Well after a pig free six months, our latest porkers arrived on Sunday afternoon. We had two pigs delivered now and will have a further three or four arrive in late April. We could have taken more in together but one thing we have learned over the months is to stagger the time when they are ready for the freezer. To add to the mix, we need to make sure that we have a nice big porker ready for action at the end of June. That’s because Evie, one of our daughters is marrying Joe and we are having a hog roast on the big day, but please don’t tell the pig!

After a run of a few dry days we have been able to get down to business and get the field drains completed and so I am now awaiting a nice, short, downpour to establish wether we have done the job right or not…fingers crossed!

I have been talking about clearing the ditch through our farm yard for far too long, so this week it was time to get on and get it sorted. I had arranged for a friendly neighbour with a digger to come and do the job, but as part of the deal I needed the silt and leaves which would come out of the ditch to be moved elsewhere on the farm. Well, that’s when things get exciting, as, for the first time ever, I got the chance to drive a dumper truck. Bearing in mind that I spent many, many hours playing on building sites as a kid, obviously, when I shouldn’t have been anywhere near them (Don’t tell me Mother!) I had sat on many a dumper, but to drive one, well that was something else. It was great fun, but ended far too soon. Only 30 dumper loads later and we were done. The ditch was cleared, the water flowing beautifully and the ducks had broad grins in their faces at the prospect of all this free running water to play in. Something tells me that I’m going to be looking for excuses to get another dumper on site very soon!

This week I have been led a merry dance by hens. The normal routine consists of me systematically working my way around the place, at dusk, putting everyone to bed and it has, other than a few exceptions, passed without too many hitches. For some unknown reason our newby hens have taken it upon themselves to await my entrance into their enclosure and then very quickly, one by one make a dash towards me, greeting my arrival with much enthusiasm. Now, like most people I like to be made a fuss of, but this fuss I could really do without. As a result, for the last week I have found myself standing in the middle of ‘Henville’, being surrounded by these wide awake hens, who should know better and should be tucked up in their bed. I tried to round them up and walk them into the shed. I stood completely still for 20 minutes until they all got bored and decided to go to bed, but neither method was going to be a long term winner! With all this shenanigans going on and often knowing that my tea, Mmmm! was on the table, I have now had to resort to stealth and creep up on them, over fences, without being seen or heard, just so I can get their door shut before they see me. I’ll tell you what, they’re not going to get the better of me!