As the landscape trades in its summer greens for reds and yellows, and we exchange our shorts and t-shirts for trousers and coats, so our roles change with this shift in season. The last of the heifers are now weaned, so we leave behind the roles of midwife and nursemaid. We take on the role of breeders, strategists, and hopefully forward-thinkers. This is our first year of serving in the afternoons as well as mornings, but we are not afraid to serve cows again if we see that they are still bulling. Like last year, we are checking cows which have not been seen bulling in the last 24 days, and OvSync-ing them for timed AI. Submission rates so far are over 90%, with several of the not-seen-bulling cows found to have cysts. Also the vet will check all the heifers that have not been served by the end of week three, they will then be given estrumate, so that all heifers should be served within the first month. During the comparative calm of serving season, while maintaining a strict routine, we try to make time for planning and reflection, after months of fire fighting.

The maize harvest has also come to an end, with all finished by the 10th of October, in time for harvest festivities. There were a few hitches, including the drive shaft breaking 200m before the end of the last run, at 7pm. But two hours later it had been repaired, the work was finished and everything was sheeted up. In the end, despite worries of a two week delay on all crops, everything was finished six days earlier than last year. The decision to stop hiring in a large new forager, and buy a second-hand self-propelled forager, was met with some concern from the team, it was suggested that it wouldn’t keep up with the normal pace. However, because it went slower we were able to operate without hiring in additional tractors and trailers or a large loading shovel for the silage pit. Thankfully it came good in the end. Currently the tractor team are emptying the slurry lagoon, right up to the end of NVZ closed period.  They are also cultivating maize stubble and sowing fodder turnips, and have now finished drilling wheat with seed left over from last autumn.

The change of pace has made us all realise just how tired we were, for months we, and our faithful staff, have poured our lives into this farm, this land. As the season changes we can hopefully take the wide view, and start hatching plans. We can regain our passion for learning from others, again appreciating what we have, and striving to do it justice.