Farmers Focus: Plane ride offers new way to see farm

It seems that we have been getting two dry days and then one wet day recently.

However, we have managed to get wholecrop done and third-cut silage in, although inbetween showers.

In fact, we have had that much rain the fence we had put up to stop the heifers escaping washed away, and the heifers escaped again. Thankfully there were no casualties this time.

See also: Read more from our Livestock Farmer Focus writers

Our field we used for wholecrop gets very wet when it rains, so the digger is draining the problem areas in the field before we reseed it with grass.

Show time

We were lucky enough to do well at our local shows, Stewartry and Dumfries. Unfortunately, while at Dumfries we were hit so bad with rain at one point we had to stop the cattle showing and run for cover.

Meanwhile, the heifers outside have been wormed again, so we are up-to-date on their worming programme.

Flight

For my recent 40th birthday (I wish) the family gave me a flight trip to go over the farm. It was an amazing experience.

I even got the chance to fly the plane myself for a little bit. It was actually at the same time as third-cut silage, so it was a good chance to make sure the boys were doing the work.

How different the farm looks from a bird‘’s eye view. Michael was busy doing the silage, so Sheila and Emma came along with me.

The girls were fine, however, I was very green-faced in the car journey home from Carlisle and I’m not sure I will be getting in a small plane like that again anytime soon.

Michael and Emma are off on their honeymoon at the end of August for two weeks – back in time for UK Dairy Day.

We thought this was our last entry for Farmer Focus, however, we have been asked to carry on so you will have to put up with us for another few months.

Brian Yates, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, milks 250 pedigree Holsteins in partnership with his wife Sheila, son Michael and daughter Anna. Surplus heifers are sold for breeding.