Shropshire Farming Talk with Helen Cork: Half term fun and adventure
It feels like spring is finally making an appearance, with the sun setting past 5.30pm, a little warmth in the air, and pretty bulb plants flowering.
As I write it’s half term for Shropshire schools so my children are getting out and enjoying spending time with the cattle, riding the ponies, playing in mud and building things out of scrap timber on the farm - including a glider equipped to move with old wheelbarrow wheels, which apparently now needs an engine!
It’s inspiring to witness the potential that children see in what adults would largely consider ‘skip material’, and then without hesitation cracking on to make their vision a reality. I’m not sure what further contraptions will be built by the end of the week but a new cattle handling system would be just great!
Speaking of cattle, I’ve cut the numbers down to make things more manageable, it seems to be working but the pedigree sales are so tempting! We’ve two young Hereford bulls ready to sell, and now rely on AI for the cows, something Yorkshire-based farmer Mike Powley does well, as he explained in his recent ABP PRISM 2030 meeting - a really interesting watch on the PRISM 2030 YouTube page.
Also this week the Blymhill Agricultural Discussion Group (BADG) committee met to plan three summer farm walks - keep an eye on the BADG website for updates if you’re interested in those.
Our final winter meeting is on 20 March and promises to be notepad-worthy as the NFU’s Scott Pepe joins us to talk all things farm finances and inheritance tax, from 7.30pm at Blymhill village hall.
I hope your spring is peaceful, and that it’s fine weather for lambing, calving, and crop growth.
