The Hereford Smallholder Blog Spot

9 September 06

What a MANIC week. Have not stopped hence no posts till now...

The campervan we were going to borrow to go on holiday next week is no longer on offer so another of Steve's mates has offered us an alternative VW camper to use. Only one problem though - it isnt fitted out for camping ...yet.

Steve has to put in the bed tomorrow and I have to fit curtains all round!!!

Missed the deadline for my work yesterday and felt gutted. Avoided all phone calls from my boss.  However, managed to deliver the vehicle we have purchased for Steve's Sister to her and insure it. I was really tired last night but Steve insisted on watching that old 80's classic 'Roadhouse' on TV at full blast when we got in till gawd knows waht time in the morning.....

This morning I dropped off Steve to pick up the 'next option' camper and then headed for the smallholding. Let the chickens out and got Ben ready as I had arranged with my mate to meet her at a 'Fun Ride' at Canon Pyon - a nearby village.

Rusty the lorry decided that she was not going to start so ended up calling Steve for emergency help. We ended up spraying Easystart directly into the air intake for 30 seconds with Steve turning her over with eventual success. Shes a bitch when shes being naughty.  She will be left at the garage on Monday morning for further diagnosis - and more bills no doubt.

The fun ride was good, the Sun came out and I even jumped a few little fences on Ben. He has a good little jump on him. I was surprised.  At the end he was tired but happy. Given his reluctance to get into Rusty when I left the field I thought it would be a major job to get him back in again, but my mate gave me a bucket of horse feed and with a bit of an old heave ho going on from front and rear we managed to negotiate him slowly back up the ramp.  Once in hes happy and does not kick.  Hes just a bit reluctant to get there.  When we get Rusty back after out hols I might start feeding Ben in the lorry each morning  just so he loads better.

When I got back I poo picked the field etc and then went to clean out the chickens.  Noticed lots of mite creepy crawlies living in there so cleaned it all out and sprayed with flea spray which I use for the ferrets bedroom. I could still see mites moving so then I went for a snow shower with the old louse powder.  Would have doused the hens but cant get near the buggers.  Will have to look at the book and see if theres anything else we can do pending the purchase of a new shed for them. I keep scratching my head. I hope they are not living in my dreads.

Saw Steve has mended the gate to stop the hens going underneath. He later texted me to advise that whilst he was doing the work he found yet another secret stash of our hens eggs in the nearby hedge. 20 eggs. Those chickens are soooooobad!

Got everying ready for when we go away... - holiday home for Ferret (need to take him to Stretch - Steves mate), instructions for Annabel - the stand in carer.  I know there will be something critical I miss but it hasnt come to mind yet!

Meeting a few friends tonight and I need to fetch Steve out of one pub to take him to another where there's a kareoke night.  Should be a laugh. Wonder what I can get him singing....

Monday 4th September '06

Stressing all day what to do with Ben. Then even more stressing out phone call from a horse dealer who was chasing up missed calls from ages ago (I called her before I got Ben and unfortunately left a message) and told me once a horse is bad in traffic it can never ever be truly straightened out...Then it came to me.

I would take Ben to the local riding stables to be sorted out by Roy.  How could I ever forget Roy. Roy is a magical horseman and a bit of a horse whisperer if you like. Father was a horse stunt man in the western movies and so was Roy for a while - his claim to fame is that he had to dress up as an old woman for two years of the series 'Falmbards'. Now he and his other half run a riding stables, weddings / funerals and horse rescue / rehoming centre in Herefordshire.

After a short coversation, he agreed to take Ben on and school him in traffic. In return, when I get back from my imminent holiday, I will take on an old hunter for a few weeks which has been returned to them in need of some TLC.  After all I have plenty of grass and what can go wrong with a hunter? Move Ben to Roy's on Sunday for a few weeks. Hope the Lorry starts. Hope the fuel pump works. Not had time yet to call the garage to book it in.

Called the vet and cancelled Ben's jabs.  He can have those when he gets back from Roy's as he must not be sweated up for a week after having them.  However, booked Briony in for another check up.  I think she has an abcess brewing rather than laminitis. See what John Bell the vet reckons.

Away working for next day or so, so Steve will have to hold the fort  on the smallholding until I return. Must chase him regarding my new chicken shed - and a new mobile home for the ferret so he can spend his holiday (whilst we are away) with Steves hunting mate 'stretch'.

So many things to do. So little time to do it!

3 September 06

Never got to Puddleston Show. Still getting over the Flu and exhausted after yesterday.  The carriage driving lesson.

Had booked for an hour but it lasted for 3.  Got Ben going nicely in the carriage though and learnt alot.  Poor old Steve (my other half) has to stand in the pouring rain for the entire duration. He was cheerful though and I was really pleased that Ben is a good driving pony. The instructor Sarah Wildy really liked him.

Driving back up the hill from Weobley, Rusty the lorry started 'cutting out'.  Kept having to dip the clutch and pump up the engine and change down gear all at the same time to prevent us rolling down the hill backwards....Steve announced it was time for him to be dropped at the pub to liase with Bob the Landlord - and ex-lorry engineer regarding the latest problem with Rusty. I hastened to agree as Steve had been very good putting up with the rain and the wait. He is not horsey really. Dropped him off accordingly. Keep him sweet!

Picked him up and three others at closing time. He was talking rubbish and after dropping off the others to their respective wives,  I left Steve to spent the night on the sofa as he wasn't capable of getting up the stairs without a Stana stair lift.  Woke up in the night with the TV on full blast and alcoholic fumes from Steve who was snoring loudly next to me....poked him till he switched off TV...

This morning the flu was threatening to come back. Eventually made it to the field and sorted out the animals.  Later on I took Ben out for a ride. He was brilliant most of the time but then we met a two stroke Harley on the main road heading back which frightened him immenseley.  Then the very next thing was a car and horse trailer which didnt slow down and he reared up narrowly missing the trailer. Frightened me utterly and he was really unsettled in traffic until we got back, at which he went back into cart horse mode.  So much for being a dope on a rope. He is certainly not traffic proof. I am gutted. My new horse needs sending away to be traffic trained.

The more I get to know this pony the more I truly think that 4 months ago he was unhandled and running with a herd in Ireland. Compared with Bryony he is just to nervous of people and everyday life albeit he is becomming much more friendly as each day goes by.  Called a lady who had sent her pony to an Irish bloke over at Reddich for traffic training.  He came highly recommended so I got his number and called him up.  He has no space for a couple of weeks. Full up. Everyone wants their horse traffic trained it seems....

Bit gutted as that means either riding round the field or putting him in Rusty to hack out for the next few weeks. Must take Rusty to be fixed this week. Needs a new fuel pump I think?

Icing on the cake. Got a letter off the planning authority regading my application. They need another £215 to process the matter. Seems Wind turbines down fall within agricultural use even if they are for agricultural use...... Bryony more lame than ever too even toough she is off the grass completely. She either has an abcess brewing or something very bad has happened inside her hoof.

Sometimes I just feel like giving up. Next door neighbour has announced his new wife is expecting.

Friday 1st September

Had bit of flu yesterday.  Felt awful. Ran out of Beechams and didnt have the energy to go buy more.  Started today with a mug of Lemsip and felt much better after sleeping in again with the cat. Needless to say I didn't make Monmouth Show with Bryony, but still managed to poo pick the paddock and feed them ok.

Bugsy the ferret broke his lead. Just caught him starting to wonder off in-time.  Dont want to lose yet another ferret. I have lost Stinky and Impy the Imposter over the last 2 months. They are terrible for escaping.  I reckon ferrets spend all day working out how to escape. Its not like they dont get walked every day, cleaned out every day. Their cages are massive - and they are fed well too. I think its because they are Hobs (males) and all they can think about is sewing wild oats and kiling rabbits.

Ryan the farrier came over and re shod Ben. Ben was a bit naughty at first but soon calmed down. Ryan was just calving out Ben's back feet when he came across some maggots. I nearly puked.  I just can't get used to those critters no matter how long I try at this farming lark. Ryan said it was because his feet hadnt been trimmed for so long. When I bought Ben 3 weeks ago it knew he needed re-shod and it took me 3 weeks to pin Ryan down to a date. Maybe I should have taken Ben over to the Sandpit Smithy at Worcester for hasty attention. Ryan is too busy working the farm and playing on his speed boat. My lesson is learnt. Sprayed Bens hoofs with bright purple livestock foot rot spray. He looks a bit odd now.

Then I took him out for an hour. Had a good ride apart from an altrication with an parcel van driver who wouldnt slow down and nearly hit me. Yelled at me to 'ride it in a field or something.' I told him to get another job because he wouldnt have his by the time he got back to the depot.  Needless to say after weeping down the phone to his transport manager 10 minutes later, I'm fairly certain he will be bollocked when he gets in to the depot tonight.  Really dont know why he was driving like Nigel Mansell down a single track lane anyway. Really don't know why he did'nt slow down when I politely signalled him. Probably has a pea for a brain or maybe just a vacuum...Hope Ben isn't scared of vans now. May have to send him for training.

Got a letter from the Planning Authority acknowledgeing receipt of my planning application. Now the fun begins.

Wednesday 30 Aug

Well. After a night of no sleep due to guts ache, I got to the farm yard an hour late having overslept.  The chickens were giving me some stick for my tardiness but soon buttoned up when I chucked them some wild birdy food. 'Lucky' the Cockrel only has 2 tail feathers left and even they are battered and ready to fall out. However, the rest of the hens seem to be getting over their annual moult and are laying again.

Then I got to the ponies and saw that Briony, my fat yearling Fell pony had managed to prise off her muzzle and was scoffing hay.  Not only was the muzzle hanging off but she had scraped the fur off her nose whilst scraping it against some object to assist removal. I was totally gutted, not only because she is already on pain killers and founderguard for her laminitis (from over eating) - but also because we were due go to the Monmouth Show tomorrow and she has scraped her pretty face.  Here eyes were also weeping from Fly attack and she looked terrible.

I unlocked the feed shed, went in and had a quick weep - the sleepless night had got to me. Why does everything I plan go wrong???? I had booked the day off work and everything ready for the show tomorrow and Bryony had to damage her face??!!.  I pulled myself together, and gently bathed her eyes and face. I'll have to make a swift judgement in the morning whether to go to the show or not.

Ben the draft pony and Giz the Welsh pony came in voluntarily and I fed them all.  I purchased Ben 3 weeks ago not nearly and hes still settling in. He's had a bit of a rough time with the Travelling community and is frightened if I move quickly with anything hanging in my hand like a headcollar as he reckons hes in for a wack, but today was the first time he has come over for a mint. Giz  and Bry of course are already seasoned mint addicts. Bens also getting used to me walking round with a hose pipe albeit he still reckons it is very snake like. Bry and Giz look at him as if he is a moron when he spooks at me with the hose.

Yesterday I booked my first carriage driving lesson over at Webley with an instructor.  We go on Saturday. I'll have to get the carriage and Ben into 'Rusty' my old lorry and meet the instructor for 11am. I have not yet fitted Bens new harness. I hope it fits. Rusty has also been playing up refusing to start - as the valve in the fuel pump is buggered. Another job at the garage me thinks... not paid them for the last one yet!

Two things I did get done today was A) Buy a Tremblem8 security device for the carriage and B) Submit planning permission for my new fodder barn and wind turbine electricity supply.

The latter has taken me ages to prepare. I hope it goes ok and that the locals dont gang up against me!