Gap Year Students Arrive
Every year we take on students for Gap Year work. Our new recruits this year, Conan and Jordan, started this week and are already busy with a huge list of jobs from clearing Ragwort, haymaking and the myriad of general maintenance tasks that always bui
Every year we take on students for Gap Year work. Our new recruits this year, Conan and Jordan, started this week and are already busy with a huge list of jobs from clearing Ragwort, haymaking and the myriad of general maintenance tasks that always build up at this time of year.
Our two new recruits are no strangers to Mornacott having visited last in the Spring of 2011 when they were part of the group undertaking their preparation training to work in an orphanage in Lesotho sponsored by Prince Harry’s charity Sentebale. Their last summer was spent in the mountains of southern Africa without electricity and running water . This summer will hopefully be slightly more luxurious but probably equally as hard!”
Welcome to the Family
Here at Mornacott we are proud to announce that our resident Highlanders have become parents.
Here at Mornacott we are proud to announce that our resident Highlanders have become parents. Islay and Rhum are pleased to welcome baby Skye to the family. Skye, a lovely heifer calf was one of our first calves to be born this season and both Mum and baby are doing well.
Calves to Market
It is with mixed feelings that we watch our cows go off to market. Last Saturday saw the departure on nine Limousin cross calves just under a year old.
It is with mixed feelings that we watch our cows go off to market. Last Saturday saw the departure on nine Limousin cross calves just under a year old. These calves are from the small herd of non Devon cattle that we keep on the farm and were sired by our British Blue Bull “Jimmy”.
Pleasingly we gained the top price in our sale category for one of the calves with the others all achieving good sale prices.
Orchard Cottage
Work progresses well on the rebuild of Orchard Cottage with the first fit plumbing and electrical works now completed.
Work progresses well on the rebuild of Orchard Cottage with the first fit plumbing and electrical works now completed. The heating connection to our biomass boiler provided one or two challenges now thankfully surmounted. Orchard Cottage is aptly names since it overlooks what remains of a traditional old orchard which is shortly to be reinvigorated with the introduction of new planting which will comprise traditional old English varieties of apple, pear, plum and damson trees hopefully restoring the orchard to its former glory.
Calving Season
We have had a busy month with the stock here at Mornacott. Our breeding herd have all been examined by the vet to determine when they will calve and we all have our fingers crossed for a successful calving season.
We have had a busy month with the stock here at Mornacott. Our breeding herd have all been examined by the vet to determine when they will calve and we all have our fingers crossed for a successful calving season. Preparations are now underway to ready the sheds and stock for the start of calving and lambing, both of which are scheduled to start in the not too distant future! We are all readying ourselves for a few sleepless nights.
Happy New Year
Mornacott is experiencing a very damp start to the New Year! With higher than average rainfall we are currently once again battling the elements.
Mornacott is experiencing a very damp start to the New Year! With higher than average rainfall we are currently once again battling the elements. Local press has been reported as saying that a quarter of our yearly rainfall fell during November alone. The mild temperatures mean that the grass is still growing and we are witnessing daffodils springing up in flower beds! Fortunately we are well prepared for the downpour, the cattle are in and chewing contentedly on silage made during one of the drier spells and everyone has their fingers crossed that the daffodils will last until March.
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