Bad weather brings the cows in for winter and a there is an appearance on the Yorkshire Vet at the farm on the M62

The announcement that schools are to stay open during the national lockdown was met with much grumbling, huffing, puffing and scowling
Bad weather spelt the end of cows living out and John-William was disappointed at having to return to school.Bad weather spelt the end of cows living out and John-William was disappointed at having to return to school.
Bad weather spelt the end of cows living out and John-William was disappointed at having to return to school.

Lofty thoughts of days spent running around the meadows with his pet lambs in tow were soon put to bed!

The current rules seem utter madness to us, but until we’re told otherwise, our little guy will have to continue to attend. I can’t deny he is sorely missed when he’s at school and he’s certainly no fair weather farmer and has battled on in the horrendous weather we’ve all had this last week.

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As is usually the case when the heavens open, our drive has been washed away again. The stones and road planings that make up the drive that goes under the carriageways is now strewn across the grass at the bottom of the steep hill that leads up to the farm.

The terrible, stormy conditions have ended the cows’ outside time, the meadows can no longer sustain them. They came in easily, thankful to be out of the driving wind and rain. After ten minutes of leaping and jumping around the deep straw bed in their winter accommodation, they settled down.

We’ve still to bring the cows home from Farnley Tyas, a much bigger task than moving the ones that live at home. It’s a long walk from their grazing fields up to the handling pens where we load them onto the wagon. Hopefully, with a let-up in the weather, we’ll have them home by the weekend.

Paul has enjoyed brief stardom following his appearance on The Yorkshire Vet. It’s not the first time he’s been on TV and seems to be completely unfazed by the cameras. The One Show, Inside Out and Jimmy’s Farming Heroes have all visited at some point over the years.

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Unless under duress, I usually dodge the TV crews and John-William is well out of the way at school, which is no bad thing. Seven-year-olds have no filters, no off switch and I shudder to think of what could come flowing from his innocent little lips!

However, after watching his dad on TV he is now adamant that he will be there for the next instalment of The Yorkshire Vet!

Following a lull in my enthusiasm for home improvements, I’m now feeling inspired to tackle another room. The news is met with much despair. Paul has absolutely no desire to alter anything in the house, the damp, the endless icy drafts and ancient anaglypta wallpaper that adorns many rooms, is just fine with him. His skills lie in farming and farming alone.

Any attempts at DIY tend to end in snapped screwdrivers and broken drill bits. So despite the frantic pleas of “please, not more decorating”, my interior design head is on and Stott Hall will inch that little bit closer to gracing the glossy pages of Beautiful Homes magazine!

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That is until the muddy wellies, heavily soiled overalls, pet lambs, dogs and other smelly odds and sods start to fill the house again!

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