Denise Plummer

After a damp start to the week, summer has truly arrived, with days of uninterrupted sunshine and rising temperatures.

We have now slipped almost seamlessly into 2021 , with few changes . Even the weather has been quite benign over the festive period , although during a very wild 24 hours ,just after Christmas Day, another 32 mm rain fell here on Manor Farm. Up to this time the temperatures had remained above zero , but they soon dipped into minus figures . This gave us a little more sunshine , but there was a very frosty day accompanied by fog which lingered all day . We had drizzle and flurries of snow whic

WHAT a miserable beginning to the Christmas week! Not only was it gloomy and wet with another 50 mm rainfall, but we were all told that the Christmas get together for families would only last for one day. Never mind, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day brought a dip in temperature, with early morning frosts and the two days were filled with glorious sunshine, just to lift our spirits a little.

Although the weather has done little to cheer us up over the last few weeks, there have been a few beautiful sunny days. Otherwise the murky, damp days, with long spells of rain and wind have caused the fields to become increasingly wet. The temperature has remained fairly mild for the time of year, but there are still many winter months ahead. There is a positive amongst all the gloom, as before Christmas day the sun will begin to rise earlier and set later.

Kevin and family have been busy doing work with the sheep as lambing the first 500 ewes will begin in the new year.

Kevin and family have been busy doing work with the sheep as lambing the first 500 ewes will begin in the new year.

A mixture of all sorts of weather filled the past week. On some days there was plenty of sunshine with a clear blue sky on one particular day. On other days there was a chilly damp feel to the air as overnight temperatures fell to freezing and persistent overnight fog developed. When early morning temperatures range from freezing to 9C it can be quite stressful for our animals. They are unable to add or take off layers as temperatures rise and fall. When they have their winter coats mild temper

The past week began with some wild weather. The wind blew and the rain fell, amounting to 24 mm here on Manor Farm. Although it has been quite mild for most of the time, it has mostly been dull and damp, but with one lovely sunny day. On this day I walked through the farm into the wood which borders it on one side. It was uplifting, especially with the sun streaming through the trees, still partially clothed in their autumn colours.

After a stormy start to the week the days were filled with plenty of glorious sunshine . For the first 3 days the wind blew most of the remaining bramley apples off my tree and with the accompanying 26 mm rainfall left our fields rather soggy once again. Fortunately the following sunny days did reduce the size of the large puddles and brightened the days as we prepared ourselves for a second lockdown ! . The temperature however did fall to give a few early morning frosts and mists, but the

It has been a rather damp , dismal week with some rain falling on all of the past seven days.