T-Sum is a good guide to soil temperature, but ground conditions have to be right before it”s go, go, go on the fertiliser front. At the time of writing, fertiliser is still in the shed. We have stored it all winter and will pay for it at the end of April – 21:8:11 at 143/t.

Snow is still hanging around in the gullies on the hills. But by the time you read this we hope it will be long gone, fertiliser will be on grazing ground, turnip ground will have been mucked and ploughed and lambing well under way in idyllic balmy spring weather.

It”s called the power of positive thought. Alas, positive thought is not enough to put the spring back in this farmer”s heels.

However, help is at hand from family and friends. Our youngest son, the McCormick engineer, will be home for Easter with his wife Gemma and young master Fred. Besides lambing, there are 30 cattle to be clipped out for Dovecote Park. They know better than to expect a rest when they come home.

Still in positive thought mode, we have joined SAC”s Cattle Health Scheme. We already vaccine cows against BVD and leptospirosis and as Hybu Cig Cymru are footing some of the bill we have signed up. We think it may help our herd sell better when we finally hang up our wellies.

Unfortunately, the feeder blew up the other day. A bar off the bed chain was chopped up doing considerable damage and the cattle did not appreciate a high iron diet. Our local dealer delivered a new, dent free model the next day.

Sticking with machinery, the quad bike has been serviced in readiness for spring work. The latest refinement available is a heater on the thumb throttle, so I”ve ordered one. My cup runneth over…