SILAGE
Cutting silage is a bit of a chore. It takes quite a bit of machinery and a whole lot of time. And the dates you can cut silage are restricted by environmental subsidies, so cutting can’t take place until late August. Feeding silage to livestock is vastly better than importing dried feed from the mainland. It’s healthier for the fields (and animals) to make use of local grass: the nutrients lost to the cut grass are pumped back into the soil through animal dung. Dry feed is energy-demanding in its production as well as in its transport, which does not sit well with an environmental conscience. But, most importantly […]
COOKING, TURBINES AND CALVES
It’s proving to be a bumper-crop day for our wind turbines. They are operating beyond their official maximum (16kw/h for 15kw/h machines….). This is optimum turbine weather – not so windy they shut down completely but not too gusty either; a steady big blow. While this is all very lovely for turbines, the wind-chill factor is considerable and that means the Great Outdoors is effectively off-limits for humans and all but the most vital of tasks. Unfortunately, farming must continue stoically through inclement weather and there are numerous vital tasks at this time of year. It’s when things are at their most harsh that we must be most […]
PREPARING FOR LAMBING
England may be under swathes of snow, but the Hebrides has enjoyed a lengthy spell of glorious bright, calm weather. How frustrating our reputation is for terrible weather! Today, however, the wind and overcast chill has returned. While that does make for a happy turbine-owner, it’s not great for visiting family or small children. The farm is ready for lambing – the ewes have been appropriately dosed against liver-fluke and additional supplies of glucose, calcium, antibiotics, lubricant and gloves are on stand-by for difficult births and disasters. Last year was easy, with very few assisted births or deaths. Let’s hope the same is true for this year. Weather is the […]
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