THE weather is still not looking good for harvest. An autumn/winter like we had last year very much on our minds as we contemplate the possible outcome.

A mix once again of rain, wind and sunshine has prevailed during the last week, but hopefully the rain will stop and harvest will be able to continue.

The total rainfall for the week was 51.5 mm (over 2 inches), with temperatures falling as the wind turned to come from a more northerly direction.

On Manor Farm we still have two average-sized fields of spring barley to gather, whilst Kevin also has some spring barley and a small acreage of peas to gather on Chiverlins Farm. Unfortunately, an opportunity to get the combine working at the beginning of the week was stopped by a bad oil leak, which developed in the header (the front detachable reel carrying the cutters at the front of the machine).

This breakdown needed a major repair, so Kevin and Ian soon got to work taking things apart to reveal what they would need to stop the leak. Having decided what they needed a part was ordered and collected. Kevin and Ian described the week as “a mess around week, whilst watching the rain fall” doing a variety of jobs around the farm when the opportunity was there.

The breakdown of the combine did not cause too much distress as the rain that fell afterwards stopped all thoughts of being able to get onto the fields to finish harvest.

Kevin managed to service his sprayer, sort through the finishing lambs to select more for sale and move some groups of sheep into fresh pasture. Ian was able to do some muck spreading, cultivating and ditching before the heavy rain began to fall. He also decided to replace some of the drinking troughs in the barn, which will house our Angus cattle over the winter months. The troughs were quite old and had worn through and were leaking in places, so it was a good job to do being under cover on a wet day.

A week ago the rams were put into a field with 300 ewes from the flock due to give birth in early January next year. A week later the remaining 200 were also turned out with them. This will just spread the lambing a little to ensure that the ewes and their newborn lambs are given the best possible care.

Another job done by Kevin and family was to vaccinate all the ram and ewe lambs, born in the spring this year, that will be introduced to the breeding flock when they are two years old. All breeding sheep must initially be given two injections, four to six weeks apart, to protect them against a number of clostridial diseases. Among these is tetanus, a clostridial disease known to many of us as it can affect many species. The bacteria produces a toxin that causes painful muscle contractions. The disease is commonly known as “lockjaw” often causing the jaw and neck muscles to lock. This makes eating very difficult, if not impossible.

I can remember that one year two of our dairy heifers became infected. They were still out in a field in the autumn, which was a little wet. The horn of their hooves would have been softer as a result of the damp conditions, making it easier for the hooves to become damaged by stones or other hard objects in the soil, thus allowing entry to the tetanus causing bacteria, often present in the soil.

On a more cheerful note I have been harvesting some more of the hedgerow fruits, which seem to be abundant this year. This time I collected some sloes, which are small round black berries with a purple bloom, resembling blueberries, but they are quite bitter.

They are the fruit of a thicket forming shrub called blackthorn, which has stiff, spiny shoots. The flowers appear in early spring, before the leaves and are a valuable source of nectar.

My reason was to make the delicious liqueur sloe gin, which should be ready for Christmas (sorry to mention the word already). A potion of the berries are washed and pricked all over to help release the juices, then gin and sugar are added to them. For a week the jar/ bottle must be shaken every day, before it is put in a cupboard for three months to let the flavour develop. Then it is strained ready for use. Delicious!