Wow, I want to start by saying thank you to everyone who visited in the last month and bought a milkshake from me. You must agree they really are delicious! Word is quickly spreading and we are selling more and more each weekend (let’s hope the girls can keep up producing lots of milk for you to enjoy) I want to try and keep you all updated about what has being going on, on the farm month by month.
March is the ideal month for when we like to get the cows out to grass during the day. This year was a bit hit and miss with the inclement weather – the cows going out for a day but staying in for three days due to the rain – even then they still wanted to be outside. We like them to be outside so that their winter feed, which we call silage, can last longer so they can stay in and feed at nights until it warms up.
We strip graze the fields so the cows have fresh grass every day which makes grazing the field last longer as the previous fields can grow back before the cows go back into it. Strip grazing means that we put an electric fence down the field allowing them only a certain amount of grass each day, we always make sure they have enough grass to fill them though. They clear the field better doing it this way meaning it grows back better next time. Once the grass is all eaten, Tom will go along and spread it with muck to help it grow back and fertilise the ground.
We have also selected which fields we need to plough and reseed with grass to make them more enduring. You will be able to see one from the roadside.
During March 13 heifers were born, these include some of the babies you met out in the yard – Esme, Clover, Millie, Annabella, Blueberry (if you haven’t been and met them, I highly recommend. They love a cuddle and certainly make everything feel better) I have some new ones that I cannot wait to share with you all. We also have 9 cows due to calve this month (April) so let’s hope we have lots of heifers running around.
Unfortunately, where there is life there is death, one of our favourite cows who was 14 years old died in her sleep at the end of March. She was one we chose to show and I featured her in my Februdairy month. Heathwaite Sparkling Astrid graced many show fields and brought home many trophies. Winning Champion Jersey at Cumberland, Skelton, Great Eccleston shows to name a few. No cow goes unforgotten here, especially one like Astrid. She really was one of a kind.
Thank you all again for your support and hearing how much you all love the delicious milk that these girls produce means the world to me. I am always looking for new things to put into The Old Dairy so watch this space…
I'm so glad I had the pleasure to show you Astrid.