The forsythia I planted last year has little buds, had to stop Izzy from nibbling them yesterday. Counted 18 garlic shoots from the lot I planted last October, the new fruit trees have large buds, although it looks like leaves rather than flowers.
Herbie had to work yesterday and they called him in early today, but he brought the cows up for milking this morning as I had great difficulty in getting Buttercup for milking yesterday. She just didn't want to know, but having her and Dolly coming together seems to work better. So once again we have lots of milk, which is great as the yoghurt making had slowed to about a gallon and a half on Saturdays. Also Izzy drinks it, I think she is drinking more than she should instead of eating grass, she nibbles hay, but doesn't seem to realise she's supposed to eat grass and I'm not getting down on hands and knees to physically show her !
Worsie is doing well and it seems that Dolly is broody. Hopefully she'll calve end October. Not sure about Star, whose udder is like floppy bags with teats attached. Pearl has little round udders, sure she is going to calve any day now, I'll go check in a little while to see is she's separated herself from the others yet. Want to watch her carefully as I don't intend losing another cow and calf. This Spring has been hard on the farm, so far 1 ewe and her boy lamb (Izzy survived), 1 Jersey cow and her calf, sex unknown but I think it was a boy, 2 female ducks have also died or gone missing, Major our black cat is AWOL.
Herbie gave the cows a fresh bale of hay this morning and I need to move the 2nd one into the shed so that I can peel off layers for the sheep. It doesn't work so well giving them a whole bale so I've changed the configuration of the cattle panels that holds their feed and it seems to be working. If only the chickens would stop laying their eggs in their hay.
Below is a saga of chicken processing, probably a bit gruesome for those with tender stomachs, but hey folks, this is where that chicken breast on your plate comes from !