January underway

I trust the New Year has started well for you. The little bit of rain after Christmas just about wet the ditches for a few days and we collected some water in the pond but we still are tankering water to the animals. Silage and hay stocks still look to be tight but straw is fine. Scanning took place early in the New Year with a "good average" result at 172% and probably better than I feared due to the lack of grass at tupping time. The ewes do handle remarkably well for condition we just have to maintain that till lambing.
Last year we were accepted on the Higher Level Stewardship scheme where we receive help for environmental maintenance and new projects. We are well into carrying out this years projects that include pollarding willow trees and hedge/ditch improvements (coppicing and gapping up with species relevant to our area.) We are also beginning work on creating a heritage orchard on a neglected scrub area that has a few old plums that will be retained.