The Hereford calf

The day started with my running some errands around town (£10 more pounds of pennies taken to the bank!) and a long hot walk to the pick up point for the minibus that would take me to Hammonds farm.

Since April I’ve been liaising with a team from Bristol about getting a scheme off the ground. My role has been to spread the word, and recommend clients to a farm visits scheme near Stroud. A small group of people visit a mixed farm (minibus transport available) once a week for six weeks, and are given tours, and light tasks. The expected benefit is that Their mental health will improve from being outdoors, closer to others and to nature.

This was week five and the first time I’d been able to visit. Only one of my recommendees turned up. We had a welcome drink in the shade, then a catch up about events on the farm, then we toured the farm on foot, including viewing the calves (there are eight, including one born yesterday that is a bit poorly). The calves are kept with their mother for two years, which reduces distress, and a stud bull is brought in every year to ensure a supply of new calves (the older ones are weaned).

We didn’t see the walnut trees/agroforestry area (I forgot to ask) and there are no sheep (my limited exoerience of helping out on a sheep farm was not rewarding). We did pick redcurrants, which will be sold at the farmers’ market tomorrow. All in all, and I’ve only mentioned a tiny part of it, it was s wonderful visit.

When we were dropped back in the centre of Stroud, I caught the train to Gloucester and walked to a retail
park to collect a blind I’d ordered online. Then, home again, and Steve gave me a lift to a nearby street to return a dehumidifier I’d borrowed for our cupboards.

Started putting up the new blind, and had almost succeeded, when Tessa knocked on the door. We were off to a meal at the Co-housing community with Annie and Russell (visiting from Lewes ) who were on the India trip to Rajasthan in 2024. It was good to see Annie and Russell again, Annie is often travelling abroad, and Russell lives in the South -East, so it’s rare to see us all together. They are all going to the Sacred Music Festival on Saturday to see Sridhar (one of the tour leaders last year in India) play the sarod in a morning raga, but I am saving myself for a day of poetry at the Ledbury poetry festival.

After 22,000 steps in the heat, and far too much to drink in the evening, I went to bed tired but happy.

https://www.herefordcattle.org/