Wiltshire Village Meats Farm Diary February 2009

Wiltshire Village Meats Farm Diary - Feb 2009 -

wiltshire village meats logo Wiltshire Village Meats
Welfare - free range sows and piglets - Quality
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Walter Rose and son Family Butchers

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FARM DIARY
THE EVERYDAY STORY OF LIFE ON A WILTSHIRE FARM

Viburnam flowers covered in snow

The walk to School

Blue and Smee find the aga

'Sunny' the chicken

Snowdrops are aptly named

A sow snug in her house

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Snow
The worst snow for 18 years has arrived, although I don't think it is as bad as in many parts of the Country. We have reason to remember the snow eighteen years ago as we were married on 2nd February 1991. Many of our guests, particularly the Welsh farming relatives couldn't make it because of the snow. We flew off shortly after to Portugal for our honeymoon so missed the worst of it. I was told we couldn't get married in the spring because we had a sheep flock lambing then. Also spring planting and silage/hay making. Summer was a big no no because of harvest. Autumn definitely not - autumn planting! That left February! Anyway eighteen years on he did remember although the snow did prevent shopping for flowers or lavish presents. I was given a new door mat at the weekend!

Someone said to me at the School gate - "I suppose you can't do much on the farm because of the snow?" Well actually there is more to do especially for the outdoor pigs - water has to be taken by water bowser to each individual water trough - the ice pickaxed out first. There are hundreds of troughs to fill so it takes all day for one man. We are one man short anyway as one member of staff slipped on ice after Christmas and broke his collar bone. So long as the snow doesn't get so deep livestock have to be dug out. It is no fun for Cameron driving 25 milkes to the outdoor pigs, he and Pete(usually our Manager at West End) have been taking the old landrover as it is our only four wheel drive vehicle, no heater though! We do have staff that live locally to the outdoor unit but they would struggle without some extra help.

The local secondary Schools are shut although not the Primary Schools - so fun for some!

Lucknam Chefs visit and 'Jamie Oliver saves our bacon'!
Last week we had a visit from a group of young chefs from Lucknam Park Hotel. The head chef - Michelin starred Hywel Jones likes his chefs to understand how the meat they cook is produced. They were a very pleasant and interested group of young men. I was a little apprehensive about giving them lunch although I am a reasonable cook - we just did sausages in the end which they seemed to enjoy. Jamie Oliver also obviously cares very deeply about how meat is produced and we watched his program with great interest last week. He covered many of the points we have been campaigning on for years and covered them very fairly and honestly we thought. Let us hope that policy makers will listen to him - and the public following he has and finally try to help British farmers from being discriminated against by having clearer labelling and banning imports from sows kept in crates.

Jamies programme prompted a few emails to us about how we keep our pigs so I can confirm we do not castrate piglets or tail dock. All our sows live outdoors all year round - even in the snow! The piglets live outside for the first three months. When the young pigs are brought inside they come into roomy barns with deep straw to root in - the barns are open on one side so they have natural light and ventilation.

Little cat diary
The kittens are full of trouble now - playing and running round the kitchen. They are all eating solid food, even the little hand-reared one (Leasel). Whilst adorable they are a lot of work. We do have homes for all the kittens I'm afraid so sorry to those who would have liked one. Even with eight we could have found homes for twice that number.

6th February 2009
Snow and more snow
...and still the snow comes. Despite the snow all our staff have managed to get to work so far. Today Cameron had to take a tractor to get to Crooked Soley. It took two hours and involved pulling out several stuck lorries on the way. I think he may stay in Hungerford tonight as it is forecast to freeze hard. At Bishops Cannings everyone has struggled in, those who live in the village can just walk across the fields. Chris has been keeping the lane clear with a snow plough and yesturday helped the Police pull several stuck cars out on the A361 by the farm. Just so long as we don't lose the electricity we should cope.

The menagerie of pet animals are quite happy. We moved the chickens into an empty stable. The pet sheep have allowed the rams to share their shelter and seem to be enjoying silage as a change of diet. Infact the sheep have been racing round their field like lambs in the snow, bucking and kicking. The pigs too play in snow like dogs - biting at the snow and running round. Not just us humans who like playing in snow. The childrens Schools are closed, although the village Primary School only closed yesturday and today. So lots of snowmen, sliding and snowballing.

It is very scenic but everyone here over the age of 12 is looking forward to a thaw.

For further information on anything on this site please contact Muriel Naughton
Email: Naughton@Farming.co.uk

	Wiltshire Village Meats Welfare - - Quality		In association with Walter Rose and son Family Butchers
OCT/NOV 2009 SEP 2009 AUG 2009 JUL 2009 JUN 2009 MAY 2009 APR 2009 MAR 2009 FEB 2009 JAN 2009 DEC 2008 NOV 2008	FARM DIARY THE EVERYDAY STORY OF LIFE ON A WILTSHIRE FARM
	Links to other pages HOME FARM SHOP FARM SHOP - Greeting Cards WALTER ROSE ABOUT OUR FARMING FARM DIARY RECIPES QUESTIONS CONTACT US	Snow The worst snow for 18 years has arrived, although I don't think it is as bad as in many parts of the Country. We have reason to remember the snow eighteen years ago as we were married on 2nd February 1991. Many of our guests, particularly the Welsh farming relatives couldn't make it because of the snow. We flew off shortly after to Portugal for our honeymoon so missed the worst of it. I was told we couldn't get married in the spring because we had a sheep flock lambing then. Also spring planting and silage/hay making. Summer was a big no no because of harvest. Autumn definitely not - autumn planting! That left February! Anyway eighteen years on he did remember although the snow did prevent shopping for flowers or lavish presents. I was given a new door mat at the weekend! Someone said to me at the School gate - "I suppose you can't do much on the farm because of the snow?" Well actually there is more to do especially for the outdoor pigs - water has to be taken by water bowser to each individual water trough - the ice pickaxed out first. There are hundreds of troughs to fill so it takes all day for one man. We are one man short anyway as one member of staff slipped on ice after Christmas and broke his collar bone. So long as the snow doesn't get so deep livestock have to be dug out. It is no fun for Cameron driving 25 milkes to the outdoor pigs, he and Pete(usually our Manager at West End) have been taking the old landrover as it is our only four wheel drive vehicle, no heater though! We do have staff that live locally to the outdoor unit but they would struggle without some extra help. The local secondary Schools are shut although not the Primary Schools - so fun for some! Lucknam Chefs visit and 'Jamie Oliver saves our bacon'! Last week we had a visit from a group of young chefs from Lucknam Park Hotel. The head chef - Michelin starred Hywel Jones likes his chefs to understand how the meat they cook is produced. They were a very pleasant and interested group of young men. I was a little apprehensive about giving them lunch although I am a reasonable cook - we just did sausages in the end which they seemed to enjoy. Jamie Oliver also obviously cares very deeply about how meat is produced and we watched his program with great interest last week. He covered many of the points we have been campaigning on for years and covered them very fairly and honestly we thought. Let us hope that policy makers will listen to him - and the public following he has and finally try to help British farmers from being discriminated against by having clearer labelling and banning imports from sows kept in crates. Jamies programme prompted a few emails to us about how we keep our pigs so I can confirm we do not castrate piglets or tail dock. All our sows live outdoors all year round - even in the snow! The piglets live outside for the first three months. When the young pigs are brought inside they come into roomy barns with deep straw to root in - the barns are open on one side so they have natural light and ventilation. Little cat diary The kittens are full of trouble now - playing and running round the kitchen. They are all eating solid food, even the little hand-reared one (Leasel). Whilst adorable they are a lot of work. We do have homes for all the kittens I'm afraid so sorry to those who would have liked one. Even with eight we could have found homes for twice that number. 6th February 2009 Snow and more snow ...and still the snow comes. Despite the snow all our staff have managed to get to work so far. Today Cameron had to take a tractor to get to Crooked Soley. It took two hours and involved pulling out several stuck lorries on the way. I think he may stay in Hungerford tonight as it is forecast to freeze hard. At Bishops Cannings everyone has struggled in, those who live in the village can just walk across the fields. Chris has been keeping the lane clear with a snow plough and yesturday helped the Police pull several stuck cars out on the A361 by the farm. Just so long as we don't lose the electricity we should cope. The menagerie of pet animals are quite happy. We moved the chickens into an empty stable. The pet sheep have allowed the rams to share their shelter and seem to be enjoying silage as a change of diet. Infact the sheep have been racing round their field like lambs in the snow, bucking and kicking. The pigs too play in snow like dogs - biting at the snow and running round. Not just us humans who like playing in snow. The childrens Schools are closed, although the village Primary School only closed yesturday and today. So lots of snowmen, sliding and snowballing. It is very scenic but everyone here over the age of 12 is looking forward to a thaw.
	For further information on anything on this site please contact Muriel Naughton Email: Naughton@Farming.co.uk