Biddacott Blog !

Life in LOCKUP !

Hi everyone,

Life in LOCKUP !

Biddacott Blog ! Hope you are all keeping well and safe . Lockdown continues and we just thought that with our new website launch we would include a blog to update you with all that we are doing on the farm and in the farmhouse at Higher Biddacott Farm. It is wet, wet, wet outside ! The horses are in at night and out during the day, some with rugs and some with their own woolly coats. They are doing a good job of trashing their pasture but it is so important for them to stretch their legs when they are not working. We have 5 Shire horses of our own at the moment and 3 thoroughbreds, 1 of which is in foal and due in May. Exciting!The next batch of horses to come in for training are due in a couple of weeks and training courses will also be available as Jonathan is logging in our woods, managing the trees along the banks of the brook and clearing the tracks.

The poultry are in lockdown too ( or rather lock – up ) and have been banished to a stable because of Avian flu , not Covid 19!They are laying well and without guests it is quite a challenge to use all the eggs – Scotch eggs, omelettes, frittatas, sponge cakes and even profiteroles! We shall be so very fat soon.

The cattle are in lockdown too doing well on their sweet smelling haylage , keeping warm nicely bedded down in their cattle sheds . The wheat and oats are all ready to burst into action as soon as the temperature rises and the days get longer. We have just passed our Soil Association inspection, this year it was very different being virtual.

Spring is just around the corner The garden is slowly waking up. We have snowdrops and Hellebores in flower with a beautiful pale pink Camelia at the back of the house. The composted dung is being layering onto the raised beds in the vegetable garden and the sweet peas have been planted in the poly tunnel and lots of other seeds are winging their way here. Plenty of cut flowers this year to fill the house with lovely scents for my guests.

In the kitchen, marmalade has been bubbling away and the last of 2020’s courgettes and marrows have been converted to ratatouille

or chutney and hidden away in the freezer or store cupboard.

Over the next few weeks we are planning lots of decorating and hopefully the Covid vaccine will work its magic we will soon be able to welcome guests to stay, visitors on wagon rides and driving courses with plenty more horses to train to ride and drive!