If Godzilla were a cow...

Rather quiet on the blog, but there is a good reason for this.  We are fighting the biggest menace to the tranquility of the Stour Valley since the arrival of Humbug.  The invasion of Godzilla Cow threatens the safety of all the animals in the Stour Valley.  Stay strong comrades!

(It's No. 100.  I've created a MONSTER!)

Nearly there!

The last few runs of combining for Harvest 2014!

Mercator, look away now.

Dad is playing the harvest weather game and dashing out to combine between the showers.  

Fortunately, the blustery sunshine dries the grain quickly and Farmer Humph is, in general, more concerned about the Mercator getting wet than the barley!  Barley straw holds the moisture well which slows down combining, but we are making steady progress.  Better still, during a trip to Manns of Saxham for new cutter guides, I found a new cabless combine in our price range!

Only joking Mercator!  Much to the surprise of the other customer (sporting a Claas fleece - free with a brand new combine), not only do Claas still make Mercator parts, but according to the engineer, there are in fact three or four people locally who come to Manns for Mercator parts every year.  Three or four?  It's nice to know we're not alone.

H is for...

..'Humphrey', 'Herefords', 'Humbug', 'Harvest' and 'FPU 732H', the Mighty Mercator's year of registration.  Here it is back out in the fields for its 2014 test run. Thank you to Brad Farm Machinery for making this possible and allowing me to run in and grab new lifters at 5.02pm.  I had been patiently following a tractor hauling grain, then a grain lorry, then another tractor, patiently not yelling: "You don't understand!  I want to be harvesting too!".  H is also for...Harvest Diva.

Mr August

Not Farmer Humph, but this handsome beast!

The bullocks have left the Marsh and are now roaming the Popple Field beside the house.

This year's new intake are already begging for apples; a new record for Mum's training regime.  First thing in the morning, it can be alarming when you've forgotten they were in the field and a giant bullock suddenly looms over the hedge.  Other fun occupations in the life of a bullock (and life on the farm is never dull!) include chasing chickens, staring out Humbug, and escorting walkers along the roadside - such gentlemen!

Obviously, staring in an unimpressed fashion at the activity around the house and farm shop is another favourite.  As we haul bales back from the village, there's lots to keep them (and us) occupied.  It was nearly Mercator time in our last blog post...but several cloud bursts later have bought a little time.  Humbug is just going to have to toughen up and walk through the barley, and Dad can be found polishing the Mercator before the Mighty Beast is called to action.

It's nearly time...

#ReturnoftheMercator

The Life of Bees

Who's Your Daddy?

Our crossbred herd ranges from the stately Queenie to the gormless but lovely No. 100.  Each have their own merits, from producing smashing calves, size and build, to a good nature, or occasionally they're just a cow to which we're very attached.  Whatever they may claim, every decent farm has one or two of these. We do not keep a bull on the farm (Thistle, a substantially built cow, is often mistaken for one from afar), but instead, browse the Genus Beef Directory to choose a sire for our calves.  When choosing a bull the most important factors for us are high calving ease, strong growth rates and calf quality.  We do this by looking at the Beef Sire Index which compares the individual bull to the breed average.  Smaller calves that grow fast are ideal in our system, although recently we've produced some monsters!

Currently, we use two bulls: the mighty Hereford, Solpoll 1 Ferrari, and the lively Aberdeen Angus, Nightingale Ploughman.  Ploughman has reached the 'legendary' status of 'Diamond Sire' with over 100,000 calves in his beef sires proof.  He's a busy bull.

I favour giant, dopey Herefords; Dad favours Angus' - you have to watch him when he's by the AI flask or else we'd have 100% Angus calves.  To celebrate our latest batch, and to see if you think Dad got his way, it's Game Time!  Put your observation skills to the test in our "simple" matching challenge:

Answers below.  And for those who need a helping hand: the mothers include two heifers, a giant, a "slow to regain her figure" cow, and a brown one who likes to kick.  No need to thank me.  A pat on the back if you scored 5-out-of 5 - or a kick in the case of Crispin (E).

Answers: 
Hereford: A (wingnut ears - dead giveaway!), B, E.  
Angus: C, D