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What a fortnight. By now, there isn’t a farmer in the country who isn’t sick of the sight of snow. From defrosting pipes to clearing yards and keeping animals warm and safe, it has certainly been challenging.
However difficult it has been here, I have taken tremendous heart from the stories on the news and on social media about community spirit being alive and well in this country of ours.
Farmers frequently bear the brunt of bad press but I think that this changed this week. We should be so proud of all who ferried staff and patients to and from hospital, cleared roads and drives and assisted their neighbours and strangers.
Let’s hope that this caring community spirit does not stop here. I imagine the sense of isolation and loneliness that people feel would be dramatically reduced if we could all help out, even in a small little way.
Lambing kicked off here on the farm during Storm Emma’s visit.
Unfortunately, the weather has been far from ideal, with heavy snow falling, making it impossible to let ewes and lambs out to the fields as normal (usually from 12 to 24 hours) after lambing down.
There are plenty of individual pens around the yard to hold ewes and lambs for a period of time but group penning is in limited supply until this first group of ewes and lambs are out in the fields. We have had to tighten ewes up in some of the sheds to allow us room to keep those which have lambed in out of the elements for now.
Hopefully, things will return to a more normal footing now that the thaw has started and I am back to a full complement of helpers.
As the workload increases at this time of year, I need extra labour to help the farm run more smoothly. I have a number of students and short-term staff in for this busy period.
The increase in bodies around the place has advantages in that there are extra eyes and hands to help keep things moving along efficiently, with everyone assigned their individual tasks to complete daily. It also allows for a structured rest period for everyone working on the farm, making it a safer place to work.
We have a system in place in the shed that when a sheep is placed in a pen, there is a little chart on the gate to record the time and any important details such as number of lambs and if they are to be left indoors for extra observation.
The children even benefit from the extra help, in that I am able to spend some time with them. Usually by choice, they want to spend it with the pet lambs.
Interest
It is wonderful to see them taking an interest in the farm and willingly wanting to come out and help. However, I am constantly aware of the dangers also and, as a result, the children know that they are only allowed out with myself or Alison.
We got a new pup during the week and as you can imagine the excitement has been incredible. They are besotted. Sandy, a little Glen of Imaal terrier, is great company on my night visits to the sheds. However, I am not sure how safe the wellington boots and shoes are going to be.
Farmer Writes: lambing in and out of the snow
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