2012 – a year of highs and lows

A year to remember or a year to forget? January brought a new year of hopes that were shortlived as my brother Gus passed away at 54 years old after battling for 18 months with throat cancer. Then February and Stirling bull sales – they returned an overwhelming trade for all breeds. The weather at the end of February and March was mild with great grass growth, and we turned stock out in the second week of March to save fodder.

But then came April and the unsavoury weather, resulting in the rehousing of all stock, and first-cut silage wasn’t taken until the third week of May. June proved to be a trying month with wet ground conditions, but we hosted the World Charolais Congress at Stuart and David Bothwell’s farm on a warm sunny day.

July brought much the same weather and full swing into local shows. At the H2 Championships at Clogher, Alan won the junior bull section with a Bonjovi son. On 26 July we got our second cut wilted for a few hours and safely ensiled that evening.

We had to house all the cows and calves on 10 August because of ground conditions and a lack of grass. September came in with the same heavy rainfall and a long winter was looking us in the face. With the milk auction returning a much-needed rise in returns to just above 30ppl, October came in looking rosy for the dairy men.

November saw the Charolais sale returning good prices for the top-end bulls, who always find new homes.

On the shop front, in December orders are coming in thick and fast for turkeys and the usual festive meats. I always look forward to 5pm on Christmas Eve and a couple of days off.

Andrew Burleigh farms a mixed farm and runs a traditional butchers shop in south-west Fermanagh with his wife, Rosalind, and sons Alan and Lee. The home farm is run by his brother and nephew, and is home to a Beltex pedigree flock along side a commercial flock, suckler cows, stores and beef cattle.

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