Spring on the Farm: Weather Woes, Lambing Chaos, and a Few Broken Bones
- Townhead Farm
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
I’m writing this on what feels like the first dry day in weeks. The weather has been nothing short of miserable lately. The last two farmers’ markets were cancelled thanks to howling gales, hail, and even snow - just what every farmer dreams of during lambing season.
Lambing Begins… with Triplets Everywhere
We’ve only just started lambing, and as usual it’s the first and last few that cause the most drama. Once we’re in the rhythm, things tend to settle down. For now, though, every ewe seems determined to produce triplets, which means Debbie has been blessed with the joy of handrearing a small army of hungry mouths.
A Winter of Accidents
Many of you already know that Debbie broke her ankle back in January. I’d love to say it happened while dancing on a table after too much Jelly Legs Gin, but the truth is far less glamorous: black ice hidden under snow on a dog walk. Thankfully, John arrived like a knight in shining armour - or at least on a quad bike - proving once again that the most essential dogwalking tool is a mobile phone.
As if that wasn’t enough, Findlay managed to tear his cruciate ligament the same week, and then John got headbutted by the ram. Three of us, all with right legs out of action. We couldn’t even enter a threelegged race if we tried.
Huge thanks to our wonderful friends, especially Anita, who stepped in to help with deliveries, with Michelle and Eddy also lending a hand. We’d have been lost without them.
Silver Linings and Spreadsheets
Being forced to slow down has had one unexpected benefit: Debbie has actually had time in the office. For the first time ever, her inbox is empty, and she now has spreadsheets for absolutely everything. Taking a long, honest look at the business is always a bit daunting - and that was before the fuel crisis hit.
A Note on Egg Prices
The notsogood news is that egg prices will have to increase. We’re keeping them as low as possible, but with minimum wage rising this week and costs climbing everywhere, we’ve had to make some adjustments.
New prices from next Monday (13th April):
Large boxes: £2.50
Medium boxes: £2.10
Small trays: £5
Medium trays: £8
Large/Extralarge trays: £10
We’re confident you’ll agree that our eggs are still eggcellent value - and they taste amazing. Eggs are such a versatile food. That's all from us for now. Remember that you can order most things from our website here, or if you are out and about you can find us at one of the many markets we usually attend.
Right, better run.... there's another Ewe about ready to drop!
Debbie and the team.
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