March started off with the Brecon / McCartneys sale.  There were only a few bulls forward and sold.  I was lucky to sell two through the ring and have reserve champion with Killerton Nelson.  Buyers were very selective and lacking confidence.  I hope things do improve. I arranged for Dan Bird to attend a DIY […]

What a glorious month February has been.  Cattle outside hardly making a mark and have kept their condition really well.  Calving has started with a few heifers.  Some have looked after their calves inside a little too well but now things have settled down, the sun has been shining and they are all doing well […]

Shooting season has finished and depression has set in.  We had a kind January weather wise.  Cattle outside are looking very well.  Cattle inside have as usual caused a few problems, especially young calves Calving is about to start mid February so cows have been mineral bolused and had iodine on their backs as they […]

Happy New Year to all friends There was a very wet start to the month – quite a lot of cattle were housed which in hindsight brought on other problems, it pneumonia due to temperatures and weather conditions.  Even the vaccinated calves had problems which is a first for us.  The healthiest cattle are the […]

I went to the NBA Agrifest in Exeter with a Charolais Bull at the beginning of the month – but was beaten by a Limousin !  This annual event was fairly well supported but I think a bi-annual one would be better in the long run.  This is a busy time of year for everyone. […]

I finished drilling all cereals end of the first week of October, thinking that the weather would change and not know when to stop chucking it down.  I could have been more patient at it turned out … Crops are looking well, Stubble turnips have come on in leaps and bounds and the grass is […]

PD’ing cows at the start of September was quite a pleasing affair with the majority of cows in calf despite the summer heat and stress.  We have PD’d the group of heifers running with our latest acquisition Gunnerfleet Ned – and following a semen test as well – he has proved not to be up […]

Apologies to readers – I am late submitting this monthly blog by a few weeks. August was a  busy month starting with Honiton Show where I won a couple of classes with young bulls.  Also TB Testing for the main herd which was clear thankfully and very good news.   I had the pleasure of judging […]

I started of the month with Harry Parker’s Tours visiting the Newark area .  This was an educational and very enjoyable trip visiting farms doing different things.  Thanks to Harry for organising a great trip and also to all the host farms for their time and hospitality. On return I was straight on the combine […]

Its hot – been hot, been dry and still is.  No rain since the first cut silage at the end of May so everything look parched.  Wheat crops are white so yields are going to be slashed on the light ground.  The barley will be ready early at the beginning of July, closely followed by […]

May has been a flat out month, trying to fit two months into one. I attended Carlisle Sale early in May and ended up buying a young bull to try from the Gunnerfleet herd. Not the tallest but quite wide – we will see how he develops and performs in the future. The following week […]

April has been a busy month with the family.  Our daughter Catherine ran the Paris Marathon in a very good time, completing it in 4 hrs 11 mins.  This was her first marathon and I was pleased to see her compete in France and also tick off some of the city sights.  Later in the […]