From this week's In your field writer, Kate Rowell
I had hoped that I would be writing this from our new home on a small farm, but alas solicitors’ wheels turn slowly and we are to spend Christmas in a rented house — again
While a later lambing mostly suits our farming system, this year’s atrocious weather has had even the rams questioning the delayed tupping
Kate farms alongside her husband Jim on their farm near Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Farming 122 ha (300 acres), the main enterprise consists of 800 breeding ewes and cider made on site from their orchards. She is a Mum of two, runs ‘Kate’s Country School’ on farm and is the Woodland Creation Officer for Stump Up For Trees.
Mid-August and the weather continues to challenge us; in our case for silage making. Sneaking odd days is the best we have managed but quantity and quality have been surprisingly good for late summer.
It all began with my dad having a hernia operation, which meant I would be running the yard, and that was not really a big deal.
I don't understand how social media algorithms work, nor if your devices are really listening to you all of the time, but it certainly seems that way sometimes, when your social feeds show an advert that exactly fits your life.
I was writing my last piece just as I had finished evening milking at the start of our once-a-day milking for two months.
August already, although it has felt like October here for the past few weeks. July was a good month on the salads after a tough start to the season.
With the deadline for submitting this piece passing two days ago, I am firmly blaming the success of the Royal Welsh Show for my last-minute rush to hit the send button.