Newsletter: July 2009!

At last 4 fine days in a row! It seems like the last 3 months have been the wettest and coldest in the 20 years we have been here. Not just seems - it actually has been 228mm in May, 336mm in June and 219mm in July. The farm track has been a bog after bringing ewes down for scanning and cows in for coppering. The yards after the cows have been through it are now unusable for sheep. This mud is so deep!! Maybe after a week of fine weather and wind that will change.

This week all the ewes are coming in for crutching which is taking their wool off from around their backsides and belly to allow lambs to suckle easily. Lambing will start in about 2 weeks.

We have already started calving. I see today 2 calves in the first calving cows. The main lot of cows are nearly a month away. I am so pleased we shut up autumn grass for them as otherwise there would be nothing. The vets and consultants tell us autumn save pasture is a waste of land but late in winter when there is no feed left, like this year, autumn save is a godsend! I hear other farmers have cows dying from sleepy sickness already. I bet they wish they had autumn save.

We have been doing an experiment with the local vet giving our cows copper capsules. Quite a major job getting them down their throats sometimes.

The Quarters has had a regular flow of people over winter. Two groups have come pheasant shooting and another party is booked later in August. So that's a good start to that enterprise. I have really enjoyed going with them.

Some guests discovered there was a colony of seals at 'The Rock' - eleven they counted. There has only ever been a mother and cub before but this year she has brought some mates who have also had their cubs here. I went down to photograph them yesterday but found none there. Maybe they have fished the place out and gone elsewhere. Will go and check again in a few days.

June is going to Christchurch for 3 weeks nannying for a cousin on Monday and I am going skiing for a week with Shani and some university friends of hers at Cardrona, Wanaka, at the end of August. Can't wait! Then tramping for a week with Emma in Fiordland after lamb tailing in October.

Look forward to seeing you here sometime soon.

Kind regards

Malcolm & June