The sheep and Highlands look great with all the care you have both given them in very difficult weather. The Highland faces are so adorable! Wishing you and Nick a 2024 filled with good weather, good health, hugs, a great lambing season and time for joy/quiet moments.! Take care.
Thank you Donna, hopefully this horrible/ challenging time of weather must come to a close soon and we can have something more pleasant for a bit at least, happy new year and thank you for watching the videos xx
The two of you have my greatest sympathy and respect, in the face of this awful weather your livestock get your undivided attention and do not go without, well done both of you because you're the hard working face of British farmers, thank you, and hopefully a drier and Happy New Year. Best wishes from EA.
Thank you Colin, it’s been such a rotten month, to be honest October and November were the same but we had a bit of time away which helped. I feel utterly fed up of this dark and dismal country during the winter ! A total struggle !! Well, I can’t change the weather! Happy new year to you and let’s hope it gets better
You two impress me every day. Farming isn't an easy route to take, but you take each setback and make things work. I can identify with the satisfaction as you sweep the yard...feel the same when I clean the horse stalls.
Dear Joanna, thanks for the video. We have terrible weather in Germany. A lot of rain and above all floods in many regions. Like every year at this time, it is also far too warm. I wish you both a happy new year. Good luck 🍀health and success 🤗 Kind wishes, Gerold and Ilse
What a brutal Weather Blitz 2023 has been So believing in your strength to dealing with Storm Gerritt & repairing your Walls & yes all the fields have taken a battering everywhere this year haven't they. Loving the Black Grouse noshing on the Hay & Ewes/Sheep showing their character. So wanting 2024 to be brighter for the Weather & for Dale Farm & For Us All Love & Respect Joanna & Nick x
Jeff, about your health condition, it is definitely something hugely difficult to accept and adapt … I’m sorry! It’s incredibly hard! I wish it wasn’t the case, and that I could be around to help!
Thank you so much Joanna. I still try to keep as active as possible. On the positive side I'm still able to do things like operating tractors and implements and best of all I can still ride my motorcycle which has always been my stress release since I got my licence. I'm certainly restricted by reduced lung capacity and function but as they say, the shows not over yet. Thanks Joanna.
Gosh so much rain, mud, wind! Hopefully you’ll have a few days of sunshine. Poor Doris, glad she’s better. Love the blue hoofs 😁💅 Love watching them eat and enjoying their food. Good job! 🐑🐄
Hey Joanna! When your Dad passed away I told you something as a way to encourage you to carry on. Well, what I said to you is now true, do you remember what that was? I said that one day people will refer to you as; "Joanna the farmer at Dale Farm and the daughter of John Shimwell". I always knew you could do it!
Well Joanna and Nick...that bull is helping plant new grass. A 'cheap' answer for those muddy tracks...lay tree branches/trunks across the ruts and leave them to biodegrade over time - just a FYI suggestion I use to suck up the moisture. During the 'wet times' I catch myself humming the famous "Annie" tune [the Sun will come tomorrow - my way of telling Mother Nature to take a hint]. Anyhoo...hope y'all had a great Christmas and wishing y'all a GREAT New Year! Enjoyed the video - thanks for sharing. Be well - many blessings! Cheers...
Hi Jo Oh this weather is just awful. At least you both seem to be on top of it all as best you can anyway. Hope you and Nick had a lovely Christmas. Wishing you both a happy new year and let’s see what 2024 brings Love Kim xx
Thanks for the update Joanna very heavy going in this weather, you are really fighting the elements and it can get a little depressing at times. If I can say so your skin never looks weather beaten despite your time outdoors. You must be using the right skincare regime. Take car you two and watch the tension and compression on the old fallen trees Nick, which I see you appeared to be doing. 👍
Thank you, I use castor oil and jojoba oil on my face , and that keeps it hydrated And an spf during the day time . Yeah it’s been a poor month, I feel quite depressed if I’m honest , it does happen to me from time to time . Onwards and upwards as long as I keep moving forward xx happy new year
@@DaleFarm Thanks Joanna, mate of mine farms over in the Yorkshire Dales and he bring a lot of them in over winter he reckons there’s not much difference in hay use etc, I don’t know if that might work for you? Wishing you and Nick a whole lot better 2024 and got my lovely calendar via the post from you, nice job x
It's certainly been challenging and miserable weather... if you can glean any positive thoughts then I keep telling myself at least I'm not lambing sheep yet...keep up the good work
Thank you Patrick! Winter we are definitely very focused on the livestock and keeping them in as good condition as we can, with the short days it feels like there’s not much time anything else ! Happy new year! Our Xmas was over in a flash but nice all the same cx
Wishing both you and Nick the best through this weather. It will be a beautiful spring, quite the mess now. Hoping that your new year will be like the new grass coming in full, and beautiful. PS I’m glad Doris’s eye is looking better. ❤
Thank you deanna , we had a nice Xmas meal on Xmas day with nicks family who did the cooking and apart from that it’s been quiet !! Hope you had a good Christmastoo xx
Hi Joanna, Looks like you are getting all the rain where Dale Farm is situated. I see parts of Scotland have had heavy snow following that storm. All that bad weather makes your job harder to do, but it has to be done. I wish you both a Happy New Year & let's hope it's a good one...🙂👍🏻
Hi Joanne I hope you and Nic had a good Christmas I have a suggestion for the sheep pink eye I treat them with a lemon juice when first appearing on my sheep thanks for the good video and all the best for the new year to you and Nic 👍👋👋🍻🍻
Hi Joanna and Nick, I heard there is a heavy storm in the UK especially Scottland, Wales and Nothern England. The last thing farmers need is more mud and sluch. This is the weather the Highlands like and they are looking good despite being a bit wet. The sheep are also looking good but I don't think they like it that wet under foot, hence the leg problems. Keep up the great job your doing on the farm under miserable conditions. One consolation is you can go home to the warm fire and a glass of red wine. Do you get many people camping on your farm this time of the year. Chris from Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺 j
Hi Chris. , we have got campers this week, mostly in vans / Motorhomes .. because it’s a holiday time I think people want to get away no matter what the weather. It has been so miserable here im totally fed up. X
Wow , realy looks not fun .and harsh weather You are doing a splendid job . One day at a time . Keep warm .thankyou for doing this and recording. You not yhe only ones . Every one in farming community in the uk is having trouble .take care .
Thank you Nancy. It doesn’t make it any better that it seems to have been bad weather for months and months, everyone is in the same boat but it’s absolutely demoralising!!!
@@DaleFarm hello ,I just watched Sheep school channel . There land looks worse . There hills are mud suction mud . We are still dry .take care be safe .
Looks like we might get some drier but colder weather as we get into January. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the video. All the best for the New year. 🇬🇧.
You're both dealing with the inclement weather and the less-than-ideal farming conditions as capably as anyone can Joanna. Good work. We've been experiencing Summer storms here in South-east Queensland with Brisbane, the Lockyer Valley and particularly the Gold Coast copping a belting from huge hail and terrible gales. Vegetable crops have been decimated in the Lockyer and houses destroyed at Brisbane and terrible damage at the Gold Coast; but we've seen this before so we just have to cope. As always Joanna you are doing an excellent managing Dale Farm. My very best wishes to you and Nick for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2024. Take care. Jeff
Hi Jeff. The storms sound scary , It’s been very dark and miserable here … the whole month. 3 rubbish months in a row actually. I am feeling quite depressed at the moment, a pile of factors on top of each other. I hope it passes soon because I feel ready to give up on everything, it’s a sign I’m not feeling mentally strong. But I hope it passes soon. Happy new year and thank you for the support x
It is rotten when you feel like that. Shame we can’t get together for a real life chat and a beer ! It would on doubt lift the spirits x take care and keep going
@@DaleFarm Yes I'd genuinely love to do that too Joanna. The big thing that's getting me down is that of the continuing and now accelerating progressive deterioration of my lung health (COPD). I'm so restricted in what I can do. I can't be cured and the deterioration can't be stopped. Anyway I've just got to accept it and cope. Enough about me. I genuinely hope things improve very soon for you Joanna. Never doubt that you are very strong and as I have a similar history to you with the loss of my dad so long ago and also being a farmer I can relate to the awful pressure weather conditions put on farmers. I truly can feel your pain. IMHO and no matter what happens I think you are truly one of the most strong, inspiring and capable people I've ever seen and I mean that. Take care Joanna.
You’ll be well happy to know we’re in for more storms next week! Yay!!😩🤦♂. I walked our filed next to the river that’s been flooded almost since September. It’s now got a horrible covering of silt that’s just not washed off😩 poor mares won’t like it much
Yes it is an island and the North Atlantic seems to blow straight across it but as long as you're raising food you will do good especially in these times in the mud will bring good grass I believe Doris and I have the same problem it's called old age 😁🐝😉 let's hope the colder months won't be so bad 👍✌️
Hi 👋 yeah I thought that ( contagious ) so around the feeders isn’t a good thing! We brought Doris in and isolated her until it was treated / better Thanks for watching !
❤merry Christmas and happy new year 🥳 to you Joanna and nick on dales farm and keep smiling 😊Joanna and nick from you tube subscribers Stephen foster live in Beenleigh Queensland Australia 🇦🇺
God bless you guys and animals! We are still very wet also... rain only.. no snow again...a ‘yucker’ mess around the barns, made deep ruts with the tractors that I will fix in the spring..in the same boat about putting down gravel.cost is high and how much longer will I farm(68 in may)... lol... so just dealing with for now.. best wishes for the new year!
Yeah it’s a mess isn’t it and sometimes we just have to have faith it will come good in the end. The ruts absolutely do my head in but yes we can work on those when the spring comes!!! Definitely farms take up so much time money and everything, we have to be careful how we spend. Can’t go mad trying to fight the mud !!
We have put old abandoned carpet in some of our gateways. It soon becomes invisible but helps a bit with the mud. Some dairy farmers are buying used astro turf for their tracks. I wondered if that could help with the feeding areas and tracks, if you can get hold of it at a good price.
I do like those ideas thank you Wendy , we have put a tarp down under one of the sheep feeders as a test to see how that goes ! It really is unprecedented the level of rain we have had for so long !!
You’ll be surprised how quickly the ground recovers but it is miserable in the meantime. Keep your chin up, better days have to be coming! I’m not promising how quickly though!😅 Just know they are, and these dark days will become a memory that will give the better days more brightness 👍🏻
More storms coming through this week as well kid. Any chance of digging out a couple of ponds and maybe some mole draining? Hope you got some rest over Christmas though.
Yeah we definitely need to have a think about what could be done for future , as we seem to be trending towards longer wet spells and then longer dry spells !!
Would a thick layer of wood chips, about 8 inches, laid on top of the muddy areas, help to make the heavily used areas more manageable? Of course, the wood chips would need to be replenished every now and then, preferably during the summer months when it is easier to move around.
I hope the rest of the winter is somewhat mild. Question: are you in a higher elevation? Seems like you get the worst weather! Happy New Year! and I hope your Christmas was lovely
Hi , our elevation is about 300 metres above sea level !! We do usually get the snow , wind, rain !! We had a nice Christmas Day with Nicks family cooked us dinner and farming in the morning 🎄
A cheap/free way to get stone/rubble if you see anyone local doing major renovation ask if you could get the rubble as it will save them money on a skip
Do you keep two groups of ewes to be able to separate the rams during mating-season? We certainly do that here, because if we don't, fighting is a certainty. We lost a ram because of that recently, when one of them broke through the fences :(
I honestly don’t know. There’s a lot to do here before I can get to that stage , but in the future i don’t want to struggle unnecessary and it seems a lot of struggle here most months of the year due to the crappy climate
if it is any consolation to you the whole place is in absolute scutter over here after today .......not nice for man and beast alike ............cattle are going through feed faster now that the weather has become a bit cooler ...... some lame ewes here also .......the work never ends with livestock ...........all the best in 2024 ......!
Hi George ! It’s definitely challenging me, I am every day thinking this can’t go on!! But anyway , we live to survive another day and hope for better to come. Happy new year and thanks for your comments and advice !
@@DaleFarm May you and your farm have a wonderful new year! I got what I wanted my niece passed her exams ( she’s at the point where if you fail one you’re done,not because she has but because they make it harder and harder the further you go) so fingers crossed she keeps going on her dream!
It's a stressful time for People and Animals. We are heading into the new year and hopefully we'll have a better Spring and Summer. You're a great person and Happy New Year and good luck for 24 ❤❤❤
Oh Dear! All in a days work! Come hail or high water, wind and rain the work goes on! Great job! Way to persevere!✌🏻❤️🇺🇸🙏🏻🇬🇧
Thank you for the encouragement!
The sheep and Highlands look great with all the care you have both given them in very difficult weather. The Highland faces are so adorable! Wishing you and Nick a 2024 filled with good weather, good health, hugs, a great lambing season and time for joy/quiet moments.! Take care.
Thank you Donna, hopefully this horrible/ challenging time of weather must come to a close soon and we can have something more pleasant for a bit at least, happy new year and thank you for watching the videos xx
The two of you have my greatest sympathy and respect, in the face of this awful weather your livestock get your undivided attention and do not go without, well done both of you because you're the hard working face of British farmers, thank you, and hopefully a drier and Happy New Year. Best wishes from EA.
Thank you Colin, it’s been such a rotten month, to be honest October and November were the same but we had a bit of time away which helped. I feel utterly fed up of this dark and dismal country during the winter ! A total struggle !!
Well, I can’t change the weather!
Happy new year to you and let’s hope it gets better
You two impress me every day. Farming isn't an easy route to take, but you take each setback and make things work. I can identify with the satisfaction as you sweep the yard...feel the same when I clean the horse stalls.
Thank you Suzanne that’s really kind of you to say and encourage us. Yes I love a job where you can see the results of your hard work!!
Dear Joanna,
thanks for the video. We have terrible weather in Germany. A lot of rain and above all floods in many regions. Like every year at this time, it is also far too warm.
I wish you both a happy new year. Good luck 🍀health and success 🤗
Kind wishes, Gerold and Ilse
Happy new year to you both and thank you for the love and support ❤️❤️ let’s hope some sunshine is coming our way
What a brutal Weather Blitz 2023 has been So believing in your strength to dealing with Storm Gerritt & repairing your Walls & yes all the fields have taken a battering everywhere this year haven't they. Loving the Black Grouse noshing on the Hay & Ewes/Sheep showing their character. So wanting 2024 to be brighter for the Weather & for Dale Farm & For Us All Love & Respect Joanna & Nick x
Hi David , the world definitely feels a crazy place for me since Covid then dad dying and then it feel like fighting to survive !!!
I enjoy your messages of support
We’ve got just the same in Cornwall,sometimes we just have to live with it 👍
Yeah and hope for better days. ☺️ hope it improves down in Cornwall for you soon
Good video as always hope you and Nick had a good Christmas we have high winds and heavy rain a night by the fire 🔥👍👍👍
thank you sandy we had a quiet Christmas overall. Mostly me and nick and the cat , but we had Christmas dinner with Nicks family !! Happy new year x
Hello Joanna and Nick, Just think, it's going to snow sometime, that would be a welcome change. Keep Smiling 😊.
That would be different!!!
Keep up the great work hard going in this weather, on a bright note the nights will start pulling out looking forward to that 👍👍👍
Yes I’m hanging onto the hope and promise of better days!! Thanks for watching
Take care, the both of you.... Wishing your weather turns better for you soon
Thank you Roberta xx
You're a lovely person. You have a lovely smile and your teeth are amazing 👏 ❤❤
That’s very very kind of you to say
Jeff, about your health condition, it is definitely something hugely difficult to accept and adapt … I’m sorry! It’s incredibly hard! I wish it wasn’t the case, and that I could be around to help!
Thank you so much Joanna. I still try to keep as active as possible. On the positive side I'm still able to do things like operating tractors and implements and best of all I can still ride my motorcycle which has always been my stress release since I got my licence. I'm certainly restricted by reduced lung capacity and function but as they say, the shows not over yet. Thanks Joanna.
I hope you have a good one for a happy new year to you and the best wishes for 2024 ❤❤❤❤
Thank you!!
Gosh so much rain, mud, wind! Hopefully you’ll have a few days of sunshine. Poor Doris, glad she’s better. Love the blue hoofs 😁💅 Love watching them eat and enjoying their food. Good job! 🐑🐄
Ahh thank you Susan we definitely need some dry days !!!
Hey Joanna!
When your Dad passed away I told you something as a way to encourage you to carry on.
Well, what I said to you is now true, do you remember what that was?
I said that one day people will refer to you as;
"Joanna the farmer at Dale Farm and the daughter of John Shimwell".
I always knew you could do it!
Thank you Bill ❤️
Brilliant video's i enjoy watching them👍👍
Thanks so much, appreciate the comment too!!
Well Joanna and Nick...that bull is helping plant new grass. A 'cheap' answer for those muddy tracks...lay tree branches/trunks across the ruts and leave them to biodegrade over time - just a FYI suggestion I use to suck up the moisture. During the 'wet times' I catch myself humming the famous "Annie" tune [the Sun will come tomorrow - my way of telling Mother Nature to take a hint]. Anyhoo...hope y'all had a great Christmas and wishing y'all a GREAT New Year! Enjoyed the video - thanks for sharing. Be well - many blessings! Cheers...
I always enjoy your perspective and comments Ross, thank you for your insights and support!!
Hi Jo
Oh this weather is just awful. At least you both seem to be on top of it all as best you can anyway.
Hope you and Nick had a lovely Christmas.
Wishing you both a happy new year and let’s see what 2024 brings
Love Kim xx
❤️
Happy New year* Dale Farm * looking forward to all farming life on Dale farm in 2024 👍
Thank you for watching and happy new yeatn
THANK YOU JOANNA FOR THE VIDEO , PLEASE KEEP SAFE AND WELL , XXX .🐑🚜
Thank you Ernest x
Thanks for the update Joanna very heavy going in this weather, you are really fighting the elements and it can get a little depressing at times. If I can say so your skin never looks weather beaten despite your time outdoors. You must be using the right skincare regime. Take car you two and watch the tension and compression on the old fallen trees Nick, which I see you appeared to be doing. 👍
Thank you, I use castor oil and jojoba oil on my face , and that keeps it hydrated
And an spf during the day time . Yeah it’s been a poor month, I feel quite depressed if I’m honest , it does happen to me from time to time . Onwards and upwards as long as I keep moving forward xx happy new year
@@DaleFarm Thanks Joanna, mate of mine farms over in the Yorkshire Dales and he bring a lot of them in over winter he reckons there’s not much difference in hay use etc, I don’t know if that might work for you? Wishing you and Nick a whole lot better 2024 and got my lovely calendar via the post from you, nice job x
with the amount of rain we have had not surprised the fields are so muddy but the livestock are looking well keep battling better days will come
Thank you Alan we need a dry spell now don’t we
Merry Christmas and here's to a prosperous and healthy New Year!
Thank you Jeanne xxx happy new year
I wish you both a DALEiscious and happy new year. ❤
Thank you so much Johan 😍
It's certainly been challenging and miserable weather... if you can glean any positive thoughts then I keep telling myself at least I'm not lambing sheep yet...keep up the good work
Hi Alan , yeah hope we have a smashing spring ! Best one ever. We need it !
Team Dale Farm fighting the weather elements!!!! It’s not easy but keep on going the best ye can 👍👍👍
Thank you Michael , yes we do our best!! It’s a bit of a crap month let’s hope the sun is coming x
Never cease to be amazed at your dedication to your livestock,may I wish you a happy and prosperous new year,hope you enjoyed Christmas.
Thank you Patrick! Winter we are definitely very focused on the livestock and keeping them in as good condition as we can, with the short days it feels like there’s not much time anything else ! Happy new year! Our Xmas was over in a flash but nice all the same cx
weather been bad this year hope the new one is better all the best to you and Nick for the new year take care Rx
Thank you Richard , we can hope for better days xxx
Bless you both. Dreadfull looking forward to the soggy land day after day. ❤😊
Yeah I’m finding it such a drain!! Not good! Wish it would get better
Wishing both you and Nick the best through this weather. It will be a beautiful spring, quite the mess now. Hoping that your new year will be like the new grass coming in full, and beautiful. PS I’m glad Doris’s eye is looking better. ❤
Thank you Keith, thanks for watching what we get up to and supporting!!! Happy new year!!
I can’t wait for spring!
Tough going Jo, take care.
Thank you Gerry. Hoping things will vastly improve !
Hope you and Nick had a great christmas, keep warm and dry xxx
Thank you deanna , we had a nice Xmas meal on Xmas day with nicks family who did the cooking and apart from that it’s been quiet !! Hope you had a good Christmastoo xx
Hi Joanna,
Looks like you are getting all the rain where Dale Farm is situated. I see parts of Scotland have had heavy snow following that storm. All that bad weather makes your job harder to do, but it has to be done. I wish you both a Happy New Year & let's hope it's a good one...🙂👍🏻
Happy new year, hope it gets better soon , everyone in the uk is hacked off I think !
Hi Joanne I hope you and Nic had a good Christmas
I have a suggestion for the sheep pink eye
I treat them with a lemon juice when first appearing on my sheep thanks for the good video and all the best for the new year to you and Nic 👍👋👋🍻🍻
Thank you Giuseppe I haven’t heard of the lemon juice method but worth a go for next time.
Happy new year to you let’s hope it’s good
@@DaleFarm thank you Joanne 🤞
@@GiuseppeAudino797greetings from Poland 🇵🇱 my channel and countryside 🐕😊
The stock certainly like the bales. You will both know which of your waterproofs work, if any. Take care xx
That’s true !! I’m glad of the trousers , the jacket is a bit useless
🎉🎉🎉hi guys and Merry Christmas I'm Wichai from Thailand 🇹🇭🙏🙏
Hi , a happy new year and thank you for watching
Fantastic video Joanna!!👌 Dale Farm is very beautiful, but the weather is terrible many times!!
Thank you for watching Daniel
Happy New Year to you both hope you get some needed sunny weather soon
Thank you Terry definitely missing the sun!! Happy new year
Hi Joanna and Nick, I heard there is a heavy storm in the UK especially Scottland, Wales and Nothern England. The last thing farmers need is more mud and sluch. This is the weather the Highlands like and they are looking good despite being a bit wet. The sheep are also looking good but I don't think they like it that wet under foot, hence the leg problems. Keep up the great job your doing on the farm under miserable conditions. One consolation is you can go home to the warm fire and a glass of red wine. Do you get many people camping on your farm this time of the year. Chris from Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺 j
Hi Chris. , we have got campers this week, mostly in vans / Motorhomes .. because it’s a holiday time I think people want to get away no matter what the weather. It has been so miserable here im totally fed up. X
One of the wettest back ends we've had lately but remember what the old folks used to say 'the sun will shine again one day'.
Yeah it’s dreadful, it’s chucking it down right now it’s hardly come light today. So depressing.! But yeah hopefully it will come good eventually
Wow , realy looks not fun .and harsh weather
You are doing a splendid job .
One day at a time .
Keep warm .thankyou for doing this and recording.
You not yhe only ones . Every one in farming community in the uk is having trouble .take care .
Thank you Nancy. It doesn’t make it any better that it seems to have been bad weather for months and months, everyone is in the same boat but it’s absolutely demoralising!!!
Happy new year, let’s hope it picks up soon!! Sending ❤️
@@DaleFarm hello ,I just watched Sheep school channel . There land looks worse . There hills are mud suction mud .
We are still dry .take care be safe .
@@DaleFarm best wishes for a new year .
I think you are right never seen it so wet rain every day really miserable x
It’s a tough time for morale that’s for sure
Great video Jo but aweful weather I think we’re all getting our share of it hopefully will take up take care 👍
We are getting more than our fair share I want to move ! Somewhere kinder than here !
@@DaleFarm really you’d leave dale farm?
I would consider farming in another country , I don’t like the uk
@@DaleFarm where would you consider farming Jo it’s not an easy choice at all
Happy Christmas Joanna & Nick.Yr late dad would be very proud of what yous both achieved on the farm since his untimely passing.🙏😪❤️
Thank you so much Leo , that’s a very nice message
It’s winter and weather can get bad,it’s a pain when your trying to do jobs done.Hope you both had a great Xmas and all the best for the new year.
Thank you Elwyn , happy new year , hoping for better days
Looks like we might get some drier but colder weather as we get into January. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the video. All the best for the New year. 🇬🇧.
I hope that’s right I don’t mind that at all! Thanks for watching and happy new year
Great video Joanna happy new year to you both 👌
Thank you Gary and Happy new year
You're both dealing with the inclement weather and the less-than-ideal farming conditions as capably as anyone can Joanna. Good work. We've been experiencing Summer storms here in South-east Queensland with Brisbane, the Lockyer Valley and particularly the Gold Coast copping a belting from huge hail and terrible gales. Vegetable crops have been decimated in the Lockyer and houses destroyed at Brisbane and terrible damage at the Gold Coast; but we've seen this before so we just have to cope. As always Joanna you are doing an excellent managing Dale Farm. My very best wishes to you and Nick for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2024. Take care.
Jeff
Hi Jeff. The storms sound scary ,
It’s been very dark and miserable here … the whole month. 3 rubbish months in a row actually. I am feeling quite depressed at the moment, a pile of factors on top of each other. I hope it passes soon because I feel ready to give up on everything, it’s a sign I’m not feeling mentally strong. But I hope it passes soon. Happy new year and thank you for the support x
I truly hope things improve for you very soon Joanna. At the moment I am feeling very burdened and downcast too.
It is rotten when you feel like that. Shame we can’t get together for a real life chat and a beer ! It would on doubt lift the spirits x take care and keep going
@@DaleFarm Yes I'd genuinely love to do that too Joanna. The big thing that's getting me down is that of the continuing and now accelerating progressive deterioration of my lung health (COPD). I'm so restricted in what I can do. I can't be cured and the deterioration can't be stopped. Anyway I've just got to accept it and cope. Enough about me. I genuinely hope things improve very soon for you Joanna. Never doubt that you are very strong and as I have a similar history to you with the loss of my dad so long ago and also being a farmer I can relate to the awful pressure weather conditions put on farmers. I truly can feel your pain. IMHO and no matter what happens I think you are truly one of the most strong, inspiring and capable people I've ever seen and I mean that. Take care Joanna.
You’ll be well happy to know we’re in for more storms next week! Yay!!😩🤦♂. I walked our filed next to the river that’s been flooded almost since September. It’s now got a horrible covering of silt that’s just not washed off😩 poor mares won’t like it much
Chucking it down here now and hardly been light today at all! Yuck. Glad to see the back of 2023
Happy Christmas to you that's great work with your cattle and sheep 🐑 girl
Hope you had a good Christmas and happy new year
Yes it is an island and the North Atlantic seems to blow straight across it but as long as you're raising food you will do good especially in these times in the mud will bring good grass I believe Doris and I have the same problem it's called old age 😁🐝😉 let's hope the colder months won't be so bad 👍✌️
❤️ some calm weather wouldn’t go amiss! Happy new year !!
You look after your animals well, that pink eye is very contagious, wet windy weather is the worst thing for sheep.
Hi 👋 yeah I thought that ( contagious ) so around the feeders isn’t a good thing! We brought Doris in and isolated her until it was treated / better
Thanks for watching !
Hi is it ever going to stop raining ☔️ Now more trees and walls down!!Best wishes for the new year 🎉🎉Andy and Anna
Hi Andy and Anna , yes a few walls 😀😀 it’s not a good time is it !! Hoping for better days
Plenty to keep me busy next year 👍Happy new year to you both 😎
@@andyjoyce878greetings from my channel 😊 and countryside 🏡🐕
Weather very wet and windy here too. Land is saturated but most livestock is in doors.
It’s rough isn’t it !!
I hope this is the worst it can be and something better is coming xx
❤merry Christmas and happy new year 🥳 to you Joanna and nick on dales farm and keep smiling 😊Joanna and nick from you tube subscribers Stephen foster live in Beenleigh Queensland Australia 🇦🇺
Thank you for watching ❤️ and hope you had a good Christmas! Happy 2024!
God bless you guys and animals! We are still very wet also... rain only.. no snow again...a ‘yucker’ mess around the barns, made deep ruts with the tractors that I will fix in the spring..in the same boat about putting down gravel.cost is high and how much longer will I farm(68 in may)... lol... so just dealing with for now.. best wishes for the new year!
Yeah it’s a mess isn’t it and sometimes we just have to have faith it will come good in the end. The ruts absolutely do my head in but yes we can work on those when the spring comes!!! Definitely farms take up so much time money and everything, we have to be careful how we spend. Can’t go mad trying to fight the mud !!
We have put old abandoned carpet in some of our gateways. It soon becomes invisible but helps a bit with the mud. Some dairy farmers are buying used astro turf for their tracks. I wondered if that could help with the feeding areas and tracks, if you can get hold of it at a good price.
I do like those ideas thank you Wendy , we have put a tarp down under one of the sheep feeders as a test to see how that goes ! It really is unprecedented the level of rain we have had for so long !!
You’ll be surprised how quickly the ground recovers but it is miserable in the meantime. Keep your chin up, better days have to be coming! I’m not promising how quickly though!😅 Just know they are, and these dark days will become a memory that will give the better days more brightness 👍🏻
I like your positivity and optimism ! It’s definitely a rough year and talking to other farmers everyone feels the same
Hello,
Hope you both had a lovely Christmas ❤ do you still have any calenders left?
Wet and shitty but it is that time i gess keep warm and have a happyer new year to you both
Yes gotta keep going Lee !! Happy new year and thanks for watching
trees blown down here in ireland too ,,after last nights heavy wind and rain..........must be same storm
I think we have another one on Saturday too. It seems to have been going on for ages !!
just got home from family Christmas and no you tube so catching up hugssss
Happy Christmas and new year Tammy
You need a 'dry lot' for feeding during the winter months. Gives your pastures a rest.
Yeah 👍👍
More storms coming through this week as well kid. Any chance of digging out a couple of ponds and maybe some mole draining?
Hope you got some rest over Christmas though.
Yeah we definitely need to have a think about what could be done for future , as we seem to be trending towards longer wet spells and then longer dry spells !!
5:46 and 6:07 even this has a certain beauty to it🙂
Most things have a certain beauty , sometimes you have to squint 🤣
May you,and all that you hold dear have a Successful,and Happy New Year in 2024!
Thank you very much xx
Cracking video as always
Thank you so much xx
Farmers, keep on farming ❤
Thank you
Would a thick layer of wood chips, about 8 inches, laid on top of the muddy areas, help to make the heavily used areas more manageable? Of course, the wood chips would need to be replenished every now and then, preferably during the summer months when it is easier to move around.
Wood or stone, but the mud does tend to swallow it up, and the animals wee and poo all over everything!!
Puny as I feel...wondering why I do not see a Border Collie? Oh!! That is right....!! Nick!! :-)
The sheep are pretty good they come when I call them down and nick goes at the rear , most of the time it works
Nick appears to be trainable....:-) @@DaleFarm
Very stormy here tonight in the south West of Ireland.. 🙄
It’s rough isn’t it !
It’s just the same in Cumbria , awful Let’s hope for better in new year
Yeah what the heck is it all about it’s so unpleasant and it’s been so wet since July
101 deg F and climbing....I feel like a lame lamb too!! My Grandmother used something called Sheep dip for all that ails...!! :-)
☺️☺️
I need some of that!!
Just acquire some sheep poo and boil it in water.....:-) I could run faster than my brother....so never acquired the taste!! @@DaleFarm
I hope the rest of the winter is somewhat mild. Question: are you in a higher elevation? Seems like you get the worst weather! Happy New Year! and I hope your Christmas was lovely
Hi , our elevation is about 300 metres above sea level !! We do usually get the snow , wind, rain !!
We had a nice Christmas Day with Nicks family cooked us dinner and farming in the morning 🎄
Happy new year and hope your Xmas was good !!
Weather for you has been very bad. Hopefully the weather will be better.
Thank you Ronald , well it’s raining and miserable now!!
Hopefully it will get better
Hi Dale farm, what the race of your ewe?
And the RAM?
The ram is Texel , the ewes are mules ( a cross breed )
A cheap/free way to get stone/rubble if you see anyone local doing major renovation ask if you could get the rubble as it will save them money on a skip
That’s a good idea thanks for that
What breed of sheep are they? They are beautiful 😍
They are mules , which is a cross breed , I’m glad you like them I also think they are beautiful
Do you keep two groups of ewes to be able to separate the rams during mating-season? We certainly do that here, because if we don't, fighting is a certainty. We lost a ram because of that recently, when one of them broke through the fences :(
Yeah we have kept them separate, for that reason!!! It’s horrible to think they would fight and kill each other !
@@DaleFarm Yeah, they're powerful animals. Even if they spend all year together they will still fight over the ladies when that time comes...😅
I honestly don’t know. There’s a lot to do here before I can get to that stage , but in the future i don’t want to struggle unnecessary and it seems a lot of struggle here most months of the year due to the crappy climate
if it is any consolation to you the whole place is in absolute scutter over here after today .......not nice for man and beast alike ............cattle are going through feed faster now that the weather has become a bit cooler ...... some lame ewes here also .......the work never ends with livestock ...........all the best in 2024 ......!
Hi George ! It’s definitely challenging me, I am every day thinking this can’t go on!! But anyway , we live to survive another day and hope for better to come. Happy new year and thanks for your comments and advice !
Rain some years you pray for it this year you pray for it to stop!
Yeah that’s so true John. Happy new year
@@DaleFarm May you and your farm have a wonderful new year! I got what I wanted my niece passed her exams ( she’s at the point where if you fail one you’re done,not because she has but because they make it harder and harder the further you go) so fingers crossed she keeps going on her dream!
Afual weather we hare having the same weather her in the parish in buncrana in donegal just wrap up and batter up
Yes, onwards and upwards !! Thank you
DO YE EVER PUT YOUR CATTLE IN A HOUSE. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOOD LUCK FOR 24 😅😅😅
Hi David we don’t keep the highlands indoors we would probably need a different shed, with an open front
It's a stressful time for People and Animals. We are heading into the new year and hopefully we'll have a better Spring and Summer. You're a great person and Happy New Year and good luck for 24 ❤❤❤
The cloudy eyes in the sheep, could that be cataract, like in people?
Hi christine , it’s more like conjunctivitis!
Does Doris have cataracts or glaucoma ??
It’s more like conjunctivitis! Treated with antibiotics it goes away and she’s oaky now x
@@DaleFarm Good to hear
wonder where the black headed lamb got its look?. HYN to everyone
Phantom maybe ? She’s got a mask on ! Hehe
Looks like pinkeye
Yep, She’s better now ,
Doris is getting on in years i wonder if she is going blind ?? i hope it not tho hugsss
She had an eye infection like conjunctivitis
That’s pinkeye
We have treated her with eye ointment and she’s better now 👍
@@DaleFarm yeah but it’s pinkeye she had
We call it snow blindness, I think it’s the same, usually cold wind causes it I think !
could be worse ie living in a big city
Absolutely I love the outdoors!