June 30th 2016 #30DaysWild

The 30th day and the wettest day of the month I think!

Farmer had to go and mend a fence which the heifers had broken through. I think they liked the look of the wild flowers and just went for it.   It was pouring with rain, but I went with him.

I hadn't walked in the Coronation Meadow for about a week, as my attention has been on the field below the house.   And it changes so much in a week!  There are huge patches of Red Bartsia and White clover, as well as Northern marsh orchids and Greater butterfly orchids in the areas of thinner grasses.  The Tufted vetch is beginning to show through - I am sure that is early compared to other years.

The drainage ditch running through the wetter part of the field is running again, and the Ragged Robin was thriving in the dripping rain.

Today was the last day of #30DaysWild.  I have enjoyed sharing my wild walks again this year, though I haven't had as much time to write.   I don't ever take for granted how lucky we are to live in such a wild place, but the Challenge of doing something each day is a good way of reinforcing how lucky we are!   I am not sure if I will do it next year, time will tell.

Farming diary

Before we go away on Monday Farmer wanted to put the tups through the fank, and to check that they were all alight.  This tup had a problem with one of his horns which was blocking him from seeing out of an eye, growing as it was so close to his face.  

Before...

Cut...

and finished. It must be such a relief when it is done.

The focus now is on the next season.  Have we got enough tups for the number of ewes we want, and are they the breed we want? Before we knew it we had embarked upon a new direction.   We were unable to go to the Tup Sale in Oban so we asked J to get 2 tups for us - one blackface, and the other.. the new direction.. is a Lleyn.  Here he is below.

The next day we went to look at a couple more tups, locally.  Came home having said we would buy 3!

The farm we went to to look was in the middle of speaning their calves (taking them away).  The cows were all quite unsettled, looking and mooing for their calves. 

This was the tup selection. 

One of 2 mighty bulls who needed to get the testosterone out of their system.

This cow was hollering for her calf. 

Tonight again we saw the aurora borealis.  It was quite wonderful but very windy so not easy for astrophotography.