We escaped the worst of the snow, but we had enough to create a picture postcard scene on Wednesday morning.

One of my sisters, who lives in Sunderland, sent me a picture of a snowman made by herself, her husband and her granddaughter. I don't think we would have managed to do that here! Just to say that total rainfall in February last year was 89 mm, compared to a mere 10 mm this year, here on Manor Farm.

I have been busy, recently helping the local Shetland Performance Team by coaching them on how to prepare and show ponies in the ring. It was an enjoyable morning with three different age groups, all riding Shetlands, one of my favourite breeds of native ponies.

Another event I attended was with the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution committee. To this we invited some people from organisations involved with farming to think of innovative ways of fundraising for the charity, which does so much good work for farmers who have fallen on hard times.

Midweek I attended an International Women's Day event held on the Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet entitled Embrace Equity, which was very interesting with a number of speakers telling their life stories. I am now looking forward to stewarding a school event with Melissa in April, and also to the main show to be held on June 1, 2 and 3 this year, where we will be stewards in the equine section.

Life remains busy with farm work. A recent visit from a mill and mix company was to prepare another 10 tonnes of feed for the sheep. A mixture of homegrown cereals and legumes was rolled and mixed, made up of wheat, barley, oats, peas and lupins. To this was added some bought in limestone flour to neutralise the pH to help digestion, a little soya to balance the protein and some minerals. All these ingredients are rolled and mixed in proportions with some molasses to produce the correct balance of nutrients.

Then 150 of Kevin's sheep were blood tested for a disease called maedi visna. This group of sheep consisted of 16 breeding rams and 134 ewes. Maedi visna is a viral infection, which has significant welfare issues for individuals and at a flock level. The disease has a long incubation period and affected sheep usually show weight loss. There are many symptoms such as mastitis, paralysis, pneumonia and arthritis. Fertility is affected and the ewes will give birth to small, weak lambs. The lambs will have increased mortality, partly due to their mothers having a much-reduced milk yield. Due to their poor condition, the sheep will easily succumb to other infections. Therefore flock accreditation is the best way forward, with regular blood tests to keep a close check for any sign on this debilitating disease.

Weaning of the older lambs born in January and February this year has started - 340 ewes have been separated from their lambs and put into a barn some distance away. They are being fed only on hay, with the reduction of nutrients in their diet encouraging their milk to reduce before they are turned out to grass.

All the ewes due to lamb from the 20th of March have been foot bathed to help prevent foot rot. Foot rot is a contagious disease of the hooves of sheep goats and cattle, which is caused by a number of micro-organisms. The affected animals become very lame and their body condition will be affected as a direct result of the infection. It is particularly prevalent in damp, humid conditions.

The barn housing the March lambing ewes carrying twins has been cleaned out to the floor and bedded up with fresh straw in readiness for the start of lambing.

The remainder of our Angus x cattle born in the late summer/autumn of 2021 have now been graded for sale and collected by a haulier during the week.

Ian managed to plant some of our spring barley at the beginning of the week, followed by a pass with our ring roller.