I haven't been around much recently...

[Rob R]

...and in this short film Nat explains why [warning, contains Dexters}.

[Louisa Gidney]

Nice cattle! Love the marketing angle.
Mine didn't want to come home from their summer keep this year, normally they're only too glad to leave. Even at home, they are happy out. Having bodged up a fence, I've got a group trampling over grown rushes, for nesting snipe habitat next year.

[Saffy]

Excellent...

[Boofarm]

And looks like time well spent!

[Rob R]

I was a little aprehensive about taking on Seavy carr initially but we were the only ones prepared and able to graze it with cattle.

Louisa - we're expecting calves from two of yours any day now. I think she's in calf, anyway...

[Louisa Gidney]

Just an update on how my rush trampling has gone over the winter. Previously I've had adult non-shorts on the problem areas and they have made minimal impact. This time I'm using short-legged juveniles and they are doing a splendid job. They've been out all winter, so a tremendous saving on bedding already and far less mucking out for later in the year. What was impenetrable over grown rushes can now be easily walked over and grass is already rejuvenating. The ditch sides are accessible for the first time in years. I've got one length dug out over the winter so water can run freely off my land. The fence bodging has needed a bit of Heath Robinson improvement but continues to hold. Quite the best bit of land improvement I've done for no cash outlay and considerable cost benefit. Last time I had the rushes mown for ELS it cost £150. The Dexters have now done the job on land that the mower couldn't access. Now, that's what I call a profitable return.

[Boofarm]

Nice when a plan works out - good to hear

[Rob R]

Two weeks ago we rounded up the herd from Seavy Carr and Nat wrote a blog about it. All passed the TB test btw.

Dexters are the best land improvers there are. We're being asked to graze more & more Ings and the birds are bouncing back. Glad to see it's working in County Durham too.