Farmer Focus: Better off investing in Lego than sheep
© Kathy Horniblow We would be better off if we’d invested in discontinued Lego models back in 2015, rather than putting all the capital into expanding the sheep enterprise by renting ground.
Buying sheep and equipment seems folly when I could just have bought a Batman Adventure Duplo or a Lord of the Rings model. I’ve certainly not seen my capital grow 300-400% in the sheep enterprise anyway!
Generally, we make a 2-3% return with the farm, but we have done about 12-15% with the rented sheep ground. Lego’s value is driven by people wanting it. Why don’t they want quality food more?
See also: Wool Board to pay less than £1 a fleece for 2022 clip
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Things haven’t improved that much writing this on 22 May. We haven’t got the maize in yet. Some of the ground is like porridge.
We are going to have a go with grass silage this week to try to ensure quality. The only negative is the number of thistles in the clover leys that have germinated after last year’s cracked ground.
We finally got some cattle out, having spent some time working out how to fit webbing to their feet more akin to the ducks swimming in their field (I jest of course).
I have kept the October and November calvers in to wean, as the bull calves are getting hormonal. Their 200-day weights topped at 1.93kg/day since birth. The best heifer has done 1.88kg/day.
Unfortunately, most of the E coli-affected lambs we saved indoors have died outside. The cold and extremely wet conditions combined to beat them up.
When nearly everyone has been affected one way or another by the extremely poor spring, it is frustrating to see that many social media posts are being selective, possibly pretending that everything is fantastic.
A lot of us spend a lot of time working alone. I see it’s officially Men’s Health Week next month, so let’s support each other.
Sadly, I don’t think a cup of tea and smiles for the camera at Downing Street will achieve much. The panic buying during Covid lockdown didn’t last long, but if food becomes scarce then attitudes might change.
Only a few remember the Dig For Victory campaign, but most of us have heard of it. Governments are short-term administrators with very few long-term policies.