At Last the barn appears

Unloading the barn off Robinsons lorry



Me and Dad checking the bits

 

 

Finally the barn from Robinsons has been delivered, its taken nearly two years for this!!! Have the road in, the site levelled and now the barn so all I need is it putting up!!! that will have to wait a bit longer as the man picked to erect the barn has recently had surgery on his neck. Hopefully it will be up for lambing in April.

 

 

(these pics were taken by A Ingram of Islandcrofters.blogspot.com fame)

Moving the Cocks in

Cuckoo and Cuckoo/Red Cockerels

White and Cuckoo Cockerels

 

 

 

Moving the Scots Dumpie cockerels in to their winter cages. To give them and the hens a rest before the breeding season. Will have fertile eggs for sale once I have hatched some for my self, if anyone is interested?

The vet's check up for Ruby

 The vet introducing himself to Ruby

The Check up

Pregnancy test



Don't now what the fuss is about !!!!

Ruby had her check up from the vet today. Robert (the vet) gave her the once over and she feels fine and is about four months pregnant. The calf feels normal. So all good.

Alls well with Ruby

Ruby enjoying a back rub

Enjoying the sun and some breakfast

Giving Ruby a check up after her ditch dive

Enjoying being in the cattle shed

Ruby and her sister Rosanna seem to have settled in to life in the cattle shed. Ruby looks non the worst for the time in the ditch or the dragging out of the ditch by the digger. Am going to get the vet out next week to check her over and check her unborn calf. She enjoyed her breakfast and the hay so I doubt there is anything wrong!!

One heck of a lucky escape for Ruby

Well what a day at 15.40 this afternoon we had a visit from John Angus Campbell to tell me one of my cows had been pushed by Eric the bull into a ten foot deep ditch. On arriving on the seen I managed to turn her round, but the force and temperature of the water made it impossible for her to climb out, so after much pushing and coaxing on my part, with me waist deep in ice cold water, it was decided to call for help. With a huge sigh of relief a man with a digger arrived and we managed to lift her out.A big thank you to Angus MacKay and sons who sent out a digger  and driver. With more help from Jack Cox and Murdo MicIver after my Range Rover refused to start, we got her into a trailer and back home into a well strawed cattle shed at 18.30 in the pitch blackness of a Lewis nite. Hopefully no Pneumonia for either of us!!!!

Peeling, slicing and blanching carrots

Peeling



Slicing





Blanching


Processing the carrots picked today, ready for the freezer

Good bye Stanley!! Hello Boiler!!

Removal of the old Stanley Stove



Fitting the new Boiler

 

We have sadly had to remove the old Stanley Supreme Stove after 10 years of trusty service, after the grate and damper flaps burnt through and it become very uneconomical to use. We have replaced it with an Arrow Multi-fuel stove with back boiler. It has a much bigger boiler, so more hot water, and is far far more fuel efficient. Now have to redecorate the room and repaint the floor!!!!!

Last harvest of the winter season

Unwashed Carrots
 

Putting sorted carrots in sand

The last of the Red Cabbage

It was a mild day weather wise today, so I decide to bring in the last of the veg, to prevent it being spoilt by geese and rabbits. There was 2 rows of Red Cabbage and 2 rows of Carrots. The carrots where washed and sorted, then the unmarked ones were put into sand to keep longer. The cabbage and carrots to be used in the kitchen, to see what in,check out the blog www.Gemscraftycreations.blogspot.com.

No early veg this year!!!!!

Ripped the end out of the tunnel after 113mph winds!!!

Lifted and moved the tunnel about 2 feet in the winds as well!!!!

To cheer me up have done my vegetable seed order for the coming growing season:

 

Runner bean:   Firestorm (French bean cross)

 

Beetroot:          Albina ice (white) 

                         Chioggia (white and red rings)

 

Kale:                 Pentland Brigg

 

Brussel Sprout: Maximus (sweet flavour)

 

Cabbage:          Caraflex (Pointed,75 day seed to eat)

                         Sunta (Ballhead, 55-60 day seed to eat)

                        Green Rich (Ballhead, 70 day seed to eat)

                         Ruby (Red)

                         Highland (winter, Ballhead)

                         Serve ( Savoy, Ballhead)

 

Calabrese:        Zen

 

Carrot:             Norwich

                        Sylvano

 

Cucumber:       Armenian Yard Long (White)

                         Crystal Lemon (Yellow, Ball type)

                         Cucamelon (Cucumber/Melon Hybrid)

 

Leek:               Zermatt (early)

                        Winter Giant

 

Lettuce:            Consul (Iceberg Type)

 

Onion:              Kosma (White, seed)

                         Karmen (Red, seed)

                         Cupido (sets, White)

 

Parsnip:             Duchess

 

Pea:                  Tommy

 

Radish:              French Breakfast (Red/White)

                          Beauty (White)

 

Courgette:          Royal Flush

 

Butternut Squash: Hunter

 

Swede:               Gowrie

 

Turnip:               Tokyo Cross (white)

 

Tomato:              Matina (Potato Leafed,Red)

                            Vintage Wine (Potato Leafed, Multi-coloured)

                             Brandywine (Potato Leafed, Yellow)

                             Black Sea Man (Multi-coloured Flesh)

from 113mph winds to snow storms

Tunnel verses 113 mph wind

70 mph wind and snow


One day you get 113 mph winds ripping the poly tunnels to shreds, removing half your roof and flattening chicken sheds. Then the next day you get 70 mph snow storms. Oh the joys of living up here!!!!!!

Rare Shetland Ducks

Pair of Shetland Ducks

Duck and Drake Shetland Ducks

Push starting the tractor!!!

Pushing the tractor with a little help!!!

 

 

 

off it goes started first push

Had to push start the tractor today as I think the starter is full of water, all this to move some hay bales and a tonne of coal in to the barn, anyway the tractors in the barn and hopefully it will be fixed this week, before I need to feed the cows.