unsightly on one animal in particular, there is no need for concern.

This evening I have been running the children's taxi service and I even found time to cook a roast today, with thoughts along the lines that I must stop worrying about Foot and Mouth Disease, this really must be the end of it.

Well, before turning the computer off this evening I decided to take a quick look at the DEFRA website - and now wish that I hadn't. A sixth case of FMD, when will it end?

At Manor Farm today the checking of livestock has continued, 30 visits in total. Although one arm of our business has just about ground to a halt, it is important to mention how other farm activity has progressed well over the past few days, we must keep all the other balls in the air.

230Acres of wheat have been drilled at Shalford and Albury and another 200 acres of ground has been prepared for oats and wheat. The ground preparation includes power-harrowing and discing.  If you are local or walking through our patch, you may have seen an amazing length of kit behind one tractor, this is a combination of a power-harrow, disc and press and it saves having 2 or 3 tractors passing over the same ground.
Other work this week : Donald brought in the last of the straw bales from the fields, firstly filling barns and then stacking in the yard where they must be sheeted and baled down.

Casper has dried 60 tonnes of wheat, reducing it from 16% moisture to 15%.  It takes about 2 hours to dry 28 tonnes at a cost of approximately £3/tonne.
Roy has taken 30 tonnes of wheat into Atlees, Dorking.
Two lorries have come in from Salisbury to take Oats.  I am keeping a log of all visitors and any essential vehicles onto site - where they have come from and where they are going to next. Also any possible links with other farms. These grain lorries were HUGE and ten wheels had to be disinfected before entry and on exiting our farm.

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