Summer: Sheep, silage, sunflowers and sorghum...

Summer has suddenly appeared and everything is growing like mad. As usual, things are busy on the farm. The sheep have been shorn, two fields of grass have been mown for silage and a hectare of sunflowers with radish and sorghum have been sown for the wild birds.
The cold weather that we had in May meant that many of the blossoms and flowers lasted for a long time. I think most notable was the oilseed rape, where fields were bright yellow for many weeks. Hopefully this will result in high yields.
May 17 saw an easing of lockdown, so eating indoors was possible. As a result, the cafe was reopened and it's great to have the staff back.
There are one or two new faces, too. Hospitality and shop work is, for many people young and not-so-young a stopping off place between jobs or colleges, so staff turnover can be quite high.
That said, Gemma, who has been with us for several months, is moving on into a full time job and we wish her good luck.
The sun is shining and the BBQs are lit, which means the butchers are very busy making kebabs, burgers and sausages. The first weekend is always a bit hectic, but butchers Mike and Steve soon got into their stride and provided their usual tip-top service.
On a personal note, I have to report that on May 4 Pete and Beth welcomed daughter Evelyn at some ungodly hour of the morning. Mother and baby are doing well and, needless to say, Grandma and I are delighted with the addition to the family.
I appreciate the NHS and volunteers continue to do really well, so hopefully most will have had their two vaccines soon and life can return to normal.
Stay safe,
David