As our financial year drew to a close on January 31 we found ourselves trying to sift through the wreckage of a year ravaged by Covid-19.
Despite the inconvenience and four months of cancelled farmers' markets, our butchery enterprise takings were up in every month in comparison to the previous year. So, many thanks are due to our loyal customers.
With the insecurity and a general lack of confidence in what is happening, and getting organised for what is about to happen short-term, decision making becomes very difficult. And that is not to mention even more apprehension about the medium-term although, being a farmer, I know the long-term is going to be good - forever an optimist.
Arable ploughing has been on hold for more than a month now, with saturated fields looking sorry for themselves. The grass fields where the cattle are now look like mud flows and will have to be repaired to be of any use for grazing this year.
Ewes were scanned two weeks ago and we were quite happy with the results, with only six barren from the 228 ewes scanned. The ewes scanned at 1.89 lambs each with a breakdown of 36 triplets, 42 singles and the remainder carrying twins.
We have got to start the year with some degree of optimism and I was cheered up by some phone calls I have had from some of my Young Farmer friends and a very good friend with whom I was at college who lives in the Western Isles.
Upon speaking to them I immediately felt an uplift in spirits and the conversations generally drifted to better times when we were younger and had not a care in the world, except for where our next pint of beer was going to come form.
It really was good to talk.
