An away weekend

Straw is a crucial part of farming cattle at Treshnish as we need it for the cows when they come indoors mid winter.  Our friend and supplier kindly gets our straw baled in large square bales (as opposed to round bales which most farmers make) because they are a more efficient shape for moving across Scotland on a lorry.  

It is great not to have to look around for straw every summer, and to know we have a reliable supply and that the quality will be as good as it can be. 

This winter's straw arrived on Friday morning.  Farmer unloaded it under the watchful eye on the 2 ponies in the turbine field.  As our wool bags hadn't been collected yet, we were keen that the driver took them away once the straw was unloaded. 

It seems to get difficult for Farmer to go away at this time of year.  There is a complicated feeding regime and as we get into January cows begin to look as if they will calve imminently and so he needs to be on hand.

So the weekend just passed seemed like a perfect opportunity to go and visit our straw supplier friends over in Angus.

For me having been born and brought up in Angus, it is a trip down memory lane.  And whatever the weather it is always nice to be there - though it was hard to leave Mull in such beautiful sunshine.

At the farm mill we were able to get a few things we cannot easily get on the island, watched by the lovely Leila.  And a trip to Harbro in Forfar before it closed at midday meant he could stock up on syringes, sprays and needles amongst other things.

The rest of Saturday was of an unfarming nature - thankfully the damp morning did eventually stop, and there were even stars visible as we went to bed.

Next morning we walked round the loch as the sun was rising. It was beautiful.  I had hoped to photograph skeins of geese taking to the skies or coming down to the water, but having left my camera bag at home, I had only one lens so had to leave that for another day.

We left after breakfast and drove home via a fantastic farm shop outside Perth.  The 4pm ferry was a little slow in leaving - something to do with the Isle of Mull ferry being away for its annual checkup with the smaller Isle of Arran in its place?