Archived News

31st July 2014

A report of cattle being seen on Whitedown Road at lunchtime on Monday and the discovery of two smashed field gates on National Trust downland where 21 of our Belted Galloways had been grazing; led to a five hour search of woodland between Abinger and Ranmore.

Apart from Crossing Whitedown, the cattle steered clear of roads and wandered along the North downs, almost to the picnic field where we were able to walk them through to the ‘Brow’ where they are now grazing.

Naturally we could have done without the wasted work time, running around in high temperatures and the replacement of two NT gates, however my main fear in this type of situation is not knowing whether the cattle are heading up a road somewhere and causing potential danger to themselves or the public as we desperately look for them.

We have since heard that a witness saw two vehicles on Sunday evening driving up the hillside after ramming the gate onto Blatchford Downs.

Carsluith Ethelred on the move

On Tuesday we sorted out a few more Belties (8 cows, 1 heifer and the bull) and moved them onto the Ranges where they will graze for a few weeks before moving west along the downs to graze Holcomb and then possibly back to the big field/picnic field. 

This conservation grazing on National Trust land is an integral part of chalk downland habitat management whilst adding to the excellent quality and flavour of our slow grown ‘Beltie Beef’.

The oilseed rape harvest is complete and the yields are down, which is a similar story across the country.

The winter barley is all harvested and the tonnage sold forward has been collected by our local grain merchant; Lillico Attlee, Dorking with the remaining rapeseed in storage until we decide to sell.

The remainder of last year’s wheat was sold a few weeks ago and has only just left the farm so the team are cleaning the grain store before Laurence begins harvesting this year’s wheat, but as only 40 acres of that is ready to harvest, Laurence is catching up with paperwork and doing the wages which look as though they have reached an all time high with this summer’s overtime!