Another harvesting process

An alternative to grass and silage is wholecrop silage. This is where a wheat crop is harvested early whilst the grain is still soft. The entire crop, straw and all (hence the name wholecrop) is mown off, chopped into small pieces, and then carted to the farm, and stored in a large pit. The air is excluded as with grass silage using plastic sheeting which is weighed down.



The crop then ferments and produces a high protein version of silage suitable for dairy cows. This video shows the forage harvester, with special attachments for cutting, in action.

Book a holiday on one of our farms here in the Peak District to experience farm life at first hand!

Hay Making in the Peak District

In the Peak District we have had some fantastic weather during July with hot dry and sunny days. This means many of us have been out making hay in the fields. Hay making involves a lot of hard work as the grass needs to be left until it is as dry as possible before it is baled up and stored inside for the winter. If it is too wet the hay becomes mouldy when it is stored and the animals won’t eat it, or it can even make them sick. With good weather conditions it usually takes up to 5 days from the grass being cut until it is ready to bale. To help the grass dry quickly we use a machine called a tedder which spreads the grass around and turns it over so the wet stuff at the bottom gets a chance to dry in the sun.

This video shows the hay being collected and made into small bales on one of our farms.

The hay bales are then loaded onto trailers either by hand or using a tractor and brought back to the farm. It is important they are all collected before it rains so they don't get wet which can mean working long into the night! Many of our farms have traditional stone buildings which have lofts where the hay can be stored safely for the winter. The downside is the bales can only be moved into them by hand, much better than going to the gym!

Traditional hay making is not as common as it used to be as round bale silage has become much more popular. This is a much quicker process as the grass only needs to dry for a day before it can be baled and wrapped in plastic. Round bales are also much larger than hay bales so they are moved with a tractor and much more can be made in a day. Cattle also prefer round bale silage as it is moist and has a higher nutritional value than hay.

Small hay bales are still very useful as they can be fed at any time of year and are also ideal to feed to young calves. Many horse owners also prefer to feed hay as it is easy to handle and doesn’t go off.

Hens Spring into action!

The severe cold weather and long period of snow in Decemeber here in the Peak District meant that most of the hens on our farms stopped laying eggs. Fortunately the nights are drawing out and our free range hens are back in full production.

Here you can see some beautiful copper and silver Maran hens. Nothing delights Elspeth's grandaughter more than to feed the hens, who come running to meet her, and then to collect the dark brown eggs, still warm, from the nest box.


Come and stay on one of our farms in the beautiful Peak District countryside and experience egg collecting for yourself -

Book now for the Easter holidays !

Struggle in the snow

Even in the heaviest of snow falls, the animals must be fed, and that means getting to some farms that might not be on the easiest of roads. This essential corn delivery to Bassetwood Farm, home of the Carringtons, one of our B&B farms, needed considerable help to get into the farmyard.

It's not just getting the corn in, there is then the problem of getting the fresh milk out every day! Add to that problems with frozen water pipes and tractors that won't start, and everything becomes hard work - the snow may look very pretty, but it can be a farmers worst nightmare.

Fortunately the snow now seems to be disappearing as fast as it came.

It does however give our stunning Peak District scenery a different dimension. The Peak District is very much still open for bussiness - so load up you sledge and catch a last minute pre Christmas break.

Beechenhill B&B stunning in the sparkling sunshine

Hoe Grange Holidays (below) - this self catering log cabin could be in the snowy alps!

Prize Winners!

Prize Winners!

We are delighted to announce the two winners of the Peak District Farm Holidays November prize draw who will receive theatre vouchers for Buxton Opera House:

Zan Jackson from Stoke on Trent and Janet Watson from Cheshire

Both winners will be able to choose from a selection of performances - we hope they have an enjoyable evening and would like to thank the Buxton Opera House for their support in our promotion - for performance details see www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk





Meanwhile the Peak District is under several feet of snow and today there are more fluffy white flakes drifting down from the grey skies - there will be no guests on holiday this weekend unless they arrive on skies!

The extreme conditions do make if difficult looking after all our farm animals, making sure they have water and food takes most of the day. The free range hens haven't ventured out of their coop for 2 days and have gone off laying eggs - can you blame them!

Spookyshire

As the nights draw in prepare for some spooky fun at a number of events happening across the Peak District. From Candle lit Ghost walks where you will hear terrifying tales of ghoulish goings on, to bat walks and pumpkin parties.

For lots more information about events happening around the Peak District please click on this link about Spookyshire.

Horses in Harmony

We thought you would like to see what one of our Peak District Farm Holidays members has been up to this summer. Liz Andrews from Northfield Farm and Trekking Centre showed her three magnificant Andalusian mares as a 'cobra' at the National breed show.

I am sure you will agree that they are absolutely stunning and they received a well deserved second place in the Cobra class at the UK National breed show for PRE's (Andalusian's). The collars and bells stem from when the horses are turned out in herds on the large estates in Spain.



This method of showing mares is unique to Spain and the idea is to have 3 identical in size, type and colour all walking, trotting and turning in harmony with their foals running loose - not as easy as it sounds! They say never work with animals. To get one horse to behave beautifully is difficult enough, but to work with six is a major achievment! I am sure it has taken Liz many hours of training and preparation to get them to such a high standard.

Congratulations!