Well, we have now signed the Acte to sell our farm, together with our cows. Some 160 in lamb ewes have also been sold, the last 110 went on the Sunday before we sold the farm, and before they started lambing - we did, in fact, have one of the ewes lamb. But joy of joys I'm not going out to the lambing shed until at least April when those that we have kept should start to lamb.
The day before we signed, the new owner had 147 Shetland ponies arrive from Holland. This has caused something of a stir in our commune as they are only used to cows and sheep. They are quite a tourist attraction. Another 40-odd arrived the week after, leaving another 100 or so still to be delivered!
Unfortunately, due to problems with a "Change of Use" certificate for the barn adjoining our new house, we didn't actually buy it until a week later. Technically, we were homeless (and hopeless) for a week. However, I may have explained before that we can stay at our old farm until Spring 2009 - time to get sorted and builders started.
It has been a race to get some fencing in place so that the sheep could be moved. They have spent 3 weeks on a friends farm, and were fortunately moved over the last weekend. We feel a bit more in control now that they are at their new home. But we still have to make the fences horse - or Didier - proof. He has the nasty habit of jumping out to where the grass is greener - and his body is proof of his ability. They should be moving in the next week or so, but come spring the neighbour will be putting his breeding mares and their foals nearby. I wait with baited breath.
The people that we bought from have left us some "welcome to your new home" gifts - some bantam hens, a pig, a duck, a goose and rather a mess. What with the weather we have had in the last two weeks since we bought the place, I've been a bit pig-sick of the place and wished we'd never seen it. The lake (due to crap drainage) in the yard does nothing to make it any better. To cap it all they took with them the wood-burning stove so we've had to buy another as it's the only form of heat in the place.
Anyway, have today started the "dechetterie dash" - or onwards to the local tip. With a bit of sun and the removal of one or two "features" it looks much better.
Bertrand - the young bull we bought last year - has got his first calf, a daughter, born by caesarian section the week after the new chap took over. At least it was his vet's bill, not ours!
Photo to follow.
5 comments:
So glad to hear the move is relatively hassle free. I can appreciate the limbo-land feel, I had SAFER stop my purchase on the day of signing the acte and had to wait a month before they finally agreed.
The weather has been bad hasn't it, it must dry out sometime. Then hopefully you'll remember why you wanted to move and all the moving stresses will melt away.
So congratulations on your new home from the soggy south west.
Deborah x
Deborah - thank you for your best wishes. The SAFER are a law unto themselves! I have yet to find out what they do to earn their money - apart from being bloody-minded. I think I suffer from SAD - lack of sun disease - as everything improves with sun Good luck to you too.
Huge Congratulations, FF, on moving, although it sounds a hell of a lot more complicated than a non-farming experience!
So you're keeping sheep and horses only now? (plus the smattering of presents from previous owners).
I now realise how fortunate George and I were to be left only 5000 empty bottles, a shed full of tinned toxic waste and a bucket of WWII cartridges. (the police took them).
Much Happiness to you in your new place.
I could have sworn that you said you were retiring. It seems that you still have quite a lot to look after, to me.
I hope that you soon have your new place sorted out and that it begins to feel like home.
Dolores - what a pity those bottles were empty! Perhaps they only contained the dreaded eau de vie anyway!
Mean Mom - retirement did beckon, but surprisingly I would have missed the sheep. I also have my future pension to consider in France.
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