This calf was about 45 minutes old.
In February last year, we took a day trip to the Isle of Bute to buy a new Aberdeen Angus bull called Equator. Being a closed herd, we breed our own replacements and therefore have to change bulls when we keep heifer calves back for breeding which we have done this year. The bull we sold (their father) went to the Isle of Islay! We were assured that Equator would 'throw' good easy calves so we were waiting with bated breath for calving to begin to see if this was the case.
Equator's first calf was born just the other day with two more since and they have all got up onto their feet quickly and started drinking, which is just what Farmer wants - so...so far, so good. They are all leg at this early stage - bonnie and fresh-faced but wobbly on their pins. In this prolonged cold dry spell we have been able to let the cows out during the day.
Outside in the good weather.
The other day, Richard (the man from On Site Generation) turned up to give the wind turbine a check up. This was after 3 months of generating. He put the brake on, which slowed the blades down to a full stop, inspected (through binoculars) the blades and the springs. After that, back at the steading, he checked the wiring inside the control panels. It all received a clean bill of health.
The first service.
At the risk of becoming a geek, I have been recording the generation figures to see how the turbine is doing in reality against the budget figures. Between 14th October and today 8th February, during 2593 hours of wind strong enough to generate, we have generated 4,895 kW/h. This is an average of 1.88 kW per generating hour thus far during this prolonged period of low wind speeds. All the lovely cold crisp wintery weather has been great for us, but has not been good for wind speed. But I am hopeful we will make our target at the end of 12 months.
The oyster, the lemon and the fish box.Totally unrelated to wind turbines and calves... a random picture of a local Croig oyster from a winter picnic on Kilninian beach. Shot glasses of someone's home made sloe gin. Lemons from Dougie's shop in Dervaig. Fishbox table found on beach.