Farmsolation Week 4

This is all becoming second nature to us all now, distancing, and stepping back when someone moves near to us. What a strange situation we are all in, but it seems to work whilst it’s sunny, however I’m not so sure about people being happy to queue for a long time when it is raining or much colder than the lovely temperatures we are experiencing now.

Our shop is still open, and our customers have been great waiting outside until they can either come in or pay in the office one person at a time. We have found that the contactless payment has been a godsend to lots of people as handling cash is obviously a concern. Our staff have been wearing gloves, so we are happy to accept either form of payment.

The dry weather has enabled Chris and George, plus our contractor who sows the corn, to finish the land work, some had to be left from last Autumn when it was too wet to travel on the fields – strange to think of now. Plus, the crops we had planned to sow in the Spring anyway. We have also had to resow some fields where the crop had just rotted off with all of the wet, so Chris has had rather a lot to do, plus making bird foods to keep the shop plus our trade customers supplied and stocked.

We have had some down time with the dogs, and they are loving the family attention, instead of just myself and Chris to walk them.  Earlier this year I bought them some agility equipment, and yes, Crufts might have had something to do with it, and yesterday we tried it out. I had bought the weaving poles, a jump plus a tunnel.  The tunnel was a little small for such big dogs I thought, but with a couple of treats they were both happy to go through.

It is very interesting though, that Frank (our older dog) seemed confused by the prospect of being asked (very politely, with treats) to jump a small jump since he could skirt around the edge to get the tasty treat! Walter (our younger Vizsla) understood and leapt back and forth – perhaps you can’t teach old dogs’ new tricks after all! Finally, we tried the weave, which Frank chased and leapt everywhere, whereas the star-of-the-show Walter wove in and out!

It was great to do this with the girls, because not only were we all outside together, but it was also a fun way to spend our exercise for the day. Of course, working so hard took its toll on young Walter, who decided to nap for the rest of the afternoon – success!

Fields are sown, the girls are getting along and helping out, and the dogs are playing nicely in the sun. I must admit, the world may be scary right now, but in our Laverock Hall bubble we are really learning to appreciate each other and communicate well. Taking a step back and taking time to appreciate one another is easier than ever, and seems even more rewarding when it’s cheap, homemade and outdoors – even if the dogs did scare away a long tailed tit Chris had been admiring for a few days!!

www.laverockhallfarm.co.uk