Every month is a special month in the farming calendar, but May is one of the months for reflection on the early Spring months and the outcome of weeks of lambing and yet excitement about what the summer months will bring – lots of which is weather dependent.
Lambing went particularly well this year and for the first year for a very long time, there is not one lamb on the bottle – yes, a relief! Mind you, it is lovely when my B and B guests get to bottle feed lambs which they thoroughly enjoy. However, for my sheepdog Nell, bottle fed lambs are a nuisance as they always run up to me in the field expecting a bottle and won’t do as she tells them. Nell looks at them in disgust as they completely ignore her as she goes about her daily work. If she could talk, the language would not be pleasant!
Whilst lambing is a very busy time, the next few months are equally as busy in the farming calendar. Next up is the vaccination programme for all lambs soon to be followed by the very noisy weaning
period. Splitting out the lambs from their mums is a stressful period for them all, but after a few days, the noise abates, and they all go about their daily lives. The ewes get a well earnt rest and hopefully the lambs start to grow on well into fit healthy animals. I try to organise weaning for a few days when the B and B is quiet as I’m not sure that the words on my website might come back to bite me on the rear end and I could well get accused of providing potential guests with misleading information.
“Come and stay on a beautiful rural farm set in acres of tranquil, peaceful countryside. Enjoy watching spring lambs frolicking in the meadows …………” .
I can just see the TripAdvisor comment…’Yellingham Farm was certainly a lovely rural farm set in the countryside, but I think the owners need to consult the dictionary on the meaning of the words, tranquil and peaceful. We didn’t sleep for a wink during our 2 night’s stay due to the incessant bleating of lambs and baa’ing of ewes. Yes, the lambs were frolicking, but in a desperate attempt to climb the hedges and be re-united with their mums! However, our stay was more than compensated for by the fab breakfast served Ed!’
You can’t win them all.
Janet
News Flash In May we are hoping to open up our little barn at weekends to serve breakfasts and lunches, so check out https://www.yellinghamfarmfood.co.uk/ for booking details.
