They say time flies when you're enjoying yourself. Well, we have been very busy with spring work and the shop has been exceptional with an early Easter and the start of the BBQ season.
Suddenly I was served notice it was time for a farm audit.
​Now, I have to admit that I am not very savvy with some technology, so to be told that this was going to be held on WhatsApp caused me much trepidation.
Basically a farm audit is a glorified paper chase, so my afternoon was spent diving in and out of files to prove that there was written evidence to all the happenings in the farming year.
I am pleased to say, that although a fault was found 'which pleased the examiner', we have passed the test and we are still farm assured.
One of the next jobs on the farm is to vaccinate all the new-born lambs. This is to protect them from clostridial diseases. These are bacterial diseases - and the first symptoms are generally sudden death! Obviously, prevention is better than cure.
By the end of May we should be shearing the sheep, which is not only harvesting the wool, but is beneficial to the sheep, so they don't over heat.
What we need is for someone to come up with a really good use for the wool, because at the moment, it has no value.
We have fertilised the crops, tending them with loving care. But it is so cold they are refusing to grow. I'm sure many of you are having the same problems in your own gardens.
I am pleased to report that Esme, who worked with us for a while, has finished college, passed her exams and has landed herself a job with a firm of solicitors.
Roll on May 17, when hopefully the cafe will open for indoor seating. I know the kitchen are working on an exciting new menu, but I daren't interfere.
Stay safe.
David

March 25th is traditionally known as Lady Day. It's also known as Rent Day. Traditionally agricultural rents were paid on Lady Day and on St Michaelmas Day, September 29th.
Today also has special significance for me. It is 100 years since my grandfather took on the tenancy of Corner Farm, just down the road from Churncote. The Clarke family have been on the Onslow Estate ever since.
As you can imagine, we've seen many changes in that time. The days of milking cows by hand, ploughing and cultivating with horses and threshing corn with a threshing box and steam engine have long gone.
Agriculture is moving into the realms of robotics and GPS guidance, which allegedly is far superior to man. However, it's worth remembering that it requires people to design and input all the data...
Life on the farm at the moment is all about lambing the main flock of sheep, now coming to the end. The weather has been particularly kind to us this year and it's so pleasing to see the lambs gambolling out in the fields.
The spring barley crop has been sown, and at a later date it will be undersown with grasss, so that when the barley is harvested there will be a cover crop of grass which will absorb carbon dioxide and provide a root structure that helps to improve the health of the soil.
This crop is rotated around the farm on a yearly basis.
Easter is only 10 days away and things are gearing up in the farm shop in preparation. With the present Covid restrictions, many people will be eating at home, so hopefully we can fulfil all their needs.
It's very pleasing to see the rates of infection and deaths dropping so dramatically. Hopefully we as a country will soon be back to some sort of normality.
In the meantime, stay safe.
David

Belated happy new year to you all. I was rather surprised this morning when Louise Minchin announced on the Breakfast programme that it is only three days until the first day of spring. I prefer to stick to the traditional thought that spring actually starts on March 21.
That thought in itself brings some trepidation, because by then we should have started lambing and, fingers crossed, all will be well.
January 5 was the day all our ewes were scanned. We were pleasantly surprised by the results, which indicate plenty of lambs with twins and triplets galore. Many other farmers are reporting similar results, so I expect that yet again, Mother Nature is in charge.
The issue now is that those expectant mums have to be fed a diet that will see them through to the birth and then help them to rear the lambs. This requires a high protein feed, but also a balance of good carbs to keep their strength up.
In the meantime, we carry on with repairing fencing and cleaning ditches and drains.
The other side of our business, the shop and cafe, have recovered from the very hectic Christmas period, although obviously with the Covid restraints the cafe remains closed. Fortunately the kitchen remains open, so we still have an ample supply of ready meals and takeaway Sunday lunches on the production line.
The shop continues to be busy and we’re very happy to be supplying an order and collect system for those who need it. Of course, people are still celebrating birthdays and anniversaries - and soon it will be Valentines, too - so we are pleased to be able to try to make things a bit special.
On a final note, we have just said goodbye to Sarah in the shop. We wish her good luck for the future.
Stay safe, and roll on 2021.
David