Muddyboots

Follow the fortunes of Muddyboots & Family on their East Yorkshire farm which has changed from dairy farm to luxury ice cream manufacture

Friday 17 August 2007

teenagers, pop concerts & being stretched

Gosh, it seems awhile since l last sat down and wrote about the daily happenings here on the coast. I must offer my profuse apologies as it would appear that time is slowly slipping away somewhere. Days seem to be merging into one. Groundhog Day? The tourist are out in force, grabbing every day of sunshine as if it was their last. Tractors are out, racing about harvesting winter wheat & ploughing stubble. Blackberries are ripening & the summer visiting birds are starting to gather on the wires or in huge flocks swooping into the fields.

Foot & mouth has now passed from headline news to some where deep inside the dailies. It may have slipped down the 'sensational' listing but we farmers are still having to live with the miles of rules & regulations churned out by defra. We are having a major problem in as much that we can't bring 2 week old calves through to this farm due to movement restrictions & space is now at a premium for these youngsters on home farm. One strange thing is that our human summer visitors don't seem to be aware that there has been a potential countryside catastrophe. Few have asked if a] we are still open & b] if the footpath is open. Some of the regular children, usually small girls, have noticed that the little heifers are not in the barn & can be heard asking parents 'where are they?', if l'm withing earshot l explain that they have been turned out in to a field away from direct contact with people, l also explain why. BIO SECURITY!

Since the onset of august we have been extreamely busy & now with the bank holiday approaching, calm steady breathing exercises are needed at regular intervals. As things are going, more like brown paper bag on head & a few deep breaths. Last weekend our baking lady married, monday she had broken a bone in her heel. Signed off for 3 weeks.

This coming weekend sees Leeds Fest, a weekend of mayhem, loud music & beer. Somehow, someway. the boy team' have manged to grab the whole weekend off, l don't how they manged it, l have a feeling they booked tickets first then informed me afterwards when my mind was not in full control of my faculties. So, dear customers, if you come for an ice cream over the bank holiday weekend, please be patient because we will be rather transparent due to being very thinly stretched. We have been roping in friends with the promises of free cappuccinos & cowpats especially as we are due to be attending Hull Global Food Fest & Sewerby Hall as well! Never a dull moment here as they say! Still smiling!

19 comments:

Bluestocking Mum said...

I have thought of you loads Muddy boots. And I am all too aware that the fear of foot and mouth is never far from your mind...see the restrictions still all very prominent.

Made me smile about the boys getting time off. I am coming back as a man!

You are the most chilled person I know. Keep up the deep breathing...you are nearly through the sumemr my friend.

warmest wishes
x

Chris Stovell said...

Oh, hang on in there - you're getting everything thrown at you, aren't you? If I was closer I'd give you a hand...you'd have to keep me away from the punters though which would probably defeat the object!

snailbeachshepherdess said...

I thought we were still under restrictions as well....but found some twerp walking cows along the road today! Good luck for the BH weekend if the weather is fine you might just need it!

Pondside said...

Muddy,you are just 'too cool for school' as the kids say! I hope your long weekend goes well. What WAS your baking lady doing on her honeymoon that would cause a broken heel???

bodran... said...

Calm down, deep breaths,winters nearly here!!! Imagine the chaos if we all turned up to help..!! no don't xxo

Gwen said...

Enjoy your long weekend. Hopefully this Foot and Mouth will be sorted out soon. It must be pretty awful.

Pig in the Kitchen said...

Gosh, good luck with the mad rush. I like the deep breathing exercises, I shall take a leaf from your book.
Fingers crossed for foot and mouth going away...
Pigx

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Despite no foot and mouth up here the Village agricultural show has been cancelled - mind you it was today and the rain is hammering down so a blessing in disguise really.

You will be ready for a break once the tourist season dies down a bit.

Currently waiting for guests to arrive from Greece - I feel for them it is cold and very very wet here - hope the weather improves for them.

Milkmaid said...

It's a bit like this over in this bit of Yorkshire too, the summer hols are ploughing along and it's week 5 next week and not I've done half of my earmarked tasks
We have got our whole crop silage now, so all our winter forage is in.
Trying to get some lambs off to the abbatior on a license next week, also a beef heifer to go in too.

@themill said...

If I was nearer I'd come and help! I think there's a contingent from here heading to Leeds at the weekend. Hang on in there - nearly September!

Around My Kitchen Table said...

I'm from a farming family in Devon so know all about FMD, unfortunately. My cousin lost all his cattle in 2001. My young nephew recently borrowed money to set up a dairy enterprise and is now subject to all the restrictions. I think, though, as I write (Sunday) a few more restrictions have been relaxed so, fingers crossed, the outbreak has been contained. Great blog, by the way - came to you via Three Dog Blog.

Grouse said...

That's the good and the bad of farming isnt it? The lows can be devastating, but the highs.....when you overcome the lows and come out on top, well theres nothing like them.

keep batting!

Sally Townsend said...

Oh yes, deep breaths........always love taking a peek at the pics on your blog.

Suffolkmum said...

Great pictures as ever. Keep breathing deep and slow ...

Cait O'Connor said...

Very best wishes for the weekend, and keep breathing!

Posie said...

Oh sounds like something the boys round here would do too....sneak off to where the fun is.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Like the line about being transparent because you are thinly stretched ;)

laurie said...

sounds like your baking lady danced rather enthusiastically at her own wedding.

you do sound busy. and i hope the F&M restrictions ease up soon. i'd come and scoop ice cream for you if i could, and only eat about half of what i scooped.

Anonymous said...

"Roping in friends with the promises of free cappuccinos & cowpats"... that's not something you hear said every day!

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