JANUARY 2003
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Sad news for the start of this month as Derek the cockerel star of many trips with the NFU trailer has died. Given his age he has done well and he has spent his life in the loft happy with the hens but I am missing his crowing in the morning, he used to start as soon as the yard light came on even though it was still dark.
We have had 7 calves born this month
2 black and white bulls, 1 simmental bull, 1 simmental heifer, 1 jersey
heifer and one angus bull. One Black and white bull also born dead
(it seems a bad month for this) This summer we will be milking 70+ cows this means the collecting yard will finally be finished. In 1990 when we put the parlour in we left some old stall work on one side and now this year we will need the space. We are currently concreting the
old feed passage as it needs to be raised to the same floor level as
the rest of the collecting yard. When this is complete we will remove
the wall and pipework as you should see over the next month. The
month began frosty and we have spread muck on the
rancho and half the humpety
back. Once the store was empty we cleaned out the heifer cubicals
and stockyards aided as usual by Trevor and the
bobcat. The frosty weather has allowed some hedgecutting to be done and here is contractor Paul hard at work on the roadside hedge. We have left yet more trees and will
be showing them soon. Several members of the team have
been in pantomime this month click
here to find out more. Greenheyes has won another NFU regional award for the farming ambassador 2003. Here I am collecting the certificate from guest speaker Sir Don Curry. Fellow
award winner was Andrew Garnett (left) who won farming business
of the year and NFU secretary of the year Peter Morgan.
The awards were presented at the annual NFU luncheon and here is retiring county chairman Chris Shaw together with incoming chairman Tony Garnett. Thanks to all who have emailed this month,
December was quiet however it seems many of you are studying farming
at school at present judging by our January post bag
.keep them
coming. Happy birthday for Becky 14 on the 1st of February the same day as my mum whose age is classified also this month a birthday mention to my little sister Jean 40 on the 26th. Jean lives in Christchurch New Zealand
together with Husband Mike her three children. Click
here for the nature report together with an out of sorts snake
See you next month Phil
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