Rain is a challenge down on the farm
JULY has certainly been a challenging month with an abundance of rain.
Despite this, we managed to get all our silage made in reasonable condition and there was plenty of bulk. We will now have to wait a few weeks before getting it analysed to see if there is quality to go with the quantity.
Shearing is now completed but was a bit stop-start with the misty conditions on the hills causing hold-ups. However, we are very fortunate that our new sheep shed was finished just in time and meant that as soon as the sheep were dry, we could put them inside out of harm’s way.
The hill lambs appear to have done well this summer though there does seem to be a few more cases of Yellowses (Plochteach) this year compared to recent years.
The cattle are faring well on the abundance of grass on the hill. On the better days they range right out to the top of the hill. We have had a few dreich, cold days as well and on those mornings you meet them at the hill gate demanding to be let down to lower pastures.
The bull has been away from the cows now for a few weeks and, like the lambs, it will soon be time to think about weaning. In previous years, the calves have gone to the SRUC farm at Oatridge for finishing but this year we plan to sell them at the local mart.
Last week, I finally managed to get a field ploughed which had been burned off weeks before, the plan being to re-seed it back to grass. However, I was no sooner out of the gate when the heavens opened and there has not been an opportunity to get any more tillage done since. It could be a while yet before it gets sown.
At the end of July we hosted a workshop, in collaboration with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and the Farm Advisory Service, on ‘biodiversity management on hill farms’. The workshop focused on a number of topics, including peatland and moorland management, woodland creation and management, and wetland and riparian habitats.
In the afternoon we went outside to look at some of the management that we have undertaken on the farm to benefit biodiversity, including fencing water margins and creating wader scrapes.
We had an unusual bird visit the farm a couple of weekends ago – a hoopoe. Hoopoes are more associated with hot, dry, vineyards and olive groves around the Mediterranean rather than cool and damp hill farms in the West Highlands. It proved quite popular with twitchers from all over Scotland.
We are just about to do some bracken spraying on an area of pasture below the West Highland railway line to the west of Auchtertyre. The bracken had been spreading in this area and the grazing value of the ground had declined significantly in recent years.
We are keen to bring the pasture here back into good heart and will be working hard over the next year to do so as killing the bracken is only the start of the process.
We are grateful to the agrochemical company UPL Europe for donating the Asulox for use in the demonstration. We will, however, ensure that we work out the full cost-benefit of both the bracken control and subsequent pasture management so that that we can discuss the economic viability of tackling bracken with future visitors to the farms.
That’s us into August now, which traditionally is show season in the Highlands. It is a time for us all to meet up and have a blether, but also a time when the weather can play havoc with the best-laid plans.
There was no Lorn show this year as the North Argyll community paid its respects to the MacDonald and Macpherson families. Our thoughts are with you at this very sad time.