FARM DIARY
Goscombe Farm, Gundleton
Finally by the end of May, all the cattle had
been prepared and successfully transported
to their respective grazing sites for the
summer. So magical to see them emerging
from the trailers into the thick, lush, green
grassy fields jumping and skipping and
exploring the open space, soon with their
heads down grazing: a happy sight.
The daily work load now in summer mode so
in theory I should have more spare time.
What to do? Catch up on paperwork, spring
clean the house and attack the ironing pile,
don my safari clothes and work my way
through the jungle of our garden? Umm,
probably not by the time I have fed and
fussed the young bulls, ponies, pigs, lambs
and show cattle, and checked all the local
cattle; Gundleton residents know when I do
this as the dogs who take the walk with me,
excitedly bark and can be heard in Bighton
apparently! Plus the outlying cattle get
checked daily, so any spare time might be
better spent on PR or socializing; now that
sounds a good idea!
May rolled into June, calving has slowed
down apace with just a few each month, the
uninterrupted nights’ sleep have been very
welcome to us all. On saying that, during the
last 10 days, four new calves have arrived
and thank goodness only one needed
assistance and of course it was in the early
hours of the morning. The cow having
pushed the calf out as far as its hips,
became stuck; she could hear it bleeping but
could not see it as she kept turning in a
14
circle, it was just swinging from her back
end. Ropes were quickly attached to the
calf’s front ankles and with one good pull the
calf was delivered safe and well, mum soon
happily licking her dry; when all was well,
back to bed.
June saw the first of the silage cut, baled
and wrapped, the weather really favourable
this year, improving the silage quality and
with grass so plentiful, the best grass growth
for many a year, the cattle will not be short
this winter.
The two boy lambs are easy care and
self-shed their woolly coats; the four ewes
have been sheared by a Young Farmer
friend of Harriet’s named Liz who knows all
there is to know about sheep. Liz arrived
with her mobile kit and attached the jump
leads to the battery of her pickup truck for
the power to run the clippers, all very simple
but clever. The lambs were quite naughty
being their first time but Liz had it under
control; she gave Harriet a lesson, let’s just
say Liz makes it look so easy and more
practice is needed for next year, Harriet.
Heidi, one of the pedigree Charolais is due
her first calf in July so she has been brought
in to run with the show cattle, there she can
be easily monitored. The show cattle are
housed at night and walked out to grazing
daily, enjoying their twice daily pampering.
The entry schedules for Alresford and
Romsey shows are on the kitch [