Spring!! - When?

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:13 am

I heard my first cuckoo of the year yesterday afternoon, does this mean that spring is at last about to arrive? My cows are out but have no grass so they are still on full winter rations of hay and sugar beet nuts. Have you noticed how other peoples grass always seems to grow quicker than your own?

Martin. Medway Valley Dexters.

Anna · Post by **Anna** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:32 am

"Have you noticed how other peoples grass always seems to grow quicker than your own?"

Yes I have. Indeed. Every year the same thing.

welshdexterboy · Post by **welshdexterboy** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:48 pm

Martin we had more grass in February than we have now thanks to this cold wind we are having. It feels more like January than late April, everything seems all back to front somehow blame global warming and the impending recession.???

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:42 pm

No grass here yet either and the cows are still in. For the first time ever they have been having sugar beet nuts (usually they only get haylage and do very well on it but I thought they needed a boost this year) and I can't believe the effect this has had on them. No more the laid back attitude to anyone visiting the barn, now they are all alert for the possibility of someone going to the bags of beet nuts. They look like small children willing mum to open the sweetie box.

LewisMoore · Post by **LewisMoore** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:52 pm

I'm happy to say that unlike you Martin, we seem to have just enough grass for ours to be of their winter ration. But i do agree with your statment, i don't know why that seems to happen though.

Lewis Moore (aged 16)
Brinkley Dexters

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:15 pm

I heard the first cuckoo yesterday too. Must have flown from Kent along the south coast.

I've been having the same conversation too regarding our grass. It's not grown anything like I see in other fields. So must be a case of 'grass is greener'. Ours are still on their winter haylage feed.

Colin

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:28 pm

There were a pair of swallows sitting on the wires on the yard here this afternoon, the first I have seen this year.

Stephanie

monica waltho · Post by **monica waltho** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:51 pm

Our swallows have arrived today too, we are in Staffordshire
with not much grass yet.

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:35 am

Hummingbirds arrived a couple of weeks ago just in time for two snow storms! This is April??

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:17 am

No swallows yet (and certainly no hummingbirds Kathy - how exotic !!) but yesterday I noticed the first slight green flush on the fields - here we go ......

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:13 am

Spring arrived here yesterday, and went last night! I was going to turn out, but now keeping in for another week or so.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:30 pm

I finally turned ours out today from their wood and paddock winter quarters into a section of our main field. Grass is now starting to show some good growth, if still a little patchy in places. Our dexters have been probing for weaknesses in our fencing and got into next doors land yesterday. So it's been getting more challenging to contain them. Boy were they pleased to be out. Me too.

Colin

ann · Post by **ann** » Sun May 04, 2008 8:02 pm

Well I final was able to get one yard of cattle out today as we where slowly drying up and now its raining again, however I can see they are still happily grazing and have not asked to come back in yet.

unlike it seems everyone else I have loads of grass just don't want it turning to a sea of mud.

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Sun May 04, 2008 8:54 pm

Last weekend I was able to put cows into one of their 'summer' paddocks that has been fertilised two weeks before. I can now happily report that grass is growing in front of the cows and even the one cow that hasn't calved yet is with the rest of the herd enjoying the Bank Holiday sunshine. Plenty of grass and winter (almost) a distant memory, just need to muck the yards out, and get ready for haymaking.

Martin. Medway Valley Dexters.

redhill · Post by **redhill** » Mon May 12, 2008 5:16 pm

after frightening us half to death holly, pearl and nicolas anounce spring is here, Sue