We have continued to sell lambs from Glensaugh at prices a little ahead of those of 2007. A number of Blackface lambs have been sold as stores (for other farmers to finish); although our numbers were down on last year as a number of male lambs have left entire and are being retained for observational work in 2009.

The “big job” of the moment is the submission of our Rural Priorities grant application, covering the wind turbine, woodland planting, public access and dyke rebuilding. Two weeks of preparation of statements of justification, maps, outcomes plans and the gathering together of wind turbine quotes ended with the pressing of the “submit” button on the online application form. Three days of remission from form filling has just ended with a list of additional “stuff” which is required to support our claim.

The new list includes a SWOT analysis; we think that the Glensaugh business as a whole has more strengths than weaknesses. We have a capable team who support a range of research objectives, we manage a farm which is in good heart, we achieve good levels of physical output and our sales prices are usually above average …. but somehow I think they’ll need more detail.

As well as planning the grant work we are also looking at other projects for 2009. The replacement of our farm water tank is on the cards, but perhaps of greater interest to readers will be the possible renovation of the flats at Glensaugh Lodge. It might be tempting fate, but plans are now at an advanced stage. In brief, we will end up with a comfortable three bed-roomed flat which will be of a high enough standard to rent out as a holiday let. It will cost more than the present rate per night, but we think it will be better used than at present. The work will also pave the way to demolishing some bits of the Lodge and reducing its long term maintenance cost. We are also considering the installation of a wood fuel heating system, which would end our reliance on tankered in gas for heating. More on all of this in due course.

Finally the long awaited arrival of the Luing cows (our hill breed) allowed us to start the WP 2.5 cattle grazing study. A period of benign weather has allowed the cows to settle in and so far our electric fencing has been respected and there have been no mix ups. The photograph shows a group of Limousin cross cows (our lowland breed) wearing their radio tracking collars. They are probably not accustomed to the moorland vegetation.