Friday 6 February 2009

Needs must...

Well, when vehicles are out and wheelbarrows are just not making the grade, imagination takes hold. In less than twenty minutes a makeshift sledge was ready and hay could be taken (slowly, laboriously, one bale at a time) to the sheep.
This new snow fall is very different from the last - wet and heavy, slushy beneath the gorgeous surface, and a good six or more inches deep.
The farm looks wonderful, but I'm grateful that we are still eight weeks off lambing. Walking across the farm to check on the livestock is exhilarating but exhausting.

6 comments:

Arcadian Advocate said...

Good one, always more than one way to do a job on a farm.

Just off to hay the horse and tha rams for the third time today after 5 days of what feels like almost continuous snow. Litle and often is the only way with this group as otherwise the rams use our best hay for bedding, which is not on!

best of luck.

Lindsay said...

Agree with you about the quality of the snow for walking! Yesterday I really enjoyed walking around the fields behind our house, although about 6 inches deep it was crisp and crunchy. Today after another snowfall of about 8 inches the snow was wet and claggy and very tiring to walk through.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

We are snowless here, and I must say I am grateful.

Bright people are alwas resourceful when faced with challenges!

Hope all is well with you.

menopausaloldbag (MOB) said...

It's so easy to forget about people that work with the land when you are trudging through the snow admiring the beauty and the feel of it. I think nature decided we needed a good deluge - we've had more than I think 8 inches here - we've had too many mild and damp winters and too many bugs and virus's have spawned and grown when they would have been killed off. A clean slate hopefully for the coming year.

Mopsa said...

AA - I've constructed a hay rack for the rams by inserting some old iron racking in front of their gate, and stuff the hay between the two - or yes, they scatter as much as they eat!

Lindsay, it's knackering - I've been out there for hours and need a snooze.

M&M - nice to hear from you after your long absence. Hope all is well. How's that lovely grey mare?

MOB - It's beautiful, and a delight, but it's time for it all to go. Now. Please.

Anonymous said...

yes - time for it to go!
our ewes are due to lamb now... tenderhooks here. have told them to hang on....