Mrs Down's Diary, November 24, 2005

The unseasonably warm weather has allowed the barley to shoot away, and the whole crop is standing too proud for its own good.

The ewes are delighted with this luxurious fare, and the change in diet will be beneficial not only for the winter barley, but also to keep the ewes in prime breeding shape.

They will be moved back on to grass at the end of the week.

Our four tups show no signs of losing interest in their allocated task.

Even the newcomer, the tup lamb we have put in with the gimmers, this year's female lambs, has soon learned which end is which, what goes where and for why, very quickly. A precocious lad.

To fortify our ewes for this onslaught, John had ordered a couple of buckets of minerals which are apparently the sheep equivalent of viagra.

Full column in West Sussex Gazette, November 24