Black Sheep Blog

Today is a big day for the Welsh as it is time to celebrate the life of Dewi Sant (or for the none welsh speakers among us, Saint David).

That darn Big Foot is walking around again, leaving a dozen big footprints before mysteriously levitating away to hiding.

Sima is the theme of the day today as many of our journo's are currently in France bringing news from Sima and Sia.

It seems strange that the world's romance 'capital' (they should trademark that) is housing a celebration of tractors and sheep, but it is an essential event in the agricultural calendar.

For all the latest from the event, read our news and livestock blog for the big news.

I told Mr Web Manager and Mr Farmlife to stop all that devil chanting but did they listen!!!

We love a freebie in our office; so imagine the stampede when Mr Business announced that he had some free milk drinks sent to him from the Dairy Farmers of Britain.

The office has been working hard today, not as how you would believe, on the latest agricultural revelations, but rather on trying to find out what celebrities we look like.

Today has been the first day without Mr Web Manager, who after five years of funny flock action has joined the world of Flight.

A strange story on the site today about two ducklings hatching from a box of eggs brought from a supermarket

I realise the importance of fresh produce but maybe this is taking it bit too far!!

The harsh realities of lent are really striking FW staff members hard today, with temptation lurking at every conceivable corner.

Do you feel like there is a void in your life;like you need something, or somebody to talk to, share photos with or even poke!!!(i don't mean in that sense Mr Farmlife).

Well have no fear, because Farmers Weekly is here!!!

We have joined the social revolution and want you to join us for the ride. To find out more, read this guide or go directly to Myspace and Facebook and find Farmers Weekly.

To most people in the office he is affectionately referred to as the Silver Fox, but today we found a new side to Mr Features David Cousins.

The theme of office facial hair continues, this time we have Miss Poultry reporter Caroline Lovell:

Okay so this may not be completely realistic, but i think the mutton chop sideburns work a treat, and the glasses suit her really well in the 'serious' reporter mould. I am not sure whether she agrees however...

A flurry of excitement is building within the office as it's that time of year again to dust off that suit, get out the garish tie, and get ready to celebrate!!!!

Not of course to celebrate a 50% pay rise (although that would be nice), but the company's (RBI's) internal award ceremony.

FWi has pitted its wits against the rest in the company in two awards, one for our Haunted Farmhouse coverage and the other for just being an awesome website (or something like that!!!).

Unfortunately the Black Sheep is not up for any awards, which made us bang our heads like this poor chap in frustration

The Black Sheep is a hardy beast, so we were surprised to see a farmer putting cagoules onto his lambs to protect them from the harsh weather.

What next i wonder, manicures for horse hooves, parker jackets for cows, or maybe hoodies for chickens (giving all the other chickens a bad name in the process).

There is a sense of excitement today as we build up to the RBI Awards that happen this evening.

The awards offer the perfect opportunity to get a little bit tipsy and make a fool of yourself on the dance floor, two things that i am exceedingly good at.

Everybody has their suits and dresses ironed and ready; all except for myself, who attempted to iron a new shirt last night but came in this morning looking, as Mr Online Editor termed, like a crumpled tent that had blown away.

Unfortunately, unlike the Oscars there will be no red carpet, but I will bring you all the irrelevant gossip next week.

Ever wondered what you have to do to get a JCB Groundhog out of the mud? Well let us show you how not to do it, as Mr Machinery hilariously shows. We are attempting to create a record of YouTube views from the Farmers Weekly collection,so why not pass this link on to your friends.To comment, or to pass this video on, why not look at it on YouTube.

Like Mr Farmlife, my last award-winning success was sometime ago, receiving the most improved player award for Wrenbury Rangers Sunday league football team when I was 12 years old.

The delight was palpable therefore on Friday, as we won the Social Media award at the RBI awards, for our coverage of the Haunted Farmhouse. Mr Farmlife and I punched the air with delight as we headed to the stage, and I am pretty sure I saw Mr Ex Web Manager shed a tear or two (or maybe I imagined that!)

Anyway, the sense of success was still present this morning, although the victorious feeling was mixed with hazy recollections of what happened after we had won the award and the accompanying bottles of champagne. It's been difficult believe me.

Farmers Weekly's reporters are more used to summing up the relative merits of cattle and sheep, but this didn't stop intrepid Mr Business editor Andrew Shirley from sizing up this ferocious Nile crocodile while on a study trip to The Gambia in west Africa.

Mr Business Editor has set the flock readers a challenge.

"Here's a picture of a tasty west African delicacy I stumbled across on a recent study trip to the Gambia in west Africa. Any idea what it is? The first correct answer might win a prize".

Read more about my trip to Gambia

If like me you like a holiday or two, you will be intrigued by a petition to give the beautiful people of England another Bank Holiday.

There is currently in motion an online petition to make St George's Day (April 23rd) from next year a national holiday.

Come on, do it for your country? Actually, thinking about it just do it for yourself, as we can all do with another day off to wait in long queues for the beech,or alternatively in bed with a beer induced hangover.

I am not in nature a suspicious person but something happened in the office today that has me question this a little.