More frost than usual but without being frozen for days.

At the time of writing not a lot has changed outside due to me hanging around for Plumbers and several weeks of heating/plumbing issues in the house.

The goats have had to be split into pairs as two that we had thought in-kid returned over Christmas so I needed to take them out of each others company and the company of the male – and what with the geese needing to be indoors at the moment the shed is too crowded. As disappointing a start to the year for us as it is for many others but it could be worse, we have some work and we have our health.

There is a little cheerfulness on the horizon in that the small BA goatling is due next month and, so far, is looking well. The goat we collected last also appears to have held to the service.

Postscript to the goat news is that the two goats I was waiting to see if they returned to svs, did not return so if there are no other problems they are due to kid at the end of May.

On the garden front:

we couldn’t get any more Harris fencing so I haven’t started to dig the plot or surround the rest of it with deer-proof fencing – but the weather hasn’t been great anyway – I did get a stock of seeds in before lockdown.  We are not as aware of the deer up here this year and it may be the horse electric fence and goats are putting them off… not sure I want to risk the cabbages 🙂

I managed to repurpose some Harris fencing from another use on the farm and so I have finished the month achieving the complete surround of the veg patch and I can use the Harris door too which makes it easier to get kale or broccoli for lunch.

Very excited to see the prompt arrival of my seed spuds from Marshalls. Pink Fir Apple, Charlotte and Bel de Fontenay. I also ordered some strawberries and some Raspberries from them – not yet arrived.

And there they are at last! The snowdrops 🙂