Wiltshire Village Meats Farm Diary - July 2009 -

	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		July 2009 - Heat, hay-making, harvest and hatchings As rain and wind continue day after day it is easy to forget that a few weeks ago we were in a heatwave with temperatures in the mid thirties. We were having to hose the pigs down in the buildings to keep them cool for a couple of afternoons - this is almost never necessary. As pigs can't sweat the hot weather is a problem for pigs. The outdoor sows have to have wallows dug so they can cool off in muddy pools - the mud acts as a sun-screen. The good weather enticed us to cut some hay although that act was probably entirely responsible for making it rain! We managed to take a good crop of hay in the end. Now the build-up to harvest is well underway. The corn-stores, drier, and mill all have to be cleaned and serviced - hot, dusty work so probably better not done in a heatwave. The next seasons crop plantings have to be planned, seed ordered and fertiliser bought. Two inspections have been successfully completed only to discover two more are on their way! The hot weather revived my interest in moths as we get large numbers coming into the house at night when windows are left open. The amazing variety of moths I find fascinating. Even many of the night flying moths are very beautiful and sometimes brightly coloured. I have decided to try and hatch some goslings this year as several of my bantam hens went broody. Having obtained four goose eggs the bantams refused to be moved to a broody house to sit on them. Finally I persuaded one hen to sit on two eggs and had to buy a cheap incubator to incubate the others. I'm hoping this experiment will be more successful than last years attempt with turkey eggs. I have never used an incubator before, it is quite a performance. The eggs have to be turned at least 3 times a day and the temperature and humidity have to be monitored. Goose eggs take between 28 and 34 days to hatch so if successful we will have goslings by the third week of July. The swallows and house-martins seem to have been successful in rearing their young this year. I just happened to go into the stables the moment the swallows left the nest. I managed to photograph them sitting on the beam but they refused to fly while I had the camera there.
	For further information on anything on this site please contact Muriel Naughton Email: Naughton@Farming.co.uk