Devonshire Feb and Mar 16

the rope above his head, John
Wayne style and launched it
some 10 to 15 metres in the
air towards Daisy and it landed
flat on the floor and she ran
straight over it. I told him in
no uncertain terms that we
needed to get more help and
quickly and to stop playing
games. He ignored me totally,
wound the rope back in at
speed and launched it again
and it was like watching a
cowboy movie in slow motion.
The noose came slowly down
and seemed to hover a foot
or so in front of Daisy low to
the ground and her head went
straight into it. Unbelievable.
Totally unbelievable. Jo turned
his head slowly towards me and
smiled a wry smile, no words,
just a smile.
“That was amazing! Where
on earth did you learn to do
that?” “Don’t you remember, I
spent many years farming in
South America and the kids out
there learn to lasso anything
that moves as soon as they can
walk ... chickens, dogs, cats and
even each other - It was the
best thing I ever learnt to do
out there and a skill that saves
the day on many occasions -
just like today”. He laughed his
cheeky laugh.
Jo let go of the rope and Daisy
just stood there. Very, very
slowly Jo picked up the rope,
wound it back in and slipped
a halter over her head and we
tied her too the nearest tree.
In the furore, another foot
This sheep's sick of mud!
An unhappy Black Welsh
Mountain Sheep
had appeared. Jo quickly tied
a rope around each foot and I
wound them around my waist.
We needed to get the head out
as soon as possible. Daisy was
still pushing thank goodness,
so as quietly and carefully
as possible, we pulled gently
on the ropes, but we weren’t
strong enough. Still no result
and I was adamant that we
needed to call the vet.
“We need a ratchet, but we
haven’t got one, but we’ve got
my Landrover and we can tie
the ropes to the bumper - that
calf needs to be out”.
Jo turned and started walking
down the field, but he only
managed a few steps before, at
the top of my voice I shouted
“We are not in South America
now and you are not walking
a step further towards your
Landrover”.
Jo stopped in his tracks and
just whispered in his quiet
unassuming way “Trust me -
she will be fine”. Deep down
I did trust him, otherwise I
wouldn’t have called him... but
Daisy didn’t!
After hearing the words
Landrover bumper, she had
ideas of her own and let out
this almighty bellow, gave one
enormous push and the calfs
head appeared. Bless her, I can
just imagine her saying “no
Landrover trick for me thank
you, I’ll try a bit harder”.
A beautiful golden coloured
bull calf was born and seemed
Janet East is the proprietor
at Yellingham Farm, also
running a Farmhouse B&B
establishment
none the worse for his journey
into the world. Daisy turned
slowly and began licking her
new born and with in no time,
the calf was up and searching
desperately for the milk bar.
A truly wonderful sight.
Janet East
www.yellinghamfarm.co.uk
01404 850272
FARM CALENDAR
February - start lambing 28th
• Check lambing supplies - lambing gel, tail rings,
iodine, colostrum, antibiotics, twin lamb disease
liquid, ear tags, coloured sprays etc.
• Ewes due booster vaccination.
• Build lambing pens and find feed/water buckets.
• Find the radio and get my comfy chair ready.
• Tea tray and kettle, (secret supply of chocolate).
• Notebook and a pen that works.
• Find my lambing thermals (did I wash them?).
• Charity shop - old towels.
March
• Move ewes and newborn lambs into individual
pens to mother up.
• Number ewes and lambs (so it looks like a
number!).
• Keep good legible records (Boys practice your
handwriting skills).
• Ear tag lambs before turn out and ring tails.
• Worm ewes before turnout.
• Move feeders and hay racks out to fields.
• Keep an eye on ewes teats.
• Moan at the lads for not lamb proofing fields.
Barn Life! - the horrible muddy months with rain upon rain has meant that
sheep have been kept inside over much of the winter
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