Some of you may have seen over the past few days some Sheep in the Valley. This afternoon for a short moment I thought that the Sheep had broke through the new fencing that we had put up in the Horse field to keep the Sheep in. With the earache I got from my neighbour’s about our straying Sheep it was the last thing that I needed. I didn’t hang about checking in case there was a way out in the fencing for the other Sheep to escape. On getting to the Sheep in the Valley it was obvious by the way they scarpered that it was the group that was with Ewy that we were unable catch. Although we had looked for the Ewy groups through the Summer it was the first sighting that we had, but unfortunately there was no sign of Ewy. Mind you Ewy is a Sheep with her own agenda so it is possible that she has had Lambs and is on her own in the Woods. Of course it may also be that she has died as she was getting on a bit. We can only wait and see.
When in the valley I checked on the cut grass that I had hope to make hay with. I don’t reckon that I am going to be very lucky with it as it is well wet and smelling. If we have a bit of a dry spell we may be able to make silage but it wont be very good. We did manage to make seventeen bales of haylage and with what with the remainder of last years hay that we have left as long as it is not a long Winter we may just scrape through.
In case you don’t know the difference between hay, silage and haylage I will try to explain. Most will know that hay is completely dried grass. Silage is newly cut grass that is baled shortly after and wrapped in plastic film or put into a large pit and covered very tightly in plastic to stop air getting to it. If silage is not wrapped or covered and air gets to it mould so sets in and it heats up making it not edible. Silage is fed mainly to Cows. Haylage is grass that is left to nearly dry then baled and wrapped in plastic. As long as air does not get to it it is a very good feed for Horses and has a sweet smell. Most Horses prefer it to hay.
The new Swan has now settled in well and is getting on with the Cob. A good sign is that he is allowing the Pen to eat with him. We have not seen the Swans that flew away since I last told you about them, but I reckon they will be back.