Hi all, has a month gone already? It must have done as we are quickly heading to the end of march and Easter.
I have recently added to my YouTube channel. The most recent one, is connected to the signs of birth in a goat. There are also some adorable YouTube shorts of our newest arrivals.
If you do enjoy the videos, it would be much appreciated if you could click the subscription icon (which does NOT cost you anything, it just helps the channel to grow) and a like would be fab. Also, if you click the bell, you will be notified every time I make a video. That way you won’t miss anything. No worries if not, I know that it isn’t everyone’s thing.
Unfortunately, the banner arrived, and I must have misread the size as it is a little big! I may still use it when I have more items on the stall. I have also decided to sell some bits at some markets, one of them being the Honey Fair, Callington. I just hope the weather will be better than last year. I went to the market, and it was rather wet, which was a real shame. Fingers crossed it will be a lot better this year. It has also changed to a Saturday this year, instead of a Wednesday, so I think that there should be more people attending, which will be nice. I need to buy myself some more soap from one of the stalls, which I attended last year, so I hope that they will be there again this year. On the stall, I will be selling all of the items that I have been creating. This will include using mostly natural products, such as cottons with the macrame items. I have been making plant holders and am now creating some collars. I have made my new goat kids, macrame collars and they look very pretty, in pink and baby blue. I have also been getting my knitting needles going and have created some lovely garments, using alpaca fleece. I am just in the process of knitting an aubergine-coloured hat do go with a pair of wrist warmers. I will also be selling our gorgeous eggs and hopefully home produced, veg, salads and flowers.
Here are some of the products that I have made. If there is anything you like, it can be made in any colour. I dye the fleece myself and use particular food colouring as this works best with alpaca fleece.
This month has seemed to be rather wet! Looking back, on previous stats, it has rained more, but I think the problem isn’t the days of rain this year, it is that when it does rain, it is such a deluge that it creates waterlogged ground and flooding! My new name for march, has been monsoon march!
As you can imagine, the boggy ground has caused all sorts of issues. We have had to cordon off parts of the field, to allow other parts to recover. This is when you realise that you could do with a bit more land, so that you could rotate pastures. However, I am living and learning, and we shall see what happens in the future. But for now, we have to make the most of what we have and make it work for us. At least the light levels have improved, which also means that I can start to reseed the bare soil and get the grass coming through again.
With the light levels increasing, I have been sowing, transplanting and direct sowing seeds to get a good start on the growing season. I have also been working with my hubby to get the raised beds in order, so that we will be able to hit the ground running when transplanting and direct sowing really kicks in. The end of March should be the end of a chance of frost, but I still feel that we need to be careful and keep an eye on the forecast. I will be planting my potatoes very soon. I will be planting some in the soil, using the animal bedding as a mulch and I will be using buckets for others. I am looking to see which way gives a higher yield but keeping an eye on issues that either method might cause. Such as, scab, blight, insect damage etc.
The alpacas are becoming fluffier by the day. They are due to be sheared sometime in May, and I am sure that when the rain eventually stops, and the weather improves, they will be glad to be sheared. Even if they’re not too keen on the whole experience. I am a little concerned, particularly with Maddy, as she gets herself so worked up about things and with her being pregnant, it is a worry, but it is better to have it done, rather than not. Unfortunately, if they are not sheared, they can get heat stroke, and this can be fatal. I know that the shearer is extremely experienced, so I shall leave them in his capable hands.
I am hoping to show Maddy’s fleece this year so we will just have to see how we get on with that. I am really excited about the cria being born and finding out what colours, gender and what their fleece is like. Angel should have a white, cream cria. Whereas Maddy could have any colour. Although she was bred with a dark coloured stud, she could have any colour!
All of the goats are doing well. Bobbin and Toffee have both settled brilliantly into their new homes, so I am really happy about that.
Snow was due her kids on Saturday the 25th of March, and she didn’t disappoint. I was sure she was going to have triplets as she was so big, but she had twins. She was a real trooper throughout the whole experience. In fact, I was humbled by her resilience. She needed lots of back scratches, but she was amazing. She needed a bit of help from me but generally she did a great job on her own. She had a doeling (girl) and a buckling (boy - Billy). We will be keeping both of them. The buckling will become a wether and be kept as a petting goat. The doeling will be used for future breeding. I won’t be using her this year. She will be bred next year. This gives her body time to mature before she is bred and will hopefully ensure that she carries and births easier as her body should be in a better position. I am also hoping to show the doeling, otherwise known as Dottie, this year. As always, Katie and Glyn from Polmarkyn Dairy were a great help and were on the end of the phone to give support when I needed it. So, a huge thank you to them.
Storm is due to kid on Sunday 2nd April so we shall have to wait and see if she is as punctual as her sister. She hasn’t shown the signs of kidding like snow did. I think that she is just taking it in her stride. Like humans, animals have different personalities and behaviours. Storm just doesn’t seem to be in any rush, but she does like to go and have a peek at Snow’s kids. I think that she will be happier when she has 1 or 2 of her own.
The chickens are laying well and giving us some delicious eggs. I know that they will be glad when flockdown is over and done with. They are desperate to get out. I have to say, I will be as well. When they are out, they eat a lot less food as they find food, whilst foraging.
Easter is quickly approaching and for some this means a bit of a break, even if it is just for the bank holidays. I hope that whatever you are doing, you have a lovely time. I hope the weather is kind to you all and that you get to spend some quality time with loved ones, and you make some wonderful memories.
That’s about it for me, this month. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this. If you feel that you need a Pintail fix, before next month’s blog, pop on over to YouTube to see what is going on, and also watch out for updates on both Instagram and Facebook. I do try to keep them as up to date as possible.
Take care for now,
Cathy
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