We've been going to the beach at the weekends to cool off. The Atlantic is bloody freezing. Perhaps it is the big difference in the air temperature compared to the water and our white bodies are having a problem coping with the difference. But I suspect the Atlantic is colder than it used to be, there is a lot of northern ice after melting in the last few years. perhaps that is why we are getting wetter winters, snow in spring and hotter drier summers.
On the farm things are ok, cattle are content with dry grass, water and some shade for the hottest part of the day. We have enough grass for 3 more weeks, hopefully it will rain. but there is a soil moisture deficit of approx 90 mm.- not good. I heard the sheriff called to one of the neighbours about his water bill, he's got a month to gather up some money. We still have to make pit silage, we have about 40 bales made. If it stays dry I'll wholecrop the barley and pit that. Fuck the grain merchant. He'll survive, I have to do what I have to do to survive too. I'm thinking of putting in some fodder crops like rape/turnip/kale etc. But if I put them in too early they may not grow, if I leave it too late the yield won't be there. I sowed bird cover before the 15th June and it has only germinated in a few really wet places.
Money wise we are ok, I sold some cull cows and they brought in €1100 each. But cattle prices are crashing since. England are out of the world cup and they were eating a lot of steaks and burgers every time they had a game.
Longer term I think we will be better off with a lower stocking rate. This reduces pressure on feed but also reduces sales. But when the bottom line is calculated out we could be better off producing less as climate changes.
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