Mrs Down's Diary - October 21 2009

Several years ago there was a re-mapping exercise where farmers had to correct data on land registry maps, but, in our case anyway, this seems to have been ignored and we have been sent out maps that take no account of the corrections we made several years ago.

So back to the drawing board. Or more accurately, back to the fields so that we can measure out accurately and correct the differences in land boundaries.

In the totality of the exercise it does not make much difference as the changes all take place within our own boundaries, and within the same fields.

These are all down to grass. Fences that marked the old boundaries have been taken down. This created a much larger area for the cattle to freely graze in.

Some of the old boundaries are still marked by trees. These flourish and are favoured by the cattle when they want shade from the sun, shelter from rain or just something to rub up against when they have an itch.

But John wants to retain the boundary markings as future use of the land may require it going back into its own separate fields.

The fields concerned border one newly sown to grass. In previous years it has grown barley and wheat, but with the field rotation, it is back down again to grass to provide a fresh bite for cattle and sheep.

Established five weeks ago the field is already green over. Too tempting for some of our suckler calves. They have done so well this summer that clearing the 3 foot high fence that is all that separates them from the dry pasture they are on and juicy fresh grass next door, is no challenge at all.

Which is why when we arrived in the field this morning to pace out the boundaries, we were surprised to see some distraught cows mooing and bellowing over the fence as their offspring munched away on forbidden fruit.

The alacrity with which the calves jumped back into the field they were supposed to be in when we chased them out, alerted us to the need to start weaning the herd.

With so little rain recently to freshen the grass, John has already been feeding the herd big bale haylage on a daily basis in round feeders in the field. Not good enough for these youngsters it turned out. Not even mother's milk satisfied them.

So tonight my beauty sleep will be disturbed by the sound of the first half dozen calves to be weaned bawling their heads off in the fold yard.

Their Mums are far enough inland in the fields not to disturb me.

We brought the entire herd into the field corral and walked the key miscreants through the cattle race and into a trailer. Calfnapping. And we still have to go and get that mapping exercise sorted out tomorrow.