Barn restoration 2

Theres been much activity this last week as the preparations for the barn restoration take shape. Thursday was a brilliantly sunny day and a great time for tackling the shrubbery which has grown up over the last 20 years.
Dad came along and armed with loppers and a chainsaw he and Chris cut everything down. We loaded it all into the tractor bucket and it got taken away. Then as we were in full flow we cleaned out the small out houses near the house. The main barn is just about clear and three skips later I think it s a job well done. Very therapeutic too!! The only thing is it all looks rather bare now!

Emmerdale

Weve had a great afternoon out today. Chris and I went with some friends for a tour of the film set of Emmerdale.
Its a purpose built village on the Harewood Estate and not open to the public. We know the man who sources many of the props for the soap and he showed us round. Nigel is responsible for getting onto set any animals you might see, farm props, vehicles and so much more.
Its surprisingly small and compact in the village and looks so much bigger on the TV.
We went into Paddy Kirks house! They actually film in here and it was tiny. The living room especially so. We wandered round the vet practise and back out. We went into the cafe and The Woolpack but these are just used for storage, make up, wardrobe etc and the internal scenes are filmed in studios in Leeds. We wandered into Pollards B&B but have to say I didnt pick up any tips!!!
It was a really interesting afternoon and a new family coming into the soap were just filming their first scenes. Look out for a battered old green camper Van. I cant say any more than that!!!

Barn restoration - Part One

After about 3 years of ups and downs its finally looking like our Barn restoration project may be going ahead. A meeting a week or so ago saw the builders about to be instructed and it was all systems go.
Chris and I have a lot of work to do clearing out the sheds and finding somewhere to store all the 'junk' thats accummulated. Well Chris says its his toolshed workshop but really alot of it is junk!!Why do we keep all this stuff?
I have lots of plants and shrubbery to remove so that the building can be repointed, Im getting Dad down to help me with all that but goodness knows where everything is going to go.
The ugly bulk hopper for cattle feed has also had to be removed and that was yesterdays task. Chris's cousin Stephen and his son James came to take it away to their farm.
I couldnt resist taking some pics and wondering if I should label them Danger Men at Work!!

Walking the dog

The recent spell of decent weather, along with aquiring Bess, has meant lots of long walks. This time of year its wonderful to be out and about and especially up on the moor.
The Heather is in full flower and looking beautiful and the views on a clear day are endless. Bess bounds around like a puppy with seemingly endless amounts of energy. Really cant say the same for me but I do enjoy it!!!

The top picture here is taken looking over Thruscross reservoir, and the bottom picture is looking down the Washburn Valley towards the farm which is too far away for you to quite make out.

Our newest family member - Bess

With great excitement I set off on Monday to collect my new best friend, and here she is!! This is Bess, shes 3 years old and just the best dog ever!!
I had considered getting a puppy but didnt think I would cope very well with poop and chewing and general madness until it was trained. This dog has been working as a gun dog at Cuckavalda Gundogs and has been expertley trained by Jack Peckitt.
Weve been out for walks and she stays at heel, she loves to dive into the River and have a swim around and she knows shes not allowed in the kitchen. We always leave the door open from the hall so she can see us but I just have to ask her to 'stay there' and she does!!! Its brilliant.
This afternoon she had a bath and a good brush and shes looking good!
Right now shes watching Friends with my niece Rachel!!

Moorland Flowers

Now im into blogging I seem to be taking my camera everywhere with me and a couple of days ago I went with Chris up to the Moor to see the cows. Its fair to say everything is in full bloom but one thing we noticed in abundance was the little pink flowers, its just a carpet of pink in places.
However neither of us knew what the little flowers were so I sent the photo to Marion at FWAG/Nidderdale AONB and asked what it was and she has told me its Wild Thyme.
Before the farm went into the Environmental scheme, Higher Level Stewardship, we used to run more sheep on the moor than we do now. Now the head count is much less we are noting more and more of nature bursting back to life.
Thyme is a low growing plant up to 2 cm tall with creeping stems up to 10 cm long, with oval evergreen leaves 3–8 mm long.
The strongly scented flowers very in colour from lilac, pink-purple, magenta, or a rare white, and has a scent ranging from heavily herbal to lightly lemon, depending on the plant.
Its really beautiful to see it all !!

Pheasant chicks

How cute are these latest additions to the farm?? Hatched only 24 hours ago they are Pheasant chicks.
They were hatched, and are being lovingly looked after, by one of our Light Sussex hens who was feeling broody. She is a very protective mother and keeps them close all the time, sometimes you just cant see them as they are tucked up right into all her feathers.
At present they are in a run in one of the barns but will soon move outside. They will stay in the run, nice and safe for a while yet.

Great Yorkshire Show - The Wilsons of Blubberhouses

This week the Great Yorkshire Show took place in Harrogate. Its a
fantastic show, held over 3 days, and this year attracted amazingly large crowds.
The special guests on Wednesday were Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall.
My friend Daphne, Hearts and Flowers Florists, was commisioned to do a presentation bouquet for the Duchess, Yorkshire White Roses of course, and buttonholes. Quite an honour.

Daphnes husband Kevin, and son James, were busy in the sheep lines showing both Mule lambs and Dalesbred sheep. Chris helped Kevin with his lambs but unfortunately they didnt get placed.
However a very different story in the Dalesbred lines as Kevin won the Championship with his homebred Gimmer Shearling (a female sheep born last year, sheared once!). A tremendous acheivment, well done Kevin!!
James spent his afternoon in the Sheep Shearing competition. James is an accomplished shearer, has even spent winters in New Zealand shearing, and this year, not for the first time, he won the competition. Well done James. We are just hoping his prices arent going up on the strength of this!!
All in all a tremendous day for the Wilson family. I always knew I had talented friends, but now it seems they are famous too as all this got a mention in yesterdays Yorkshire Post!!

Hay baling!

Aside from the shearing its also Hay baling day. The weather has been so good the grass has dried very quickly. Chris has turned it three times and today we once again called on the services of our good friend David Pennock and his tractor and baler.
As we drove into the field to see how he was getting on it smelt absolutely fantastic, theres just nothing to beat the smell of new good day.
Tonight Chris will put the bales onto the trailer and take them and stack them in the barn ready for winter.
Hmm now theres a thought..winter. Best not to persue those thoughts right now I think .....

Christy Harker - What a star!!

Today has been so hot, almost tropical, and it was the day that the shearers came to town once more.
They have done most of the sheep on the farm at Fewston a couple of weeks ago but today there were 350 waiting for them here at Scaife Hall. I did go round and say Hello and take some pics but then hastily retreated back to my housework and ironing, which for once was preferable!!
The second picture shows some of the lambs which have been seperated from their mothers for the day to ease handling of the ewes. Theres an awful lot of shouting going on but they will soon be reunited.
Christy has done a fabulous job wrapping all the fleeces into the wool sheets and now they are ready to be sent away to the Wool marketing Board depot in Bradford.
Thanks Christy, you did a fab job!!

Schiefelbusch Farm Visit

Our last visit before leaving Germany was to Sciefelbusch, a family run farm, home of Albert and Helga Trimborn.
What an enterprising place this was. They diversified 25 years ago and began a farm shop which over the years has expanded to include a cafe which they started 3 years ago.
The food they produce is sold through the shop and served in the cafe and they are very much into the ethos of local food and they now employ 15 people.
We had a meal in the cafe before we left which was supposed to be a simple supper but turned out to be a feast of Chicken and Asparagus soup with crusty bread followed by cakes and waffles served with whipped cream and there were bowls of Cherries and the sweetest strawberries I have ever had. They even smelled of strawberry as opposed to the tastless ones we seem to get in the supermarkets!!!
They had a herd of dairy cows, they produce beef, veal and Pork, 6000 hens for eggs, 1200 geese, (they were so cute!), they grow crops such as Asparagus, strawberries and flowers and the farm is open to visitors with play areas for children and a large Maize maze. There are also 4 self catering cottages.
Very hard working people and their farm is a great place to visit if you are ever in the area www.bauerngut-schiefelbusch.de

Germany Trip

This week has been lovely. We took a few days off and travelled to the Rhine Region in Germany. We go every year with a group of local farmers, to different areas either into Europe or in the UK, usually for about 3 days, and we have a great time.
We started our trip with an evening flight from Leeds to Dusseldorf, where we stayed over night. On Tuesday we headed to Cologne where we had a city sightseeing tour, including the madnificent Cathedral, followed by a vist to the Lindt Chocolate Museum. Oh the smell of chocolate was divine!! There were samples of course and the usual shop where we managed to spend some money!!
After this we had lunch and then headed down into the Rhine Valley for a visit to the Lambrich Vineyard where we tasted 4 of their 23 varieties of wine.
Our coach then took us to Wiesbaden, a beautiful spa town, where we stayed for two nights. We had several visits in the area, to Open museums, shopping, a Rhine river cruise and a farm visit. The people , the food and the hotel we all wonderful but then we had to head back to Leeds last night and back home to a huge pile of Mail, email and phone messages. Reality soon kicks in!! This morning its back to business as usual and getting ready for my next B&B guests!!

Rod Stewart!

Oooooooo allow me to indulge myself.
Last night I saw Rod Stewart! Wow!. Ive always wanted to go and see one of his concerts so when friends rang and said would we like to go there was no hesitation. Chris grumbled a bit about him being old, but I pointed out so was he but I still look at him !!!!
A group of us went to Elland Road (home of Leeds Utd Football club) and after being seriously ripped off over a very mediocre burger and a beer we then had two hours of Rod.
Our seats were a way back but you could see him but I decided that before we left I just had to see the whites of his eyes. So off i went right to the front, and ooooo there he was. Eyes twinkling, looking lovely.
Thats it I wont say any more.
I had a fab time !!!!

Washburn Valley Show

Over the last few months Chris and I, along with a small committee, have been working on an Exhibition all about The Washburn Valley Show, Butter Making, and sheep sales which used to be held at The Sun Inn and The Hopper Lane. The sales were big events attracting buyers from many miles away as well as locals.
The Washburn Valley Show ran from 1906 to 1973. It was started by a small group of local farmers, who called themselves The Washburn Valley Tenant Farmers Association who got together and in 5 weeks planned the first ever show. It was attended by 800 people which when you consider the means of transport that would be available in 1906 it was a considerable number.
The show moved around 6 sites in the locality and was a tremendously popular event. Sadly as with lots of things it ended in 1973 due to lack of funds.
For the exhibition we were loaned all kinds of memorabilia from car stickers, catalogues, scrap books full of press cuttings and even the original Minutes book. We have had a great time looking at all the nostalgia , its been really interesting.
All the items are on display for all to see every weekend during June and July so go along and have a cup of tea, or lunch and see our exhibition at the same time!.
As a thank you to all we held a preview day on Thursday and invited all those who had helped, or loaned things etc and during the afternoon we served tea and scones and in the evening the second part which involved wine and nibbles!!
It was a long day but really enjoyable, although I was glad to get my shoes off at the end of the evening!!

Belted Galloway Sale, Thirsk.

Today Ive been let out, on my own, with the Landrover and trailer and a blank cheque to buy cattle. Brilliant!! Its never happened before !
Well I say on my own, I did take my friend Denise with me.
We went to Thirsk Auction to the Belted Galloway Cattle sale. Chris and I had perused the catalogue and decided on a few that sounded ok on paper, mostly heifers which have never calved before.
There was a cow for sale with the most adorable little bull calf, only a month old, and I really wanted to buy her. However I decided to drop out of the bidding at £1150 and it made £1175, shame really.
However later in the sale there were a couple of heifers that I liked and these I did buy. You cant go all that way towing a trailer and come back with it empty!!
So the photos arent very good but here are todays purchases Crystal Clove from Cumbria and Maybeck Aimie from Whitby.
When we got back we put them in the field with some other youngstock, we cant put them with the cows as the bull is in there and we dont want them to become acquainted just yet! In the field already were 3 heifers and our one male calf, Arnold, who didnt seem in the least bit impressed that he has to share with even more girls!!! ( just in case you wonder why hes not interested, and Ill whisper....hes been castrated!!)
So for a first off buying trip it seems that my farmer is happy and I may even be let out on my own again!!

New Arrivals May 19th

Its been a busy old day today for additions to the Ryder family farm!!
Our first excitement was the birth of our first Belted Galloway calf. Chris went up the fields this morning and there it was safely arrived.
A little heifer calf which I have called May. Its sooo cute and tonight when we went up to take pics its so sprightly and she and her Mother wandered away up the hill, her little legs wobbling along but going at a fair pace all the same. Luckily Chris got it tagged this morning before it got to know how fast it could run!!
Our last Mule Hogg lambed at lunchtime so we have our last lamb of the season. It looked so so small compared to those born last month and even back up to the end of Feb, they seem so big now!
And the last arrivals were some Holstein heifers which are here for summer hols. I call them Club 18-30 holiday makers as they all end up going home pregnant from here, thanks to the AI Man. Say no more!!.
All in all a very lovely day of new creatures here at Scaife Hall Farm!

My Very Happy Birthday!!

I had a lovely day yesterday celebrating my birthday. The postie came with cards, and I had several visitors which was really nice. In the evening we ventured over to Burnsall, with our great friends Richard and Denise, for dinner in The Red Lion.
Its a fab place situated right on the side of the River Wharfe and its a perfect place for sitting out on a lovely summer evening. Sadly last night there was heavy drizzle but we sat very comfortably in the snug.
I started my dinner with a Bruschetta of courgette, buffalo mozzarella, Cumbrian ham & pesto which was divine and followed this with Red Lion fish pie and spring cabbage, absolutely scrummy. In fact I'm drooling just writing this !!!.
Chris had Pate and a steak which he said was the best in a long time, Richard had Home cured Gravalax of salmon, lemon & rocket followed by Venison loin, caramelized pear & celeriac mash which looked lovely. Denise also had the Bruschetta and Chicken, leek & mushroom pie with spring cabbage.
We were offered a dessert menu but felt this would be just a step too far so we settled on coffee.
All in all it was the perfect end to a lovely day . The Red Lion was very atmospheric, clean, comfortable, the staff were friendly and very efficient and the food gets a 10/10 from us all.
We will definately be going back !
Check out their website and if you are coming here to stay its worth a short car ride to go and enjoy great food. www.redlion.co.uk
(Thank you to Katy at The Red Lion for providing me with the photos, much appreciated. The food pic shows Duck Confit.)

Little Pigs !!!

On thursday I called to see a friend, Liz, who is just setting up a B&B at Embsay and whilst there she asked if I would like to see her new piglets. Of course there was no hesitation and here they are. 7 little Kune Kune piglets 4 days old. They are absolutely gorgeous. I could have just sat in the straw and cuddled them all. Its such a shame they have to grow up really!!!

An Evening at Duncombe Park

We had a wonderful evening at Duncombe Park this week. The event was organised by land agents Strutt and Parker for the benefit of ARC Addington and it gave Ian (of ARC) a chance to invite supporters of the fund and to be able to thank everyone for all their fundraising and support.
The beautiful house is one of Yorkshire’s foremost historic houses and estates. The house is closed to the public from 2011, but the spectacular gardens are open to visitors, as is the parkland. Its a beautiful and historic landscape on the edge of the market town of Helmsley, a gateway to the North Yorkshire Moors National Park.
We had champagne all evening, well some did but guess who was driving and didnt!! And the canapes were out of this world. And there were so many the waiters just kept going round and round, and then when you thought there couldnt possibly be anymore they came round with dessert canapes! Melt in the mouth delights!!. Slimming World here I come......

A weekend away!

Chris and I have been away! We went off this last weekend for two nights in the Yorkshire Dales with Chris's cousin Stephen and his wife Janet. Many years ago the Ryder family lived in Coverdale, with Chris's grandparents then moving down to live near Semerwater, Bainbridge for a few years before moving again down into this part of the world.
So we decided to stay nearby and do a bit of sightseeing and family history research. I think we should have done more research into accommodation before we went as the place we had booked turned out to be possibly the filthiest place there is!!!
So we had checked in and then just as quickly we checked out again as there was no way we were going to stay there!!!. We moved on and booked into a hotel in Askrigg called The White Rose Hotel, which was absolutely wonderful, and all in all we had a really great weekend away.
This is why we checked out.......