Month: May 2019

That’s right, my soppy, sentimental part was back as we sent Lugs off. Hmm, that is, if you count the phrase, ‘You big baffon, stop messing around’ as I shed a virtual tear as sentimental. In reality I think I have spent more time crying due to my severe lack of sleep in recent months due to motherhood and insomnia. But that’s a different story.

So, soon, we can say hello to beef on the menu board (very end of May is the forecast). So if you want your meat fresh, speak to one of us (as in the Crofter or I, not the little person in my head that I often have conversations with and myself), send a message via the contact page, phone or text. And I’ll admit, phone is the worst option. Shouldn’t admit it as surely every good business needs to be good at phone conversations. However, I may be good at the conversations with the wee dude in my head but I feel the phone may break out in the plague. But, if you feel you have to phone, I’ll prep to ensure I answer all phone calls over the next wee while.

I will upload all the cuts and prices soon but there should be the usual of:

Steaks: Ribeye, fillet, rump, sirloin

Roasts: Forerib, topside, silverside

Dices, mince, sausages, burgers and beef olives.

Now I need to put a disclaimer on, we’re using a new butcher so packaging will be different and the sausages and burgers will be too. Now, I know quite a few really liked the last butcher’s burgers but these ones have come recommended to us as well so why not give them a try and let us know how they compared?

I’ll now just go and start practicing ‘phone chat’.

The bees are back and they are buzzing in the trees (although, not making honey for me if we continue down the Disney’s sing-a-long to The Jungle Book).

Which is good. The bees that is; not the singing along with Baloo. For it was not that long ago we got hit with a cold snap, just after several of our orchard trees had blossomed. And yes, they can stand a little bit of cold but not massive amounts. So it was a bit of grit teeth and hope for the best.

However, not all the trees had burst forth in full colour as this week, the temperature has been hot. Which in turn has brought out a lot more flowers in our orchard. And some that had flowers before have got more.

So I’ll go back to dreaming of making apple pies from the bees pollinating the flowers, not honey. And on that theme I’m not having to search under rocks and plants to find fancy ants. There are more exotic looking insects then normal at the moment. But there is no chance I’ll be trying a few.

P.S. Hopefully no legal representative at Disney Limited is reading this to notice how much of their lyrics I borrowed.

Decalfinated: when your last cow of the year finally has her calf.

Yes, that is correct. She waited until the Crofter was away and popped it out. Typical as she has had a few sessions over the past two weeks of ‘ohh, that will be tonight, today, tomorrow’ and then has been the facing of a laughing cow as to my guessing.

Today, she not just waited for the Crofter to be away, but waited all morning while I had only the Micro Crofter. See, the Mini Crofter was away at a childminder’s (a very good one at that I might add; they often don’t get recognition for what they do and particularly dealing with so many children). Any how, Gilly waiting until I needed to be in be car and down the road to pick up the Mini Crofter before popping out the calf. Cows have a sixth sense to know when to pick their moments.

Now, it’s not the most stunning photo of the wee thing but I wasn’t hanging about for a photogenic newborn picture. I just needed proof I wasn’t making up excuses.

The de-calfed croft it now is. With snow forecast on its first night, I was looking forward to the next few days where much warmer weather is forecast. However, this first night has been rough. Not for the calf (as far as I know) but having two wee Crofters now wide awake. So, the croft may be decalfinated, but I’ll be needing the caffeine when the ‘sun’s up’ on the Mini Crofter’s clock and they are raring to go. Just hope the wee calf is too…

No, I do not have any cockerels to joyfully give a wake up call as I sit on the edge of the bed with a yawn and a big stretch. Nor do I have the sun always poking its rays over the hill, casting shadows with the trees.

What I do have is a Matriarchal cow who you can identify in your half slumber by her moos as she wakes you up at 5am! OK, what’s wrong now? Hmm, one cow still to calf, something wrong there? No other sounds? Head to the lookout points (aka windows) to spot the issue.

Yes, the Crofter got sent back to work yesterday so what happened the first morning of him being away? One calf getting itself into the fenced area around our drainage. How did it get in? No idea. Could it get out? No. Have they ever managed to get stuck there before? No. But today? Yes. Fab.

The Mini Crofter at the age of two is learning new words everyday; he can now say ‘daft muppet’.