James & Isobel Wright
Autumn feels like it's well on its way here. The air has a slight chill to it now, and the mornings feel quite dark.
Despite it being one of the driest months we've had all year (sorry to those still battling drought), the grass is still growing and, at this rate, we'll be able to keep the cows outside for a while yet.
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We scanned the cows last week and only one of them came back empty. She's 12 years old and has done her time.听
Stabilisers
Frustratingly, she's had steer calves the past two years, so I've only one of her daughters left on the farm, but I've been really impressed with the Stabilisers.
Almost all of our herd are first-calving heifers and not only have we pulled calving back by a month, from March to February, but also they are all in-calf.听
It goes to show just how much difference a good summer and steady grass growth can make.
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The sheep have been more of a mixed bag. We sold our shearlings at Exeter for reasonable prices and I was glad to see they went to another young Devon farmer.听
In our next batch to rear on, we lost three ewe lambs to acorn poisoning. There's no getting around it, that is a real kick, when you have just bought them.
Out-wintering
We have set up a few bales in the field to give out-wintering a go.听
By this time next month, I'll either be wishing I'd put more out or wishing I'd never started it in the first place.
Away from the farm, I spent a few days at the Conservative Party Conference.
As director of policy for the Conservative Rural Forum, I've seen how far the party drifted from its rural roots and the results from the last election show the reality of what happens when you listen too much to lobbyists and not enough to the people actually living and working in the countryside.
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But this year felt different, packed panels and a real recognition that our rural communities are vital to Britain's future.
We've got a long way to go, but perhaps, like this late flush of grass we have seen, there's still a bit of life left in the roots.
