What a generally dull and depressing week it has been! The sun has barely shone, with the line on the barograph tracing an unwavering line for the entire week.

The correct terminology for this phenomenon would probably be becalmed.

Nevertheless, there has been plenty of work to do here and on Stowell Farm, with winter approaching at an alarming rate. I’ve already received a number of Christmas catalogues! Sorry to have to mention the word so soon.

On Manor Farm the plough has been working hard, turning the soil over in stubble fields following harvest.

They have also been ripping through two old grass leys, which will grow a crop of wheat over the next year before being returned to grass once again.

This, however, has not been without its problems. Richard noticed a large crack and on closer inspection saw that there were a number of sites on the plough showing signs of wear and tear.

Richard would normally do welding jobs but this looked a little more difficult, so the plough was taken to Knockdown to be repaired, where it was left attached to the tractor. Once mended I took Richard back to pick it up.

As I neared the farm, after dropping him off, I realised there was something wrong with the Land Rover!

There was a horrible smell and the accelerator was not always functioning as it should. I limped up the farm drive, where Ian was given the bad news. Looking under the vehicle we could see a pool of oil forming on the floor. Not good news. The Land Rover then had to be towed away for repair.

Ian has been spraying a herbicide onto patches of ground in previously cultivated fields, where weeds had germinated.

Ryan, our new member of staff, began working for us at the beginning of the week after coming in to familiarise himself with our farming system for a few weekends prior. Ryan has had very little experience with livestock but is keen to learn more, spending his time this week doing tractor work and helping bring dry cows, three weeks off calving, back to the farm buildings. Here they will be given more nutrients in their feed and checked more frequently during the day and night.

The number of newborn calves on the farm is steadily increasing, but unfortunately a cow carrying heifer twins gave birth before her due date and we lost both calves. We now have five heifer calves and one bull calf.

On Stowell Farm the early part of the week was spent dipping sheep, using a mobile unit. The dip kills all the insect pests such as lice, which bury themselves in the wool.

The dip also gives protection against fly-strike and further infestation of other insect pests for up to 10 weeks.

Recently 305 ewe lambs, for breeding, were sorted and collected for delivery to a farm in Scotland and 50 finished lambs (wethers) were sold for meat. Mark has also collected three Llyen rams for breeding – two came from Scotland and the other from Hereford. Mark picked them all up from Ross-on-Wye market, which was chosen as a good meeting place.

Kevin has harvested some more wheat and baled the straw into large round bales. Richard used our baler to make a number of small bales, always useful.

The oilseed rape, recently planted, has germinated and can be seen in rows. The harvested pea ground has been cultivated to encourage any weed seeds to germinate, after which it will be sprayed with a herbicide. Kevin will use his newly acquired sprayer, with a spray-nozzle boom width of 20 metres, four metres wider than the old one.

Mid-week I walked along some of our hedgerows, now decorated with a colourful array of nuts, berries and a tangle of “Old Man’s Beard.”