Farmer Focus: A farming year on Orkney

It’s the dead of winter and the nights are dark and long. Everything is soaking wet and the wind is cold and strong.

The hens aren’t laying many eggs. Weaned calves have had three days to sing. The tups have been quite busy and we look forward to the spring.

We wait patiently for calving, hoping for good luck. Two weeks early, we get some twins, which are too weak to stand and suck. 

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A few weeks into calving, it feels like I live in the shed. Feeding, bedding and helping cows, for just one night, can I please go to bed?

When the lambs are skipping around the field, all is well and no one’s minding. But when things go wrong and the weather’s poor, we’d rather go into hiding.

As spring turns into summer, it’s good to leave the shed. Working the land and sowing – fertiliser and slurry to be spread. 

One of the highlights of the year is when the cows are on the hill. Within days the bull has hurt his leg and the farmer is already feeling ill.

The silage is ready to cut. We check the forecast every hour. We are ready for when the sun appears. We can always use more staff and power.

Without a trip to summer shows, a farmer’s year is incomplete. Whether catching up with friends or taking stock along to compete.

As the weather starts to turn, it’s a rush to get the harvest in. If it’s dry, we work both day and night, until the harvest is safe in the bin.

As autumn grips we head to markets to hear the sound of the auctioneer shout. We sell our calves and lambs, it’s what the whole year has been about.

Once money settles in the bank, there’s work around the farm. Servicing machinery and doing repairs will hopefully keep us safe from harm. 

So, at the start of another new year, we should sit back and have some rest. I hope to see more family and friends. For 2021, I wish you all the best.