Archived News

18th November 2013

It has taken 5 days without rain before the tractors could get onto the ground north of the railway at Park Farm.  The ground here is very heavy and hard to work and it blocks up the tillage train so we have to revert to the traditional use of three tractors with plough, power harrow and seed drill.

Ed, Duncan and David have been working since Friday afternoon and it’s slow work with just 45 acres completed by Sunday evening, with 75 acres remaining at Park before moving to same kit to 20 acres of heavy ground at Painshill.

The tillage train can cover 80 acres per day on light soils, with one tractor and driver all the cultivation occurs in one pass.

On Friday we were visited by Mark Tollitt from the Communications Group at Defra who wanted to see a working farm in action. Mark was able to see the beef and arable enterprises; checking on some of the Belted Galloway cows and calves, weighing cattle, seeing the Friesian calves fed by automated milk machines, taking a look at ploughing and some of the emerging crops as well as the business park before returning to the farm where Mark and Laurence discussed communications in modern day farming. We look forward to showing Mark the continuation of food production next year at harvest time.

Eleanor with 'Dusk' who was born 11th November

Hugo the ram has been busy on the hill for the past fortnight tupping the ewes; Christopher changed the raddle crayon yesterday from red to blue so that he can keep an eye on progress!

Since Mr.Fox took all but one of our ducks, the only survivor, a home reared Silver Appleyard has waddled around with the hens and cockerel.  Today I brought home two new ducks, the same breed but 5 months old.

The youngsters wanted to follow the lone duck around, possibly because it seemed the logical thing to do; all ducks together, whilst she seemed bemused by the attention and kept walking away! I’m sure they’ll all settle in the next few days.