It's not all play and no work

Reading the recent posts I may have given the impression that it's just party time and no work at Strickley. But of course, the fun and games are just fitted around our real lives. The improvement in the weather (dry and cold at last) has meant we can get on with muck spreaging and hedging. Muck is always with us and as well as needing to empty the pit and tower, we depend on it to make the grass grow. Ideally we would spread it at the optimum point for greatest benefit, but needs must when storage space is filling up. While David is working his way round the fields with tractor and tanker, Henry and James have been hedging (down the Old Lane for those who know Strickley). We reckon to do about a mile of hedging every year. I put a few photos of hedges in various stages on our main website a few years ago, so click here to see.

The classroom is still progressing well (though the stonefacers had a week off for half term!). There's a lot going on inside now; plumber, electrician, painter (James in his spare time!), and builder coordinating the whole. It's looking good, and blending in well (more so when the pointings done). The first school visit is in March so the clock's ticking!.

It might still be only February, but it's almost light enough after milking to do a few jobs - such as mole catching. Henry's been out this morning setting and checking traps, but has only caught one so far. Watch out moles!

And finally, back to fun and games. On Friday at nine o'clock I was poised over the computer ready to click. And we now have something to look forward to in the distant future - front seats to see Bellowhead at Blackburn in November.