Monthly Update - January 2023
For many the last few weeks have been dominated by very soggy weather, dismal news and rather dreary, dark days. The River Pang however, has thrived, with all the rain producing a good flow of water to scour the gravel perennial stream bed ready for another fresh season for trout, shrimps, mayfly, crayfish and a host of other aquatic life. For us, our lives have been seriously altered by a litter of 6 Labrador cross puppies. You cannot walk in the areas we share for fear of treading on them or something worse. At 8 weeks old they are bundling together in front of the Aga in between destroying various shoes, oven gloves, socks or toys. They grow on a daily basis and with size comes also a boldness to express their individuality. Their mother, having dealt with weaning, now insists on getting in touch with her inner puppy and joining in the playtimes, which then give way to long periods of deep motionless sleep. The good news is that they all have eager homes awaiting them and if they are like their mum and dad they should be a real joy and blessing as well as a lot of fun.
More new birth is taking place here at Rushall Farm. Steve’s cows are calving, his two sows have had 18 piglets and the first batch of ewes is about to lamb. Last summer’s drought means this group of early lambers will have mainly singles and twins. (Nutrition at mating determines both the number of lambs conceived and the size of lambs at birth.) The hope is that last year’s big flush of autumn grass will result in lots of twins and triplets for his main flock lambing in April.
Greenham Common Trust gave us 1100 large hedge and tree plants for the Rushall Manor site which have now been planted. Volunteer groups have been laying the hedge above Rushall so a large number of stakes and binders have been cut from surrounding woodland. The view across the valley as you walk is stunning, but colder without the hedge, especially when the wind is in the west. We have a busy year ahead with school visits and camps and the Black Barn to rethatch in the autumn. So please come and visit. It is a beautiful place to come to walk, or just be, and enjoy the countryside as another year unfolds.
- John Bishop