Cattle were only taken into the shed at the beginning of November, which is definitely the latest we’ve managed to keep them out for some time.

For once, splitting the cattle into their respective pens was simple, as we could just bunch off the older calves from the younger ones.

With the older group, we chained a creep feeder to the sliding door at the side of the shed, giving them access to ration and also allowing us to permit more airflow through the shed, as it remains unseasonably warm.

Before they were housed, I managed to take a quick break away from the farm, which we all need to do now and again, if only to go back with a revived mind and body.

It’s all too easy to get sucked into doing the same farm chores day after day, without realising we too need a break just like everyone else.

As bright lights and city life are definitely not my style, I was out in the English countryside, and it was more than strange to see deer grazing in the garden outside my bedroom window instead of the usual herd of cattle.

While the break was certainly uplifting, it was rather infuriating to be asked if I’d like to offset my CO2 emissions for the flight by paying an extra few euros.

Of course this is on top of all the other added extras, like the ability to take luggage which is larger than a clutch bag.

To me, this is nothing more than flashy lip service to environmentalism, letting passengers feel it’s perfectly justifiable to continue jet setting around the world just because they pay an extra fiver for a flight.

It’d be nice to believe that one day in the future farmers in Ireland could benefit from monies like this being paid to companies, though I think I’m more likely to see a pig waving to me through the window as we go over the Irish Sea.

With a glut of young calves and replacement heifers to keep over the winter, we only had a few older weanlings to sell last week in comparison with our usual trailer load.

Watching the trade for a fortnight beforehand, I couldn’t foresee any extravagant prices for our calves, but I was gladly proven wrong.

Our star of the sale was a white Belgian Blue heifer, which was originally destined for the Carrick fatstock sales.

However, we had to resort to plan B after I damaged my ankle last month and was no longer able to halter train her.

After advertising her online, she was duly clipped, primped and preened for Carrigallen Mart, where I spent an inordinate amount of time making sure she looked up to scratch for the ring.

One witty farmer even wondered if I was to be sold along with the heifer, as I spent so much time in her pen combing her.

Selling stock never fails to get my heart racing, as the price climbs and you wonder how far it will go before the hammer falls.

For this lady, it happened to be €1,380 at 360kg, which for us is the highest price we’ve ever achieved for a weanling heifer.

Certainly a day to remember, as the two bulls also achieved prices of over €3/kg, something which we always aim for, but don’t always achieve.