AnotherSmallholder

Have been quiet for some months but there are some things I can’t voice on our business page. Really frustrated to discover the feed company we selected because of their paper packaging are using GM Soya and non RSPO palm oil in almost every feed we buy from them. #frustrated

What a week, car broke down last Saturday, ewe has triplets, dropped one in a bucket, abandoned another, the third wouldn’t suck, the wind destroyed a sheep shelter, part built hatchery and a fence allowing my two boars to come come face to face. Not enjoying this weather at all.

Poultry processing today. It didn’t go well, these Hubbard’s are best at 12-16 weeks but I was ill the week they needed prepping and never caught up so at 23 weeks I was ready and they were a nightmare to pluck!

@SuePort07742498 £80! Wow. I must say I used to have Orpington’s as garden hens and our jubilee and our cuckoo girls were very striking and very rare so I’d be more likely to understand but would you pay £40 for a light sussex?

@AnotherSmallhol Yes they do - paid £80 for a Jubilee Orpington once. She is very beautiful........ 🤔😏

Our first livestock were chickens and we used to sell a variety of different breeds as pullets. We’ve started this again with 5 breeds and I’ve found people selling 16 week old pullets for £30-£50 do people really pay such high prices for poultry?

@FiGauld I saw some lavender Pekins this morning for £35 each, you only get 2/3 of a chicken and half an egg every other day!

@AnotherSmallhol Wow! Not known that high round here. Normally £18 - £25. Dependant on breed...jewel encrusted?? 😉

Really please Audrey has strong lambs, last year we lambs during the beast of the east and sadly Audrey lambed outside overnight on the coldest night of the week, she lost both lambs and struggled in the field while all around her had lambs at foot.

A day of firsts for 2019, we have our first lambs from Audrey and our new ram Felix, first day in shorts & T-shirt and first cut of the lawns.

Really missing this fella but I’m sure he’s happier being at home on the farm.

We made a strange decision to have a holiday, this is our first in 5 years and our longest ever at 7 nights. I’m having serious livestock withdrawal so the wonderful people running the place for us sent me some pictures!

We’re very pleased with this, when we were smallholders, pre care farming, we did learn a little spinning but never had the time....I don’t see any way we’ll ever do it this well so thankfully we’ll be sending fleece off for spinning again this year!

There something about producing a great product knowing you’ve given the animal the best life. This is one of our Pork boxes with all profits going towards helping vulnerable people.

Were using 2 sizes of soil blockers in our upcycled seed trays, we do have some old heavy duty plastic trays so we may use some but certainly don’t plan to buy any more in the future.

@muddymuddymum As far as I’m aware Cadbury are still refusing to use sustainably farmed palm oil so they’re no longer available in our house but the box of roses which were bought for us at Christmas I found far too sweet. I love chocolate BTW and have a very sweet tooth so that was surprising

I’m sat here with a box of chocolates stuffing my face and it came upon me, that I may not be eating the best chocolates ever. So in your humble opinion, which one is best?

This is an important issue so we’re trying our best here at our farm, in our home we also make our own sponges and beeswax wraps. I’ll be attempting to grow loofahs this year too!

@BonnieBagots Although I’d like to take all the credit I’m sure it was Jasmine herself who did all the work, I just kept her out of pain and free from infection. She’s a tough one!

@AnotherSmallhol Poor girl but obviously a fighter that she’s come through and looks so well! Congratulations that must have taken a huge nursing effort and much love to achieve!!!

An update on Jasmine: having been attacked by a dog last November Jasmine lost her ears and had a whole in her neck which punctured her larynx, this is her today, she’s made a remarkable recovery. I’ll add pictures post attack in the comments so you can see how far she’s come.

These are the day we found her hiding in a bramble on our neighbors land.

This is the neck wound 2 weeks after the attack.

These three take their final journey today. Rare breed Gloucester Old Spots, they are 9 months old and have never had any antibiotics, iron injections, tail docking, teeth cutting or even wormers, they’ve lived outside from the minute they were born..this is how it should be.