Scullduggery Afoot

In October one of our farm signs which has been displayed on the verge along the farm frontage for years was the victim of a vehicle incident which apparently involved said vehicle scaling our bank and taking the sign and its sturdy wooden supports with it.   We were not sure when it happened or why.  Perhaps a drunk driver or someone having to take sudden avoiding action.  The impact must have been quite severe as there were deep tyre marks and the very solid bank had a big dent in it.   We also found the remains of a number plate  and part of the trim which looks as though it belongs to a 4 wheel drive vehicle.

Although puzzled we did not think much more about it until last week when I noticed that one of the small signs with our farm name on it had been knocked of its post and left face down.   This was obviously not done by a vehicle because it was well into the bank and there would not have been room for a vehicle behind it.

Starting to feel that there might be a connection when a third incident occurred.   The farm sign which matched the first one but at the other end of the farm frontage was also torn off its supports and apparently flung about 50 yards to within 6 feet of the farm gate.

We now feel that someone is actually targeting us either as some sort of twisted prank or deliberately to cause us inconvenience.   Either way it is really weird.

The house build is going well.  Not much point in taking photos at the moment as the scaffolding is still up and hiding everything.  The Scaffolder has been away on holiday but is coming tomorrow to take it down.

We are just waiting for the electrician to do his "first fix" and then the plasterboards can be finished and the project will be nearing completion, although I expect Christmas holidays will delay things somewhat.

All the animals seem to be OK.  We have moved the bucks out of the barn into a shelter next to the chicken shed and the does have gone back to their original goat house in the top paddock.   They are now shut in most of the time but we let them out when the weather looks as though it will be fine for a few hours.

Shutting them in has helped with their poorly feet and as we are now feeding them some goat course mix they are starting to look quite plump and contented.  We have decided not to breed from them this year as we have had quite a big crop of alpaca cria and we are not sure what the market will be like next year.

We are still gradually weaning the cria by taking their mums away to the winter paddocks so at least the cria stay with their friends, brothers, sisters and aunties.

The Gotland Sheep are still in the same small paddock but they are getting really fat. They are only eating grass, which is not at its best this year, so they must be what my Mum used to call "Good doers"

We have run out of available stalls for our Christmas Market on the 1st December although I expect with a bit of re-arranging we could squeeze another couple in.