3 calves have been born this month 1 black and white bull, 1 Blonde-Aquitaine bull and 1 Simmental heifer. As I write this report cow no 12 is on the orchard hopefully to calve (I'll be checking her around midnight).

Coxciddiosis is a disease usually associated with poultry but we have had it in the heifers and beef bulls in the new shed. It has been devastating and we lost 4 before the treatment worked!

The shed has now been cleaned out and disinfected and the others are OK. I find it sickening to rear them and then see them die so quickly yet as my father used to say "where there's livestock there's dead stock" (little comfort all the same).

The winter barley on the drive field is looking well and has been sprayed against fungal diseases, I did wonder about doing this but with the weather we have had it has paid off, as the conditions have been perfect for problems to occur.

Last week I reached the bottom of the cattle drive to find no brakes on the tractor so today Geoff (left) our friendly mechanic repaired it.

I have also been spraying thistles on the left hand and middle meadows as the winter floods seem to encourage them.

Also this month I was asked to be a judge of the Pig class at the Middlewich young farmers annual stock-judging event.

This photo shows Charles Sherwin (the class winner) giving his reasons for placing the pigs in the order of merit. The pigs had been marked A B X Y and they are then judged.

Due to the wet weather myself, Dorothy and Paul and Margot our friends have been fitting the new wood burning stove in our living room. When the plaster was removed we found some wonderful Victorian brickwork. The project is now finished except for plumbing and decorating.

Paul has also been very busy with the camera and now has many pictures for the nature trail. My own tidy up plans of a bonfire has been thwarted when a blackbird nested in the bonfire pile so I'll have to wait.

Silaging is beckoning for next month, as is haymaking (if the sun shines).

I hope to see some of you at the NFU countryside stand at the Cheshire show we'll be stewarding on the 21st between 12 and 2

See you next month Phil

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