Oh, *sigh*!
Today we took receipt of a delivery of hay. For the horses. Had to bite the bullet. The grass finally got the memo that Spring is over (because we never actually got summer before Autumn came!) and has slowed right down, so the horses have had to have their diet supplemented and they are happy. Jack, the borrowed grey, is going back this week. He just hasn't responded to the grass the way he could have, and as he's established himself as a loner he doesn't even cut it as a paddock buddy anymore. He came to us before I knew how far off we were from acquiring a pony, and as we now have two of those, Jack is now redundant as a herd member. He's a nice boy, but he needs to have a purpose in order to remain, and his lovely owner will come to get him and ply him with extra feed over the cooler months. It takes some pressure off the feed situation here, especially as we don't have horse paddocks set up down here (the grand plan is for the top of the hill) and are making do with boggy facilities.
The big paddocks are fine for the bovines, and it has been decreed that they be left solely for bill-paying bovine use. It costs to bring in hay for horses, but it would cost so much more to bring in hay for the steers, so it was an easy call to make. I bought a hay square from one of the local rural supplier chains and I wasn't impressed, especially given that I don't normally even pay that much for hay. Dusty with a slight mouldy smell. For $10! First and last. I then called a guy from the local classified listings and even though it was on dark when he arrived, I liked the look of his hay and there was no dust cloud. I did have to go and buy the biggest tarpaulin I could find, though, as we have no hay shed. That is next on the agenda, I think!
The cattle market is down - weather, live export backlash etc, so these boys have to stand around and eat more grass before we send them off to the great big grass paddock in the sky. Half their luck! I'm learning to pay more attention to the stock reports in the local papers and the national rural rag. It's slowly making more sense to me, even though I get there after flicking through looking for horse news. And now that we've sold a mob, I feel less fraudulent talking to the staff in the rural supply shops who ask what we farm, and I say "Beef cattle"...cos we've turned cattle into beef! They really are lovely animals, and I'm not quite reconciled with their ultimate purpose. Things are so busy around here, though, that I have hardly any time to really think on it and go over it.
So, the cold is setting in, our Winter nights routine is forming itself and the shed will be ready soon. It's the season to make mulled wine and listen to the frogs singing a riot out there!
Today we took receipt of a delivery of hay. For the horses. Had to bite the bullet. The grass finally got the memo that Spring is over (because we never actually got summer before Autumn came!) and has slowed right down, so the horses have had to have their diet supplemented and they are happy. Jack, the borrowed grey, is going back this week. He just hasn't responded to the grass the way he could have, and as he's established himself as a loner he doesn't even cut it as a paddock buddy anymore. He came to us before I knew how far off we were from acquiring a pony, and as we now have two of those, Jack is now redundant as a herd member. He's a nice boy, but he needs to have a purpose in order to remain, and his lovely owner will come to get him and ply him with extra feed over the cooler months. It takes some pressure off the feed situation here, especially as we don't have horse paddocks set up down here (the grand plan is for the top of the hill) and are making do with boggy facilities.
The big paddocks are fine for the bovines, and it has been decreed that they be left solely for bill-paying bovine use. It costs to bring in hay for horses, but it would cost so much more to bring in hay for the steers, so it was an easy call to make. I bought a hay square from one of the local rural supplier chains and I wasn't impressed, especially given that I don't normally even pay that much for hay. Dusty with a slight mouldy smell. For $10! First and last. I then called a guy from the local classified listings and even though it was on dark when he arrived, I liked the look of his hay and there was no dust cloud. I did have to go and buy the biggest tarpaulin I could find, though, as we have no hay shed. That is next on the agenda, I think!
The cattle market is down - weather, live export backlash etc, so these boys have to stand around and eat more grass before we send them off to the great big grass paddock in the sky. Half their luck! I'm learning to pay more attention to the stock reports in the local papers and the national rural rag. It's slowly making more sense to me, even though I get there after flicking through looking for horse news. And now that we've sold a mob, I feel less fraudulent talking to the staff in the rural supply shops who ask what we farm, and I say "Beef cattle"...cos we've turned cattle into beef! They really are lovely animals, and I'm not quite reconciled with their ultimate purpose. Things are so busy around here, though, that I have hardly any time to really think on it and go over it.
So, the cold is setting in, our Winter nights routine is forming itself and the shed will be ready soon. It's the season to make mulled wine and listen to the frogs singing a riot out there!
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