Christmas Update

Turkey Business

We sold 20 turkeys this year and processed them all here on the "farm".  It all went very well and we got great feedback from people who bought one - saying it was delicious, the best turkey they have had etc etc.  We had one too and it was very tasty indeed. Russell and I worked really hard to get them dispatched, plucked and dressed - with help from my farrier and Sam and her mum. Russell and I only almost nearly killed each other once, when I threatend to stab him with the knife in the wood shed at about midnight one night, when we were trying to get two birds ready for the next morning, and I didn't really mean it. And actually the worry and fretting has meant I have lost weight - I am calling it the "producing 20 turkeys for Christmas Diet" and I really recommend it.

In a weird way I quite enjoyed the whole thing (after the dispatching part) and we felt really proud when these fabulous 20 birds were in boxes ready to be collected - compassionately farmed, free range, wholesome and good quality produce.  We still need to decide whether to definitely do it again next year, but we have kept 3 turks (plus Dudley,  of course) so we could try to breed out own poults in the Spring. 

Riding School Application

This is progressing - not too many objections (and non from neighbours or the Parish Council) and we are still working hard on this - lobbying, writing notes, dealing with the little issues that crop up.  If you want something bad enough, you really fight for it and that is what we are doing at the moment. 

Livestock

All animals are fine.  Oh, apart from the greedy cockerel who must have stayed out one night and ben eaten because he has gone :-( I am very sad about this, I was quite attached to him and his quircky ways.  I must butch up though; its tough out there in the world of mother nature - one false move and you've 'ad it, it seems!

PYO - Early Shoots

I have raspberries, blackberries and strawberry plants in the raised bed in the garden, waiting patiently to be planted out on the field - the beginnings of our PYO business.  I am not totally confident that I will get around to planting them out before the dog has them though, the to do list is so long each day that this particular job keeps been ignored.  As does ordering the hedging .... we just need a few more hours in each day.

And a bit more money - the animals are eating us out of house and home - bales of hay after bales of hay are being consumed - roll on Spring, the new grass and cheaper feed bills, that's what I say.