Any other harvest widows out there?!

[Lala1980]

Hello. Lonely and frustrated harvest widow would love to chat/vent with other farmers' WAGs...

[Abitwobblynow]

Hi Lala, me too - wasn't last week crazy trying to get the hay in! I am using the time to do a bit of spring cleaning and clearing out the barns. What about you?

[cantthinkof1]

Hi, me too. First cut silage still here in west scotland. DH Got home late hours of this morning and away again after checking the stock first thing saying "see you in the morning". It makes for a long day with DS1 (4) and DS2 (nearly 1).

The ground conditions are awfull and everything is taking so much longer to do when we do get a nearly dry day.

[QuietTiger]

Can I join?!

My DH is driving me bonkers too! Didn't see him all last week except to feed him and watch him collapse into bed at stupid o'clock because he was cleaning out the sheds, shearing sheep fucking things and getting the heifers ready for auction.

This past week, it's crazy on the hay - he had me on the tractor rowing up, whilst he was baling at 11pm on Wednesday night!

He's grumpy today, because he wanted to spray the wheat today and it's too windy. Cantthinkof1 - we still HAVEN'T DONE first cut silage (South Wales) - our silage fields are still too wet! and don't get me started on the fucking contractors

We haven't even managed to go to the Royal Welsh show this year. One of my cobs was entered and we withdrew because we couldn't spare the time. As it happens, it was for the best because the heat was too much for a young horse & it would have turned into a farce but I haven't told DH that.

The only consolation at the moment is that we have sold 300 round bales of hay off the field and we've got a home for 100 big bales of hay, so hopefully we'll get paid for that fairly soon.

[Lala1980]

I haven't seen mine for days and when I do, he is so grumpy and tired, I'd rather not see him!

QuietTiger How's your cob bred? I breed and produce welsh ponies! I also missed the RWAS.

DPs dcs stay with us eo weekend. funny how he is given those weekends off harvest by his dad...

[Abitwobblynow]

We sheared a few weeks ago. Once when I was ignorant I ignored a sheep lying down for a few days, and then when this curious wet patch appeared on her back finally went and looked the maggots were horrific and in her. Despite shearing and Crovect she died of shock poor thing.
I have felt so terrible ever since that I watch them like hawks and the minute their heads go down I am out there. Pity an animal had to suffer to me to learn my lesson like that.

I have a Connemara x who is County standard but no more, he has the most lovely trot and is a wonderful honest little horse. Can't jump for toffee though!

Oh dear, Lala doesn't Dad like you as much as the wife, or is it just his darling GCs he adores?

[QuietTiger]

Lala1980 My baby boy, cheeky little shit Saith Black Pepper, is a 3 year old (just turned 3 on 3rd June). He has a lot of Nebo Back Magic, Derwen and Sydenham in his lines. (He's black, 4 white socks). His sire was Wishaw revelation.

He's a traditional, versatile boy, who has been bred for riding, rather than showing. Absolutely mind blowing paces though! His breeder is a good friend of mine, so I've known him since a foal.

Of course, because he's a farmer, it's taken DH a while to fall in love stop complaining that (quote) "bloody horses eat money one end and shit it out the other!"

[QuietTiger]

Abitwobblynow - the first time I saw a sheep crawling with maggots, I almost threw up. Vile, horrible, disgusting, hideous things! This year, because I got so fed up of it all, I started "gang tagging" the sheep with red, blue and green marker spray when DH went off somewhere quickly. DH went nuts when he came back and found smiley faces, squiggles and other dodgy pictures on his sheep!

I of course, found it hysterical.

[cantthinkof1]

Started chucking it down again here again. Lifted what was cut but made a mess. DH home so DS's are chuffed to bits to see him. He will pass out as soon as he sits down tonight! We are also trying preparing cattle for the rounds of the local shows if they go ahead.

[QuietTiger]

Newsflash - DH has communicated with me for the first time today without grumpiness after the weather report says it's going to be dry for a couple more days. (apparently, according to DH, weathermen are all bastards because they are liars about the weather... ).

[Lala1980]

I was very excited because earlier today they thought they'd be finished cutting, hauling and drying the rape, and DP suggested taking me out for dinner - I was gobsmacked and so pleased.
But he's just come in now, and (guess what) - he's too tired and wants an evening in :-(

QuietTiger my current lot are all section A's. I have one in for production by Pendock Buttonhole, a lovely veteran boy by Bengad Dicksonia, a lovely little schoolmistress I teach all the kids on by Penwisg Baloo, and a little ridden mare with Bengad and Carnalw bloodlines. I love my little ponies. I am only 4'10 so I can get away with riding them! I used to have a lovely cob by Menai Sparkling Image. Stayed at Pete Jones' place once to go see my boy's dad!

Oh well - do I skulk off and leave him on his own for the evening, or make the most of being stuck in with him tonight ...

[wearymotherof6]

hi, can I join too? We've had run of nice dry, breezy days so everyone shouting out for silage cutting, baling etc. These farmers are really a different breed aren't they - can work for hours and hours on end! Don't know what time I'll see mine this evening
I also have a black welsh cob - section D - she's got lots of Derwen in her too

[Lala1980]

ABitWobbley it's nothing against me - DP's dad seems to like me a hell of a lot more than the ex wife, it's the darling GCs he adores!

[Lala1980]

And we're asleep already! Here's to a great night!

[QuietTiger]

LMAO Lala1980. My DH is currently milking for friends in the farm next to ours so that they can finish their silage! He came in at 2pm, scoffed his lunch and collapsed on the sofa for an hour because the silly git insisted at getting up at 4am to finish something that could wait an hour

[GentleOtter]

We are trying to make some hay just now but the ground has been too wet to take the tractor. Managed some silage but I need hay for my sheep.
Ds has been out wuffling so fingers crossed that it stays dry for a couple of days. We will all take turns to cut and wuffle tomorrow.
No oat crop this year as the extreme hot weather affected the oats during planting time and none of them grew.

[Lala1980]

Shall I sneak out to the pub?!

[GentleOtter]

Lala, leave a note pinned to his jumper to meet you at the pub when he wakens.

[QuietTiger]

Mine has just come in, had a coffee and now he's gone off to spray the wheat because the wind has dropped...

Having said all the "they work long hours", I wouldn't change it. We probably see more of each other and spend better quality time together than people working 9-5pm although the regular pay packet would be nice Plus, I get to play with my horses in the middle of the day when I want and see them out of the bedroom window, instead of keeping them in a livery yard.

Gentleotter will keep fingers crossed for weather for you. We've done our hay - we're thinking about silage now...

[cantthinkof1]

Do any of you get away for a holiday? We "will get away for a weekend once everyone has got second cut done" that will be February then! We did get a wet weekend in a caravan in may last year, well me & SIL and kids did, hubbies joined us for tea and on the sunday afternoon (DB Farmer too).

I'm a Farmers daughter so should have known!

[QuietTiger]

LMAO!! Holiday?? HOLIDAY??? Bwahahahaha!

We try to get away for long weekends. Managed Paris for 4 days last November, & 24 hours to go up to London and see Coldplay in June (I threatened him with divorce if we didn't go & see Coldplay).

We cancelled our holiday this year, because the maize wasn't in and he wanted to drill - and then the fucking stuff didn't get in the ground because it was too wet! I HATE Maize with a passion. It is ALWAYS the maize that disrupts our plans. If it's not drilling the stuff, it's silaging/cutting it.

My trick is to actually book stuff that we can't "un-book/change" and back him into a corner with a fait acompli and then threaten divorce. Otherwise we'd never leave the farm.

[GentleOtter]

Am raging.

Someone has taken bolt cutters and stolen wire connectors from the fence where the sheep were. We will have to mend the entire bloody thing as they cut the wire in the middle, all 5 strands.

Holiday? I vaguely remember that word from childhood. Our honeymoon lasted one day as the Brucellosis testing had to be done.

[QuietTiger]

Here Gentleotter

People are twunts. Are the sheep OK?

[GentleOtter]

thanks

Sheep are fine, they were further up the field but they had to be moved to a secure field. Luckily they never strayed on to the road or got into the silage field.

[cantthinkof1]

Gentleotter for you.

If DH wins the lottery he says he would farm until it was all gone!

[cantthinkof1]

DH went to sit down and watch TV ten minutes ago saying "I'm going to get the TV first" I said thats OK i'll be through in ten minutes when you are asleep. He said he wasn't going to sleep. Just been through and he is sound!