A dry spring and many hands on deck has meant that things are looking pretty decent on the farm as the summer arrives on a cool breeze.
Our ewes and their lambs are settling in well at the top of the hill. Meanwhile, the cattle remain in the valley where they love to shelter under the many oaks trees that we have around the farm (you may have noticed Pete on Spotlight last week, talking about Cornish hedges and their importance to animals, big and small!) We’ve had 13 calves so far with only 4 to go. We often find them in small groups being looked after by a couple of cows whilst all the other mums feed. It’s the perfect childcare situation for calves!
Elsewhere on the farm, we’ve been busy making some of our larger fields smaller. Downsizing the fields allows for a grazing plan that boosts diversity and opportunities for wildlife, which is something we are always striving to do. Our herbal leys rotations provide a wonderfully varied, nutritious diet with loads of health benefits for both our animals and the soil.
Last week saw the introduction of our first hive of bees! With the help of a local beekeeper, we managed to catch a swarm of bees that originated from a colony of wild bees which were living in a hollow oak by the stream. According to Steve it’s “real Winnie-the-Pooh stuff”, and the team are a little over excited about these new arrivals and the prospect of Nancarrow honey in late July. Watch this space….!
