What happened to May? It feels more like April than May with gusty winds and showers and April was more like May with the bluebells and blossom coming early; somehow the months are the wrong way round! We look forward to May, not only because everything looks so beautiful, but when lambing is over for another year, the animals are out at grass with only a few of the cows still to calve,we have a bit more time before Tim starts making silage and hay in June.There has been so little rain, even during the winter, that we are hoping it isn’t going to affect the grass yields like last year, so a few wet weeks would be good for us even though I love the hot sunny weather.

One job we have to get on with now is fencing-When the stock are all at grass, if a post is worn out, or there’s a gap in the fence or hedge, they are bound to find it and usually when it’s an inconvenient moment! Last thursday we had Helen Browing, the new head of the Soil Association, and some fellow organic farmers round for a meal and to discuss general organic matters when the phone rang; our cattle had got out into someone’s wood! First we rounded up our daughters and they went with our neighbour to get the bullocks back (apparently with some difficulty which didn’t have anything to do with Ellie’s mini skirt not being practical farming wear). Today Tim has taken his post basher,tools and wire netting down to Mullybrook, some land we farm over the other side of the village where every year our cattle get across the stream and are not very welcome on the other side! Although it’s a favourite picnic spot of ours by the brook where it would be nice not to have a fence, chasing around after straying cattle is no fun either, so we have to be practical! With our numerous small fields which need to be fenced both sides of the hedge to protect it, there’s always work to be done and after 25 years we are now having to re fence and repair the fences we put up when we first arrived at the farm.

Back in the butchery, with the wonderful weather, the barbecue season has started early this year. We’d like to tempt you with some of our melt in the mouth, tender fillet steak which is on offer at £10 off per kg it’s normal price for a limited time only! Also I’d like to let you know that the butchery will be closed from 23rd to 30th May when Tim and I are taking a holiday- and it makes sense for Keith, our butcher, to take time off then too. Please let me know by Monday 16th May if you’d like an order delivered next week either on line at www.higherhacknell.co.uk.or do phone me on 01769 560909.

I hope all is well with you

Best wishes from Tim and Jo and all at Higher Hacknell Farm