A Year on the Farm
Whatever the time of year there is always plenty to do at La Singlarie as the natural rhythm of the farm follows the seasonal changes. We hope that this snap shot of a Year on the Farm helps gives you an idea of what we get up to:Spring
Our winter routine of animal feeding comes to an end, guests start arriving in our gites, everyone enjoys some kinder weather and life starting to burst through - but so does some hard work!
- ...and fresh spring grass
- Some of the cattle take a trip to more distant fields....
- Winter quarters are cleaned out
- Lots of effort organising the vegetable garden...
- ...digging, tilling and planting...
- Wild visitors set up home outside
- and in our workshop
- Chicks get to know the world
- ...and ducklings start their mischief!
- Miss Fatty gets ready for warmer months....
- ...and looks half her usual size!
Summer
Our gites are fully rented out and some of the big jobs like hay making get under way - early hard work starts to bear fruit (or is that veg!)
- All the hard work in the vegetable garden pays off...
- but a lot of work weeding and watering to keep it in shape
- The ducks get bigger every day.
- the chickens too
- Hay making starts in June
- We make about 40 tons each year
- which we store as feed for the cattle during autumn, winter and early spring
- Tempête our second farm cat makes his first appearance during a summer storm
- The cattle move to fresh pasture
- And the produce keeps coming
Autumn
There's a lot of tidying up to do and work to maintain and improve the farm's infrastructure, guests enjoy the seasonal tranquillity - calving starts and makes it all worth while.
- A new shelter is needed for the farm machines
- nearly there!
- Firewood that has seasoned outside for 2 years is stacked inside
- Pumpkins and squash are ready to gather and store
- Wild rosehips are gathered
- and made into syrup - great on porridge and for sore joints!
- The cattle start calving
- Some calves need more help than others to find their first meal
- It's tidy up time around the farm
- and in the woods
- The annual apple pressing at Najac is a community event
- Tempête is finding his feet (and the mice!)
- ECOCERT pay a visit to check our organic credentials
- And the cattle at our furthest fields make a return to base
Winter
As the days draw in our winter feeding routine for the animals dominates early morning and evenings, the woodland demands attention, good work when it is chilly!
- The cattle voluntarily come in twice a day for to to be fed their hay
- But they like to get outside when they have finished, even if it is a bit chilly!
- We buy straw in for bedding for all the animals
- The weekly clean out of the cattle shed produces the manure to be spread on the fields the following year
- We start coppicing the woods
- to make fence posts for us and to sell
- The finished articles
- Bigger trees are cut into logs aand chopped for firewood
- Bambou and Vanille have grown winter coats
- and get a pedicure
- For a day at least, it's a bit quieter on the farm