October is normally associated with bangs and whistles from fireworks, but it certainly arrived with a howl and a splash as storm Amy touched down. Two days of incessant rain certainly pushed any lingering thoughts of summer to the back of our minds, as the cattle once again trudged through muddy fields.

Though wet, they were quite content outdoors here, as most hedges held enough foliage to provide adequate shelter from the wind and with the weather being quite mild, a feed of hay in the mornings was enough to avoid bringing the majority indoors.

As the next week is looking dry, we’re hoping to keep some out as late as early November, though some of the older weanlings and an older Belgian Blue heifer will be brought to the mart this week.

With a large amount of heifer calves born this year, we won’t have any bulls to go until next year, and the first three to be sold are all golden Limousin-Charolais crosses, which will hopefully catch a few eyes around the ring. Their full sisters last year all went for breeding, so hopefully there’ll be a similar outcome this year.

We’ve always been meticulous about worming our weanlings, but it’s pure luck that we decided to also vaccinate this year, with the indecision currently surrounding exporters purchasing untreated stock.

While I can understand their argument with the high price of cattle at the moment, it would have been easier to rectify for farmers currently selling animals if their concerns had been raised weeks ago. I know I’d be wary of purchasing anything for a couple of thousand if I’d have to cover costs for possible complications straight after I took it home.

Preparations for winter are otherwise in full flow around the farm. After the loss of our old hay shed in spring, we’ve had to tighten up on space indoors in order to fit all the machinery under cover. Even at that we’ll have to feed a couple of hay bales at the start of housing in order to free up room for the last bits and pieces.

For the first time in a few years, we’ve managed to have all the meadows in good order by autumn, and it’s a welcome sight to see green fields instead of rushes dotted over them like chickenpox.

Costs nothing to be kind

Now I’m not a very religious person but I believe that whatever good we put out into the world will come back to us in some shape or form; it may not be that day or even that year, but as they say it costs nothing to be kind.

As there’s often leftover catfood in this house (remnants from a spoiled pet cat who appears to spend half his winter nights bringing lost mice indoors to the warmth, bless him) it’s placed outdoors for any waifs and strays which may pass by.

One night last month I was overjoyed to find a hedgehog happily munching away beside the door. He returned each day after darkness up until last week so hopefully he’s safely tucked up for winter in some hidey hole.

They’re wonderful little creatures and it’s such a shame their numbers have declined in recent years, though where my spiky friend is sleeping is anybody’s guess, as the open shed lost in January would have been the ideal hibernation spot.