Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Deer Thing

Monday brought sombre mood as Sebastian and I took Batty Two up to Bristol University Veterinary School for a final verdict on whether to put our beloved 8 month old Basset down after nearly drowning in a Dartmoor bog.

We were surprisingly encouraged and very impressed by the professionalism and attitude of the Vets we met there. The benefit of their research and increased evidence of similar conditions gave us hope to think that the nerve and ligament damage might well heal with time.

On returning back to Holwell, relieved that we could nurse Batty Two back to what could be a full recovery eventually, we were delighted with the news too that twin fawns had been born to a Roe Deer in the woods.

Quietly, I took Bertie up to have a look and there nestling in the undergrowth with a cautious mother observing us from behind a nearby tree, lay two of the most adorable creatures I think I have ever seen. Not much bigger than the palm of my hand, yet perfectly formed and beautifully marked, these two tiny fawns seemed completely unconcerned at our interest in them. Apparently they carry no scent so as not to attract preditors, but they did all the same seem so vunerable and we wondered how the mother would be able to protect them from the Buzzards that also live in the copse. But then, you can't question too much; this is nature !

Talking of which, we lost our aged and rather wobbly old gander to the fox last night. A collection of bloodied feathers lay where he used to shelter in the sheds. Despite his fragile state, poor old boy must have put up a bit of a fight judging by the spread of debris.

Aston the Donkey, other half to Martin the Donkey stallion has finally shown that she is most definitely in foal. Her tummy has dropped in the last few days and our stock man Joe actually felt the foal kicking this afternoon. We are hoping she doesn't have too much trouble foaling as she is quite small and this will be her first.

Our other four legged friends at the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust took part in their first "Ten Tors" expedition over the weekend. They gave an excellent account of themselves covering over 30 strenuous miles with their trainer Natalie and Project Officer Dru. By all accounts they stole the show and were a firm favourite with all those who took part. When you consider the two Dartmoor ponies in question were completely wild just a few months ago, this is some feat to have achieved. They were taking part to promote the work that the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust is undertaking in an educational capacity where children can be involved in the "taming" and "trust building" process which is so beneficial to both parties.

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Friday, May 19, 2006

GONE TO MARKET


The last Saturday in every month there is a Village Market in Widecombe Church House. This market is unique in that it really does offer something to interest everyone. A showcase for local produce and anything that has a link back to the Widecombe Valley is available for sale from fresh, farm, traceable meat to local preserves, fresh eggs, plants, deli goods, speciality teas and coffee, olive oil, fresh breads and home-made pies and savouries, cakes; vegetables and flowers. There is also a large collection of hand painted and oak furniture. The event tomorrow will also feature an exhibition of Dartmoor photographic images for purchase.

The market attracts a wide cross section of people from locals to day visitors up to the moor to combine a walk and maybe a pub lunch with an opportunity to do their monthly meat shopping. Also, as a "honey-pot" for tourists, there are also items for them to buy and take home as gifts.

The first market was held as a one off last November, but was so successful that people asked for more. We now have quite a following and people put the dates of future markets in their diaries and even travel quiet some way to come up specially; Cornwall and Dorset for example.

From Holwell, we take our sausages, bacon, eggs and joints of pork. Our bacon is so saught after that there is usually a mad rush in the first hour and then it has all gone.

Poor little Batty Two took a turn for the worse today and is really not well at all. Having made such good progress in the last week, we now believe she has not recovered sufficiently internally to make a full recovery. She is back up to Bristol on Monday for a final prognosis, but it is looking very depressing at the moment.

The rain has finally come and started to make a difference; after such a long period without rain, the warm, wet conditions have seen a massive acceleration in the growth of grass, leaves, bluebells etc, so when it finally does clear and the sun comes out, the lushness of Spring will be magnificent; can't wait !

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Saturday, May 13, 2006

The Sea of Bluebells


The sheltered valleys and wooded slopes of Holwell have now changed colour to a vivid blue and gradually the magnificent Spring vista is spreading to the ares of open moorland around us.

The adjacent downland of Holwell Lawn will have turned completely blue over the next week to ten days; it really is a sight to behold and from the road really looks like an inland sea.

The last few days has seen 4 more beautiful foals born; the most recent this morning was born just at the side of the road for all passing cars to witness. I got there about 10 minutes after it had been born and was struggling to its feet.

Our trusty Saddleback Boar; Vesuvious has packed his trunk and gone on holiday. He has earned a rest poor old boy. When we first started out with the pigs in December 2004, we had 12 sows and one boar. Now we are up to nearly 300, so he has had an excellent strike rate; unlike TV's Jimmy's Farm who never seem to have had much luck with their boars fertility.

The ladies will miss him I am sure but, hey, there's a new kid on the block and he's frothing at the mouth, ready for action. We have called him Krakatoa and he certainly looks the part and was turning a few heads when I last looked into "Pig Heaven" down the Green Lane.

We have moved the chickens today; all 200 of them, or rather there were 200 until yesterday when Charlie Fox paid a visit and took 30 out; just leaving most of them dead around the coups. We have moved them now to a field where the new house is being built so hopefully the noise and activity in the day time will deter them from being too bold.

Sootie our tame sheep has taken to coming in to the cottages if guests leave their stable doors ajar and this has been a bit of a shock for some to first hear her baa-ing and then to find her standing on the rug waiting for breakfast.

Poor Batty Two is not having much fun in her cage. She has to stay in it for the next 4-6 weeks whilst she recovers from nearly dying of hypothermia in the mire. Unfortunately the prognosis is not good; she will probably loose her tail, will be permenantly incontinent and will most likely need surgery to put a plate in her hock.
But, as I keep telling Sebastian, it could have been alot worse; she could well have met her end in mire and we may never have even know about it.

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

The Treacherous Mire


Dartmoor is like a sponge - it has the ability within its fabric to absorb and hold huge amounts of water whether from underground streams and springs or the infamous bogs and mires. Here at Holwell we have one of the largest mires on Dartmoor. A rare habitat for flora and fauna including Snipe, Curlew, Red Deer, Frittilery Butterfly and a wide selection of mosses. The spagnuym moss which is most common was used during the First World War as a wound dressing because of it's healing and absorbtion properties.

Mysterious and trecherous, it has the ability to lure in unsuspecting animals and humans who are quickly lulled into a false sense of security by its tussocky hillocks which can be used like "stepping stones" to cross it. Beware, however, you only have to put one foot wrong and you can go down into it like a boulder. Legend has it that there are at least 2 carts complete with horses and drivers down in the Emsworthy Mire. Yesterday, there was very nearly another name to add; that of Sebastian Hughes and his Basset Batty Two.

Batty One met with an untimely exit when she was flattened by a cow last Autumn, and yesterday it was Batty Two who had nearly disappeared without trace. Together with her sister and brother, the terrible trio are regularly to be seen skipping across the mire towards The Rock Inn at Hay Tor for "Happy Hour" being returned later only when they have run out of money!

Yesterday evening only Batty's sister and brother returned, caked in mire mud and looking a bit sheepish with it.

By nightfall there was no sign of Batty Two, so an expedition was launched and it wasn't long before her plaintif howls could be heard coming from the direction of the mire. Eventually located with just her head out of the mud, she was carfully hauled out to safety.

Unfortunately, the suction of the mire was so strong that she has suffered what is now likely to be ireperable damage to her tail and hind leg. Still at the vet's making slow progress as this blog is written, so fingers crossed we can get her back home soon.

It would be comforting to think that after such a "close shave" this is not something she will be in a hurry to repeat, but as other Basset owner's will sympathise; Basset's are bears of very little brain !

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Saturday, May 06, 2006

First New Dartmoor Foals Born


As the early morning mist lifted on Wednesday I noticed there was a little dot next to a larger dot on the area of moorland opposite my kitchen window. After breakfast I took the four wheel drive vehicle over to where my herd of pedigree Dartmoor Ponies were grazing and sure enough; our first foal of the season was gingerly taking its first steps.

Most likely born that night it was pretty as a picture sticking to its mother like glue. I will wait for a few more of the imminent mares to foal and then bring them in to the stables to start handling the foals. Ideally this should be done within 24-48 hours of birth to ensure they are used to human contact from the outset. Fortunately the mares are all halter broken so they will come willingly. That is not however the case for the other herd of wild Dartmoor hill ponies who graze out on the common; they have to be herded and it is not so important to get these foals halter broken. In fact I prefer to keep the wild ponies timid as that way they are less likely to be attracted to the carparks where they are fed unsuitable food by unsuspecting tourists and also run the risk of being hit by cars.

On the way back I saw my herd of wild ponies and the older ginger mare had also managed to sneak her new baby behind a mound of granite, but I could just glimpse her outline as it was just as distinctive a colour as her mother.

We have had some really super weather this week; warm rain over night and they beautifully sunny, clear, warm days. The leaves are very nearly all out now and on Friday I saw the first bluebells coming up in the shelter of our valley by the brook. In a couple of weeks the whole area around us will transform into an "inland sea" of bluebells; it is such an extraordinary vision and not one people expect to see out in the open. Bluebells are normally associated with woodland, but on our downs here they are protected in the Summer by the bracken which towers over them until the Winter.

We had a welcome visit from Alan Titchmarsh this week who flew into our hotel; Holne Chase for lunch with his production team for the new series of "Nature of Britain". They were filming on the Southern part of Dartmoor to capture the element of "heath and moorland". They had a perfect day for it and enjoyed their lunch sitting outside and listening to the silence.

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