Still busy

The rush of summer work may be over, but it's still very busy at Strickley. In fact it seems even busier.

School visits are once again in full swing, plus Michelle has been doing some "Outreach" sessions in schools. So far this term we've had orienteering, ice cream making and bread making. The classroom has also been used for slightly older "students"- yesterday our Vets ran a course here on Heifer Calf Rearing.

Calving is still well under way. We've more heifers calving this year as we've had a bit of a clear out of older unproductive cows, so the age of the herd has changed a bit. New calved heifers can be a bit of a problem when they first come into the milking parlour and we try to make sure they don't all come in one after another. Like young mothers they need to get used to it. We're up to 95 milking now, so gradually the working day is getting longer.

The weather is also changing, overnight the windchill was down to 0.8, and now at 8 degrees it's bright and sunny, but coolish. Maybe I'll light the kitchen wood burner tonight.

It's not all work though. I've been doing a stock take of the stuff in our safe - there's tickets for nine gigs with the first ones coming up next week! Most of them are at The Brewery in Kendal, so we don't have to travel far.

Next week we've got Midge Ure (couldn't resist) and BBC Radio Two Young Folk Awards (free!) at the Brewery, and next month Bellowhead at Blackburn (a night of luxury in a Premier Inn) and Glenn Tilbrook at The Brewery (especially for Henry). Then in December it's Show of Hands at the Brewery. Next Spring we already have tickets for Oysterband and two Spiers & Boden gigs.

Who needs big stadiums!