A walk in the wood

We have had some 'rogue' sheep in our wood today - I spotted them from the bathroom window and realised they weren't ours.. The wood is about 10 acres and it is classified as ancient woodland because it was on the first Ordnance Survey map printed in1700 (ooooh) It is pretty special - we know there are deer, badgers, foxes and red squirrels in there - and to go in there, lean aginst an oak tree and listen to the birds and the stream, is a wonderful experience that we feel very grateful for. We are actively encouraging the regeneration of the wood SO the sheep had to be chased out.. Jonathan and Morgan were away in Edinburgh - first time experience at a rugby match (All Blacks V Scotland - amazing atmosphere apparently) so Beth and I trotted in there with Dan the sheepdog. We followed the sheep to where they had pushed up the fence over the stream to get into the wood, and I found a dead branch to put against the fence for now. I had managed to get down the steep valley side without mishap and avoided getting my legs caught in the dead ferns but as I pulled at the branch, it gave suddenly and I feel flat on my back.. Beth LOVED it - completely lost the plot and belly laughed her little socks off! We then had a wander back... (once she recovered) It;s all very 'dank' and decaying at the mo, but very atmospheric and gorgeous colours - yellow ochre, burnt sienna (I only know this since taking up painting!!) We stopped and sat at a point we call the fairy knoll...very beautiful..(could have been more so without a manic 6 year old wanting more funny falls)
The dogs are in disgrace - set off for a walk down the track with 2 dogs (no idea where Jack the Border Terrier was) continued the walk with 1 dog. as Red took off into the wood, ignoring the whistle and shouts (makes me so mad!) then on my return, had 3 dogs with me! Mad..  at least they come back - but Red is so big and noisy, she's really disruptive, whereas Jack just potters and tries to chase the odd pheasant. and my lovely Dan just stays with his Mum, bless him!
There is a connection between the donkeys and the wood, so I will explain all next time...

Introducing the horses

Hi, from wet and grey Eden Valley - very Autumnal now, leaves everywhere suddenly.... It's been a hectic couple of weeks! We went to London at half term for a few days (my old stomping ground!) to see my niece Charlotte who is now working down there and another friend - and to show the kids where I used to live.. A third floor council flat on Tulse Hill Estate is very different to here! and it seems to be both a lifetime away and just only yesterday...But good to go back and we went in Brockwell Park where I used to walk my dog Barney (bless him, my mate) and had a coffee in the very trendy (but in some ways, unchanged) Brixton Market. The kids were great, we did loads of walking as well as buses and tubes - saw a lot and really enjoyed it all. Then got back here and collapsed in a heap for a couple of days! (well I did) Nicola had been in charge of the animals and it's no easy feat remembering what animals are fed what, when so we always leave loads of notes, but it is fantastic for us that we can go away and know everything is ok at home - so many people feel tied to their farms..  Now the weather is colder, the animals are more demanding for food and are fed twice a day. I am still careful about how much grass the horses are getting, even though it is not rich any more, because Ben is prone to laminitis (inflammation in his feet, brought on by too much protein and sugars in food) and I have to watch his weight. Luckily, Son of Ben, Pickles (do they know they are father and son?) has not had laminitis, but I am not taking any chances so he is company for Ben in the 'starvation' paddock and when I bring them in.. Very funny to watch them together, grooming and biting, galloping and rearing up... Dinky is such an old girl (30 plus/) but so healthy that I let her have more. She is very hardy and I think this is because she is a Fell pony (native to Cumbria) I will get in touch at some point with the place that had her as a brood mare (think she had about 18 foals!) and let them know how well she is..
So here are horsey pics...

This is Ben - about 12 and we have had him since 2006 when my sister bought him from a hose sale AS A SURPISE for us!! We wanted a companion for our goat Merlin - but Ben being a little gobby stallion, nipped and terrified Merlin till we got him done (Ben, that is...on our lawn...interesting) BUT before then, we loaned him out to a fat black and white pony called Tinkerbell..and the result was...

Pickles!! about 3 now - very very cheeky and funny.. He is a 'mouthy' pony and sometimes nips but always goes 'OH, I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT!!!'  He is very chilled, nothing bothers him (unlike Ben, who I had to do a lot of work with to relax him .. don't know what had happened to him before) and I am bringing him on so that Beth can ride him.. He would be fun to drive too (tho I don't really know about that yet)

This is Dinky - not a great pic of her, she was hungry and wouldn't stand still! She is about 14.2 and classic Fell. She is quite grey on her face but still beautuful - and can move when she wants to! I ride her sometimes, but mainly it's Beth and her friends that mess about with her. She is a great confidence boosting pony and I trust her in the stable totally..



so that's the 'herd'...
They now are trained to come to a bucket of rattling nuts so I don't have to climb up the side of the valley and all over to get them (used to be a real pain)  However the first time I rattled the bucket, I had the sheep and donkeys following me rather than my intended targets!! Foolish... But fantastic to see them now, galloping to me when they hear the buckets.

So...the donkeys come next! (could write an essay about those two!!)
Bye...

Working on the track

Hello...
Well, the weekend saw the most glorious weather up here (like most of the country, I think) - cerulean blue skies and warm sunshine with just a hint of crispness to remind us it was Autumn.  Some of the trees in the area are turning yellow and orange though the ones in our valley are pretty much still green. I still pinch myself at times to check that living in this beautiful place with all its serene space is not a dream!
BUT we had the track to 'fettle' (love that word - think it's Yorkshire?)  - half a mile of shovelling ex road planings from the loader, raking it then rollering over it with the mini roller borrowed from our farmer/builder neighbour. We didn't do it all - though it felt like it! - just concentrated on the bits that had been washed away by the monsoon type rain we had in the summer. Hard work but very satisfying... Both kids were great! (Morgan fuelled by the thought of his pay - and Beth because that's how she is!!)

Funny, wondering where the planings came from.. there were yellow bits that must have been yellow lines, so must have been somewhere urban... So once a road in a town, now ended up crushed and remaking a track in Cumbria.. Recycling at its most exciting!?

Jonathan has been trundling off with the trailer full of haylage to deliver it as far as Lancashire. He advertised the haylage for sale on Preloved, a site that not everybody, it seems, has heard of. It has worked well for us so far - we also sold our Angora goats on there (see Barnacre Alpacas)



I took pics of the animals so that I could introduce them but OMG, there is so much to say it is overwhelming - and you have to REALLY LIKE animals to appreciate all this I think! 

So here is a quick introduction...

Here is Simba - and he is the King... rules the dogs (and us)
More about him another time..

    This is Red and Jack, looking nervous! (not normally asked to sit on the kitchen window seat) The term 'barking' (as in mad) comes from someone who must have met Red.. She is a German wire haired pointer..and there are many many stories to tell . Jack is a border terrier - very sweet, with the most perfect eyeliner (he really looks like he's got it on) but he likes to wander and goes conveniently deaf to shouts and whistles.. He spent the first few weeks of life with us cowering whenver he saw Simba, who used to box his ears! aawww...

This is Dan, my adopted sheepdog - a very happy character, always wagging his tail.. (though still not brilliant at being a sheepdog, but that's because of me) He has to put up with Red - they both sleep outside in the shed - very cosy because of the wood burning boiler that heats the barns and office - they have their own personal central heating!







So that's the cat and dogs.. much more to come on them.. I will do horses and maybe donkeys next!
Bye for now..

Hello!

Hello - and welcome to Gill Bank Farm blog!

This is just an introduction for now - we hope to start blogging regularly some time next week.

Gill Bank Farm is in Cumbria, with the atmospheric  fells nearby on one side and the beautiful Lakeland fells in the distance on the other. We came here in December 2009. It is our dream home - one we waited and hoped for and visualised for many years - and we intend to be here for a very long time!

'We' are Jonathan and Sally and our children, Morgan (14) and Bethany (6) - also our many characterful animals, who I will introduce in the next blog.

See this space for silly animal tales, farming stories, trips around the Eden Valley and Lake District, and a general description of our family life here in Cumbria..

Bye for now!

Sally