Monday 4 January 2010

New Year & New Blog; Snowscenes, Milk Collection





A New Year and a New Blog. At last after much prevarication I have been persuaded to write a journal of life as it is lived here at Penyrallt Home Farm for the many visitors who have asked for updates on what goes on here.

So here goes...

We are snowbound and it is glorious. The view across our valley is like a sepia tinted photograph with the patchwork of fields in gleaming white chequered by the brown, leafless hedges and trees. It is spectacularly beautiful and worth frozen toes, just gazing at it.

Whilst we are enjoying the winter landscape as it is one we have not seen for a number of years, all is not so great on the farming front in that our trusty milk collection tanker was not able to get to us, or any of the other organic dairy farms on our collection route, on Saturday night. This resulted in us having to dump the milk which is always a terrible thing for dairy farmers to have to do. We were however able to off-load some of the the milk to a couple of neighbours who keep pigs, and we were able to keep some to feed the 10 calves that are still on milk, but the bulk of the milk had to be wasted.

Fortunately, after much time spent by Farmer David & Eldest Son gritting and salting our long farmtrack the lorry was able to collect from us last night. Such a relief. What will happen later in the week with freezing weather set to continue we can only wait and see.
Our Christmas guests in the Holiday Cottage left yesterday, returning to the delights of Camberwell, a far cry from things here. They threw themselves with great enthusiasm into the country-living dream. Every morning they were out chopping logs for their wood-burner and then taking my labrador Hattie for long snowy walks. The adopting of Hattie was a real treat for them and she went along with it very happily. Being a labrador of course she would happily become everybodys' best friend; no loyalty to her family at all!
We now wait to see how the week unfolds both for the milk collection and holiday-makers due at the weekend. How we are in thrall to the weather.
Happy New Year.


2 comments:

  1. Dearest Jinsy

    What a joy to know that so many others will be able to learn about life at Penyrallt Farm! I encourage EVERYONE to follow your blog and share in the delights. I have been fortunate to be part of your life for the past few years and in addition to having a wonderful new friend I have learned so much about Welsh organic farming in particular as well as farming in general, organic living and so much more. Your writing style is so warm and beautifully descriptive it makes one feel they are viewing your life firsthand!

    I am so proud to be the first follower and thank you for letting me know you have begun. I am so sorry to hear about your current milk problems but happy that some road clearance has been possible. This has been a difficult start to the winter ~ we have snow cover which is breathtaking but it is the ice that is causing so many problems in our local village.

    I have just started a blog for Once Upon a Pine ~ must be the thought of another new year that moved us forward. I too have only posted one entry but have promised myself to find time for another today ~ in between the growing list of 'Must Do's'. Have a look at
    http://onceuponapine.wordpress.com/ and see all of the new additions to our business website: www.onceuponapine.co.uk ~ Alan and I have been very busy and have lots of new items to be added this week.

    Thank you for finding time for such a wonderful first entry ~ you have given me a benchmark to strive for. Best always, Helene, Alan, and Morgan too

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  2. Hi Jinsy!

    What a lovely blog!

    Fantastic that you have started it (I hope that our chats had something to do with you getting this off the ground)

    We arrived back to London safe and sound with no trouble on the roads at all! I am sure that the new guests will be the same. I will send some good travel vibes through!

    We are still feeling so blessed that we found you and our time spent at the farm was truly wonderful indeed. We hope to be back again soon.

    The ideas keep flowing for State of Being Outstanding and we will certainly let you know as the website gets updated and as our findings progress. We are very grateful for all of your advice and literature for us to use as research tools.

    Thanks again.

    All our love to David, Poppy, Molly, and throw Hattie a stick or two for us!

    Libby and Jed xx

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