Last week, after writing about having ideal weather for slurry, we got a succession of cold, muggy and wet days. We had to rehouse all the bull weanlings after some damage to the ground and fencing, and put them back on a full winter diet. We also had to postpone any more slurry spreading.

Suddenly over the Easter all changed – as it can at this time of the year. The oilseed rape has put on a growth spurt after the nitrogen and sulphur, and the field now has a real promise of yellow.

This year we have gotten the seeding rate right in both the conventional and direct drilled sections. The plants are well spaced and allow maximum branching – and hopefully maximum yield. But given the recent declines in oilseed rape prices, the yield will need to be over 1.75 tonnes an acre to convince me to stick with the crop.

The new grass on the reclaimed ground has lost its sickly brown colour and is now a verdant green after 3cwt of 10:10:20.

However, some things never change: our fixed Eircom phone line broke down again and it and the internet were out of action all over the holiday period. Those of the children who came home for Easter complained that we might as well be living in darkest Africa. But, seriously, I had understood that Eircom was subject to a State regulatory regime that imposed service obligations. If so, they are not being observed.