Friday 13 January 2012

A Good Day for catching up.



Friday is always special here in the farming week as it is Auction Mart day. Although the farmer no longer buys and sells cattle, he still likes to go both to see what the prices are like and to catch up on local gossip!

I always go with him as it is also Market Day and I like to buy my fresh vegetables and fresh fish too. And a group of friends and I always meet for coffee in The Golden Lion and for a good old gossip. Tonight we are all going to the local amateur panto - Jack and the Beanstalk - together - I will report on that tomorrow.

But today it is a gloriously sunny day - still, perfect blue sky and dry underfoot. This is just the right sort of day for farming this time of the year as there are so many jobs to do which can't be done if the ground is wet. Principle amongst these is hedge-cutting.

Our hedges must be cut before the beginning of March so that when they come into leaf they can grow up quickly. Our hawthorn hedges house lots of nests, notably blackbirds and yellow hammers, and they need plenty of cover. Some of our hedges are never cut so that they have become small blackthorn, crab apple and hawthorn trees - these house birds too, so that we get a fair selection. In addition, of course, we also get ground-nesting birds like pheasant, partridge, curlew, oyster-catcher, snipe and woodcock (the last two only in the marshy areas). Nesting time will be upon us before we know where we are.

But, speaking of birds, as the farmer and I walked round the fields after lunch to stop and chat with Mike, our hedge-cutting man, we noticed a big flock of seagulls in the field. I hope you can see them in the picture - they are in the middle and slightly to the left - I couldn't get them any nearer than this in the photo. They always stand in exactly the same place - don't know why but the farmer thinks it might be a sheltered spot out of the wind and in the sun. Whatever the reason, they are often there. As we were talking to Mike a jet roared overhead and the seagulls rose into the air as one and took off towards the West.

Sorry about the sudden change to italics - don't know why it happened and can't see how to change it.

14 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Tis a lovely day Pat but so so so cold don't you think?
Dxx

it's me said...

Since one of my great joys is birding, I am always pleased when you include them in your posts.
Is that a fire in the distance? Seems to be clouds of smoke.....
Early farmers in southeast Louisiana planted Chinese privet for hedgerows, and now it has taken over woodlands across the south crowding out all the native undergrowth trees.
Somehow they never learned good hedgerow behavior.

Elizabeth said...

Yes, Tess does seem to have the life of Riley (whoever he was.....)
Lots of walks make a dog very cheery indeed.
Loved the account of the hedging.
From being oddly warm (50'f) at seven this morning, it is now sleeting with a bitter wind.
As for the Italics and so forth Blogger seems to have a mind of its own about such things.....

angryparsnip said...

I so enjoy when you talk about your land, the birds, animals, trees, bushes and rivers.
Glad your weather is helping so you can get all these jobs done.

cheers, parsnip
Your comment section is for me, just like normal... my format is very different and it works so I will just wait and see...

Heather said...

The Yorkshire countryside looks beautiful in your photos Pat. Lovely to have such a variety of birds in your locality. We don't do too badly considering we are virtually in a housing estate, but are fortunate enough to be on the edge and near to farmland and woods. I do love to see a well cared for hedge and hate the flayed ones which massacre each shrub and tree.
Enjoy the panto.

Everything Changes said...

So pleasant.

MorningAJ said...

I always love to see properly laid hedges. I know it's time consuming and skilled work but it looks so smart.

Tom Stephenson said...

Oooh! Panto! I love panto, but for some reason, we never go to one. Can't wait for your report (and I AM serious).

Gwil W said...

I like to go to the market for fresh vegetables too. I always think market produce tastes much better than supermarket stuff. Long may the markets continue!

Titus said...

Beautiful day today here too Weaver - those red skies were right!
I'm looking forward to the panto report.

Pondside said...

What a beautiful day. You take your everyday, which is quite exotic to some of us, and spin it out in the loveliest way.

Rarelesserspotted said...

It's a glorious day here too in East Yorkshire! Love to hear about your exotic variety of birds - how wonderful!
XX

The Weaver of Grass said...

Panto report appears today!

Anonymous said...

I have that italic thing happen to me when I'm typing emails sometimes, it can be annoying.
Your posts are always filled with interesting snippets, from the hedge cutting to the birds to the panto, it is all marvellous.