16th July 2007

St Swithin’s day yesterday and we have had only a few light showers – let’s wait and see!

We are at a very interesting moment in the economic cycle of farming fortunes, which potentially has repercussions for all consumers and may even attract the attentions of the new Prime Minister.

When you put together the area of land now dedicated to the production of bio fuels, a drought in Australia, booming demand for animal protein in Asia (animals that are fed on maize and grain), it all adds up to a shortage of animal and human feed crops. These shortages mean increased cost of production, with the potential to push up the price of food in the shops ... and rising food prices will put upward pressure on inflation.

Wheat prices are 150% of what they were a year ago, and such returns discourage conventional farmers from converting to organic production, so the result is even more upward pressure on prices.

With the prospects of animal feed cost staying high, the challenge for next season will be to see how much more home-grown feed we can produce. A limited acreage of spring barley was sown this year, utilising the nutrients left behind by the free ranging poultry, and these 30 acres might just turn out to be one of the most valuable crops!

Back to this year and the three bulls have joined their herds for a summer of work producing the next generation. All three bulls are naturally ‘polled’ – ie they do not have horns. With no need to compete for or protect a harem of cows from aggressive predators, horns have largely lost their function and the lack of weapons means the animals can do less damage to each other. More important, it means dehorning young calves is no longer necessary – one fewer uncomfortable procedure needed.

At the same time the spring lambs are growing well and it won’t be many weeks before those for the first draw are fit and ready - and the turkey chicks are due to arrive soon.