Some things are certain in this world - we have birth, death and taxes. And Berry’s animals are doing it all, despite the taxes!
It’s always a joy to have a healthy litter of piglets - Ginger has just produced11 very pretty babies. A great start to the cycle of birth to bacon.
And with death I have noticed, often within a family, the characters change with the remaining team - whether with people or animals.
Our lavender partridge barmer hen has always been in the background - happy to pick up any crumbs left over.
Lavender Hen. Well now she is the sole survivor of the outdoor hen gang she is running the place! She likes everyone, including dogs, to fall into line behind her - I love her. Walking out to greet me in the morning and overseeing everyone’s rations. Lavender hen in the pony feed.
Highlands are enjoying their daily hay rations. Hope that is all for us!
Shame the run is broken, could be a way into the wood.
Highlight of the year will be the highland calves hopefully born in March.
The white heifer, our first, is wintering well, she was born on Derby Day last year, so an obvious name.
Derby the white heifer.
A new member of the team, Fifi, a special little welsh mountain pony - loves her rugs, and came with quite a wardrobe.
Fifi checking the rug selection.
The autumn brought a film crew to the Dales - word went out that the director, Danny Boyle, needed highlands and some native pigs to film the Zombie film 28 Years. Clearly, we were on hand with both and await the film premiere to see how we all featured. The Highlands, whose heads are big enough already, will be insufferable if they are stars in that as well.
Highland stars
The Wensleydale Experience business. has got off to a roaring start with the Yurt site being fully booked for the Easter holiday followed by a stag party taking over the site.
Work is underway to landscape the yurt site and car park - plus creating a yurt site shop and new facilities.
And work has started for an animal viewing and interaction site.
No prizes for guessing who will be the stars of that show………
Barney the escapee!
Exciting times.