JUNE 2001

The 4th Month of F&M, A serious outbreak near Brecon (35 miles away) has been a worry, so we keep up the disinfectant procedure. In order to retrieve something of this years tourist season we have decided to open up our caravan site and B&B on the 1st July, I do feel slightly uneasy about this, so we are disinfecting all vehicle wheels and footwear and not allowing visitors round the farm.

 

A Poplar tree came down on our phone line, which took some time to repair, then the Internet would not work. When that was put right we had a thunder storm, so off goes the phone again, I suppose I ought to buy a mobile!

During a spell of hot weather we managed to make some really good hay, just into the barn before the thunder storm. We have put in our first crop of Organic maize which we have run through several times with the weeder. The crop looks very well, with my fear of weeds diminishing by the day.

I am spending a lot of time at the moment trying to form a new business, it is called Wye Organic and is a cooperative of 4 Organic farmers in Herefordshire producing quality, local, reasonably priced food for local people. We are starting by processing our milk and hope to produce a range of products: dairy, vegetables and possibly meats. I find it interesting, exiting and just a little frightening.

One of the lads spotted a Red Kite feeding in silage field where he was working, they are becoming increasingly common, coming down from Wales. There is a Red Kite feeding station only about 25 miles from here which is well worth a visit. After having such success with the Barn Owls last year (we had 2 breeding pairs) I am sorry to say that I haven't seen one this year, but they are still in the area.