Haymaking starts in earnest

With a few days of good weather predicted over the last weekend, David has started the haymaking season.  After much discussion, we have also decided that we need to replace the baler for a much larger machine that will do the huge round bales rather than the small conventional size.  We need so much hay now that small bales are just not practical so a new shiny baler should be arriving at the farm in the morning.  Our old one is going in part exchange and the rest of it will be paid for over the next hundred years!  At least with agricultural machinery, you do seem to get something quite large and shiny for your money!

Last week we also had the pleasure of Maddy, a 6th form work experience student who is working throughout her summer holidays to make sure that she has plenty of experience before applying to Uni to study veterinary science.  She helped us out with milking and feeding and also spent some time learning to trim feet .. very useful she was too!

Husky and Ginger certainly took a shine to her ..

She has promised to come back and visit us at kidding time next year.

And while Maddy was here, she was thrilled to see exactly how Ginger escapes from her pen.  Here she comes - through the gate with a last little wiggle to get that udder through!

Husky, on the other hand, seems keen to get IN with the milkers, rather than OUT ..  This pic was taken from the milking parlour this evening.  Look at the centre of the photo ...

 

Can you see the small white goat lying down in the middle of all the milkers?? 

 

Then she comes into the parlour and has her dinner ..

 

Accompanied by her new boyfriend ..

Yes indeed ... Valerie's little man seems to have taken a shine to young Husky and the two of them can be seen playing together in the field.  Wonder if Val wants to adopt her?!