Don't want to get too excited, but it looks as though our grass might be greening up a bit – and maybe even growing… but as this is being typed, we have everything crossed...
We have been getting the odd bit of rain and days that aren't quite so incredibly hot – more like a normal summer... but sadly for many farmers, the impact of the terrible winter and now this rather bizzarely dry summer, has already been too much. Hay and straw is going to be in short supply this autumn/ winter due to poor yields and the fact that for the hay, many will only get one cut. Both our hay suppliers have told us they cannot supply us any more and our main straw guy has warned us of lower numbers.
Many farmers and probably some smallholders have been selling stock because they can no longer afford to keep/feed them and/or sending animals early to the abattoir!!
Tis all a bit grim!!!