The only chick to hatch under our bossy broody hen, but enough cuteness for a dozen!
Rain and roses
A sprinkling of rain and the pasture is green again. The cows are happy, and we are enjoying the opportunity to hide indoors between showers. This week, Dad even managed to successfully dodge the showers in an early morning dash to the grain trader, clearing the bins in preparation for the return of the Mercator...watch this space.
And, horror of horrors, that was his second outing in a week! Farmer Humph's Day Release also included a little contracting next to Cants' Rose Fields.
Definitely trading up. I enjoyed the opportunity to visit and celebrate in colourful style the start of harvest support season, with trips to Colchester's finest at the Hythe: Ray at Does, and Industrial Bearings. Whilst others are sunning themselves on holiday, we spend time reconnecting with Colchester's bypasses. Interesting fact: the Industrial Bearings building was opened by the most famous bearing enthusiast of all, Sir Bobby Moore.
Fortunately for Dad, the mass of roses reminded him to order flowers to celebrate 35 years of wedded agricultural bliss. And so today, we travel down memory lane to prove that all farmers have agriculturally themed wedding cakes...
Congratulations Mum and Dad! We're very proud of you.
Sunset by the Stour
One Bale and his Collie
Some people have doubted Humbug's capability as a highly trained, albeit abbreviated, collie dog. I'm here to set you straight...here he is rounding up silage bales. 
Who needs sheep when you have bales? Win every time! Clever Humbug.
More hay and silage gossip coming soon...
Thatched barns
Thank you to everyone who braved the chill wind to join us for Open Farm Sunday. Despite the weather, we had 350 visitors and not one pig escaped amidst the excitement, so a good day all round!
One photo was missing from our barn restoration display, and mid clear-up this morning, it reappeared. As a thank you, I thought I would share it on the blog!
This is one of only two photos we own in which the barn is thatched. It was taken from the front garden of the farmhouse, looking across Water Lane (not to mention a rather lovely flower border) - can you imagine the cost to do that now! Or, as Dad wisely pondered, can you imagine taking on a farm with thatched barns today!?
Don't forget, you can submit your present day photos of OFS for the chance to win £100! http://www.farmsunday.org/ofs12b/visit/photographycompetition.eb We would love to see them too - share them on our Facebook page or e-mail them to farm@lowerdairyfarm.co.uk.
Huge thanks to all our helpers without whom the event would not have been possible: Lesley, Georgina, Mandy and Kathy who sold a record amount of cake - Mandy's gluten-free lemon ricotta cake was described as "the best ever" by our GF connoisseurs; Wayne, Paul and Brian for meeting, greeting and fielding questions about multi-colour cows; Will Wilson for bravely volunteering to help at OFS having never seen the farm or us before (very brave)! Becca, Naomi and Bridget for efficiency and cakes for the deprived Taylor girls; Liz for returning after last year and excellent freezer work, and the Wiston crew for the loan of "safe" trestle tables. Not forgetting the lovely other Taylor girls for all their help, support, obsessive drain-rodding and special commendation to the incredible Mrs Rogers for her superhuman pre-Open Day work. Thank you!
One day to go...
..'til Open Farm Sunday!
The cows are looking forward to greeting you!
1..2..3..hatch!
Brown hare
Where's Hare?