It is the way of farming that we are always looking to the next season whilst still in the previous one!  Summer means preparing for winter, particularly making sure that we have enough straw for bedding to see us through the long winter months when the cattle are housed. We grow 60 acres of barley on the farm, using the grain as animal feed and baling up the stalks to make straw bales, but this barely scratches the surface in terms of the amount of straw we use to provide bedding for 600 cattle.  The rest of the requirements comes from neighbouring farms, but the long dry period of weather during the spring has meant that the stems of the barley crop were stunted, and were not as long as usual.  Consequently straw yields are down, and the price is up!  Luckily our barns are full, but many farmers have to travel many miles to get enough (hence why there are so many tractors on the road at this time of year).

We are in the midst of preparing 3 bulls for the Autumn Sales in November.  This involves teaching 800kg of Charolais bull to walk beside you on a halter and much washing and grooming.  Therefore, do not be surprised if you see a large white bull receiving a shampoo and set (yes we do own a bovine hair dryer) as you drive through the farm yard.  

On an environmental note we are thrilled that one of the two barn owl boxes put up by the Aylesbury Vale Barn Owl Project in January has been occupied by a breeding owl.  This hard working mum has raised 6 beautiful chicks, which we were privileged to see weighed and rung by the Project team of Dave Short and his right hand man Bill.  The box that is being used is very near to the shooting ground, proving that the sound of shooting definitely does not disturb the wildlife.

The difficult weather conditions over the summer (what summer?) have meant that the College Farm bees haven’t produced enough honey for us to take a second crop this year. We have decided to leave what honey they have made to see them through the winter, and in fact are supplementing them with sugar syrup at the moment so that they can turn this into honey to add to their winter stores.  Even though we can get some lovely weather at this time of year (apparently!) most of the flowering plants that are good for bees have finished flowering, and the bees are very much concentrating on preparing for the winter ahead.

As part of our continuing involvement with the ‘Let Nature Feed Your Senses’ project we welcomed a group of elderly residents from a Care Home in Aylesbury to visit the farm.  This visit was filmed by the project and can be seen on the Let Nature Feed Your Senses web site. (Definitely worth a look!!)

Telephone Kevin Grey on 01494 883715 or 07702243308 / Steve Ward on 01844 212390 or 07889185518
Or email kevin@go-clayshooting.co.uk