57mm of steady rain this month has meant no hay could be made, however Richardsons came and did the silaging on the 18th during the few dry days we have had.

 

Chris has a new forage-harvester (pictured below left) this year, click here to see it in action on video (I hope).

Earlier in the month (on the 3rd) we along with friends celebrated the Queen's golden jubilee.

We were registered as an official beacon which we duly lit at 9.45pm.

The hard work cleaning out the cubical shed was well worth it as this picture shows.

Chris. Paul's workmate (fellow paramedic) arrived early and this picture is of his attempt at milking. (Webbies note: Actually when we took this he was trying to ventilate the udder with his bag and mask ;-)

Well he wanted to have a go so we chose him a nice quiet cow.

The cow featured is the largest in the herd ear-tag number 8s known as "the bigun" and this month her daughter calved for the first time.

This is interesting as the daughter in question is not a pure black and white "Holstein" type but she is ½ Jersey and is literally half her mother's size.

Unfortunately her calf was a bull and he will be sold but better luck next time perhaps.

We have had 8 calves born this month 2 black and white heifers, 2 black and white bulls 2 simmental bulls 1 shorthorn bull 1angus heifer and 1 charloais heifer.

Also this month we have had another works experience student. This one however has worked the full hours alongside myself with no breaks as it was Simon himself.

He helped with preparations for the Cheshire Show and we have spent much time cutting thistles as they are growing at a great rate on the river meadows.

It was also very useful to have him on-hand during the day when we put the tyres on the silage clamp.

Simon returned to school on the 1st however only for 3 weeks then it's the 6 week holiday.

The Maize crop is now 40cm high and has been sprayed to kill the weeds which as I mentioned earlier in the report are running riot. It now needs some fertilizer.

July will hopefully bring some drier weather for haymaking and finishing the brickwork I started last year. Click here for the nature report