WIGBOROUGH TRADITIONAL MEATS
Occasional newsletter,Issue 18, August 2011
The last month has all been about harvesting and in theory making hay while the sun shines. The CD is stuck yet again complaining about the weather and the associated problems. It should only take a day and a half to combine the Spring Barley (our only cereal crop), but due to the crop not being ripe earlier and a major breakdown we still have half a day left. Back in the good old days ( when we used to grow winter wheat ), I would pick the kids up from school and we would picnic watching the combine; harvest is dragging on this year. This has allowed time for weed seeds to germinate in the bottom of the crop which the combine has difficulty cutting through compared to a dry cereal stalk, the greenery is then left in the swath which will take longer to dry out than the straw so baling is delayed. All weather related consequences to moan about, there are more which I am sure my husband would enlighten you on during the next wet day...... tomorrow.
The cereal yields are down both in quantity of grain and quality of straw. Our stock use about 300 tonnes of straw a year for bedding and we have had to cart from more fields than usual, it has been a long and still on-going campaign. There are the half Hestons ( big rectangular ones) to use as pen dividers in the growing pigs, 4ft diameter rounds to go in with the older growing pigs and sows and the 5ft rounds to unroll for the cattle and sheep once they come indoors. Plus the old fashioned ‘little’ bales which can be lifted by hand and are used in the farrowing houses and weaners.
The Spring Barley crop waiting for harvest – the ripe heads droop down . Wheat ears stay upright.
We use barley straw on the younger pigs as it is softer and more absorbent than wheat straw.
The combine hired from Abbotts Hall in action. The nearest straw swath has been run on by the corn cart trailer as this is the distance it has to be to ‘catch’ the corn on the move – but no time is wasted.
The telescopic loader with home - made grain pusher attached. The grain in stored in the shed behind and pushed into a higher heap after being tipped out of the trailer – not a problem getting the harvest to fit in the shed this year.
Toby( younger son)unloadinground bales; the home bred labour force have a more useful skill set now they have all passed their driving test.
The delayed harvest has meant a chance to complete the poured concrete walls in the straw shed making it more weather proof and also rabbit proof the bottom of the hay store as too many took advantage of the dry food and shelter we provided last winter.
Bob reaching for the rake to distribute the concrete being poured between the shuttering.
FLOCK CLEARANCE
These Gold Line Hybrids will be available at £2 each between
4th and 11th September, a little earlier than planned as the paddocks need re-seeding and this is best done in September.
If you are interested in having your own egg layers ( though not guaranteed ) just let me know.
WTMShop News:
Opening times : Fridays and Saturdays 10am – 5:30pm and all other days when the sign says OPEN, please ring if you are making a special journey. Fresh meat is back every Thursday, you are welcome to call then but service may take a bit longer as we are labelling up.
We have had a new delivery of lambskins : £42 for rare breed and £32 for white skins. These make good presents for all ages and are machine washable – on a wool cycle.
The next fresh beef ; a 3 week hung Angus cross, born and reared here is available from the end of the month and at Colchester Farmers’ Market on Friday 2nd September at the Arts Centre. Please respond to this email if you would like to reserve any ( the next one will be in November).
Introducing the ‘mini beef box’– over £50 worth of beef for £45. This will include 2 joints of your choice ( topside, silverside, rib on the bone, rolled rib or brisket ), a couple of steaks and some mince, plus burgers or braising / stewing as you wish. Email back to reserve yours!
Fresh meat weekly and a free local delivery service.
We stock chicken from Essex Birds with weekly fresh deliveries – all other meat is born and raised here.
Our hens lay the free range eggs.
Current VEGETABLESin abundance from Bob’s garden are:
Potatoes
Cabbage – red and white
Garlic
French beans
Runner beans
Carrots
Tomatoes
Bob won the vegetable cup at the recent 5 Parishes Show!
For all enquiries, orders or a price list contact Kate Gladwin 01206 735 694 07790 095 052
If you would rather not receive WTM newsletters just let me know.