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Thread: Another day at Wimpole.

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    Another day at Wimpole.

    Hi all,
    Another long day volunteering at Wimpole Home Farm but so rewarding. After the usual mucking out the pigs went down to the lambing pens to help Daisy turn round a lamb that was facing the wrong way giving mum some real problems, I was holding mums head while she was on the ground and then out popped the young one. In all those years working on vehicles, getting things up and running have no match on what I am doing now. Never to old to learn new things.
    Jasper the Shire Horse getting ready to a training session.

    Sorry about the pictures, just can't get them the right way round from Samsung phone to Mac book pro. This what happened last time I posted on my volunteering thread.

    Deleted photos.
    Last edited by traveller; 29-04-2016 at 11:01 AM.

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    Bod (23-08-2016), EDGE (30-04-2016), trotwood (28-04-2016)

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    This is what happens when you try to post when tired. Just turn the screen upside down to view. Thats if you can.

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    Hi again,
    Booted up my old win 7 laptop and hopefully the pictures are the right way up.
    Microsoft paint sorted it out while Mac photo didn't.
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    Sorry about the pictures, just can't get them the right way round from Samsung phone to Mac book pro. This what happened last time I posted on my volunteering thread.[/QUOTE]


    It was no problem viewing pics traveller, just save target as , then rotate with what ever we use on pc to view them.

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    Hi all, Another Wednesday this was a good day the renovated barn which will at max capacity hold 200 cattle started to be used. My job was to lay down new straw bedding all three bales, then Mark and Daisy then started to fill the pens with rare breeds. I took this photo is the safety of the pen I was filling, The longhorn Bull and Cow admiring their new bedding.
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    It cost the National Trust over a million pounds. The high quality metal work allows different combinations of pen sizes. Since I started volunteering the farm started to sound as a farm should, so much noise as the cattle filled the barn.

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    I volunteered yesterday and was asked if I could do another day as it was sheep shearing. The two New Zealand shearers started at 8.00 with us feeding the ewes into the holding pen, with an hours lunch break we all finished at 17.00. I lost count of the total but must have been 380 - 400. How the shearers do it day after day is beyond me. We had a lot of school children and they had a good laugh at the ***** ewes hoping about free of their fleece.
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    Wimpole looking good this morning on BBC breakfast. I don't normally see the Hall as I am working hard in the farm.

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    I went in yesterday as Wimpole At War was on this weekend. Good to see lots of people in 40s dress, the girl farm staff and volunteers made an effort, they looked like the Land girls you see in old films.
    While the girls were getting their 40 style gear on I was feeding the sheep in the barn, they couldn't wait for me to put the hay in the feeder as you can see.
    I hope the picture isn't 90deg out if so look sideways.
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    Quote Originally Posted by traveller View Post
    I volunteered yesterday and was asked if I could do another day as it was sheep shearing. The two New Zealand shearers started at 8.00 with us feeding the ewes into the holding pen, with an hours lunch break we all finished at 17.00. I lost count of the total but must have been 380 - 400. How the shearers do it day after day is beyond me. We had a lot of school children and they had a good laugh at the ***** ewes hoping about free of their fleece.
    are the shearers also doing it for free ?

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    Quote Originally Posted by satwyn View Post
    are the shearers also doing it for free ?
    No they got paid per fleece £1.00 and £1.20 for the rams ( 400 animals ) . Sounds a lot but between them and the girl helper, travelling, equipment and working eight hours not much for that back breaking job. Also very seasonal work.

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    In again today we had an extra pair of hands jane.noblet head of Food and Beverage Development Manager National trust. She told me that she wanted to look at the farm to plate and good on her getting in at the deep end. We have had some more new piglets and Richard loading the drill with rye for 5 hectares.20160928_092138 (1).jpg20160928_101721.jpg20160928_084848.jpg

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    An article out of Wimpole Herald about poaching. :-
    Night shooters are fair game!
    Rod Crossley, Room Guide and WHIG volunteer
    Autumn was a popular time for shoots on the Wimpole Estate, and in
    the 4th Earl of Hardwicke’s minute books there are frequent references
    to friends and relations enjoying the sport. Pheasants, partridges, hares
    and rabbits were all fair game. In one particular week he records
    bagging 950 head of game!
    Not all the hunters were welcome, though. Poaching seems to have
    been a real problem and in November, 1838, an exasperated Earl
    threatened to sack all the gamekeepers, complaining they were “a
    useless throwing away of money.” Things obviously did not improve
    because he carried out his threat the following year!
    In December, 1841, the Earl decided to offer rewards to anyone helping the keepers prevent the “lawless conduct of
    snarers, night shooters and poachers.” The payments were £2 for the conviction of a snarer or anyone stealing eggs of
    game, £5 for convicting a night shooter, £1 for taking his gun and £2 for taking a net.
    There was also a scale of remuneration for anyone hurt or wounded helping a keeper, ranging from £1 to £5
    depending on the injury. The Earl also pledged to pay a pension of between £5 and £20 a year to anyone partially or
    totally disabled and, if anyone was killed, to provide for his widow and family.

    Later the same month, after being “much troubled with night shooters in Cobbs Wood”, he records that Owen
    Cambridge, the Farm Bailiff, ”took Lyon of Croydon, a celebrated poacher.” Mr Lyon duly appeared at the assizes,
    was found guilty and sentenced to 9 months imprisonment.

    Not much has changed as two Stevenage Men were charged the other day for poaching. At least they didn't get transported
    Last edited by traveller; 11-11-2016 at 11:57 AM.

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    By the way Croydon is the one in Cambridgeshire, only a couple of miles from the Wimpole estate.

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    For a number of weeks Mike Hodgson has been taking photos of us volunteers and staff doing our bit to keep the animals well cared for.

    Thanks to him for the photos and asking us questions.
    Last edited by traveller; 11-01-2017 at 03:29 PM. Reason: Mike asked to remove as he has sold and copyright no longer his.

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    Five rare Oxford Sandy and black, four boars and one gilt. About 15 days old.
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    Hi all,
    Went back again today ( missed last Wednesday as we went to Father in Laws funeral ) anyway this week they had the Halo up and running again this year. 400 free range egg laying hens, good after the bird flu problems. The Halo is far away from the farm still on the Wimpole estate normally a LandRover drive but had to walk there and back in wellingtons. Eggs counted, hens fed and watered then all locked away. The pic is not in Australia ( my Mac has done it again, views the right way up and then when posted upside down ).
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    Lambing at Wimpole is timed for 18th April to 7th May. One little one came early today. A few minutes old, when I left at 17.00 he /she was up drinking from Mum.
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    Lambing started and a busy day 20 lambs born today only another 300 so the total will be near 400.

    looks like they will be upside down, too tired to sort it out. I will be back again Friday so another 9 hours.
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    ahh australian sheep , this OK just turn the lapppy upside down.

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