Four seasons in one month - February

Wow! Where did February go?! It seems to have flown by and we're already into the second week in March!

We seem to have all kinds of weather in February. Fortunately we got off fairly lightly from the relentless storms that followed each other, one arriving on the coat tails of the other.

Of course the snow came on a Saturday when both huts were full! Fortunately we had very resourceful guests who got supplies and bedded in for the weekend in front of the log fire, enjoying the wintry scenes outside while staying toasty in the hut.

A couple of sheep feed bags doubled up as great sledges for the children that were staying with their parents who have become regulars and booked their fourth visit, while they were in situ! They've even booked the second hut for grandparents - what a lovely way to spend time together as a family.

Life on the farm is very busy at this time of year. All the pregnant ewes are out in the fields eating Fodder Beet. The field is split up into "folds" enabling the sheep to strip graze efficiently. They love the leafy tops, before getting stuck into the roots and the hay racks are kept topped up with our home produced haylage, cut and baled in late June/early July - weather dependent obviously!

As the folds are taken up, a new one is set to ensure that there is always another fold to go at. Here's Dad showing how it's done and Ben, the sheepdog above, lends a hand when required.

Recently, I was privileged to have been asked by Kate Dale from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to take part in their Talking Heads series, looking at how farm businesses add value to what they do as the industry changes. It's part of their Women In Farming network, bringing together insights from a collection of rural voices in a rolling series of episodes.

Kate's work in this network is nothing short of spectacular. She goes above and beyond to support women involved in rural and agricultural environments, facilitating a strong framework to encourage women in the industry, help them to grow and prosper while managing their business needs and learning from each other.

Country Huts on the Wolds is our farm diversification and I have found the network so useful as we have undertaken this journey. The wealth and diversity of talent and experience among the group, as well as the willingness to share information has helped enormously.

You can see the video here, giving you an insight into the background of our business, as well as a tour of one of the huts - it's a long one so get yourself a cuppa and a slice of cake!

Well as the month has gone on, there have certainly been some glimmers of Spring. The snowdrops are out and look beautiful and I'm sure I saw the golden yellow trumpet of a daffodil starting to peak through the green foliage. There is certainly some warmth in the sun when it comes out, but we are still getting some frosts. I love this time of year. It feels so fresh and there is a sense of optimism, quite a juxtaposition to the news of the rest of the world. I'll finish with a photo from the same spot as the opening picture taken by this weekend's guest, showing quite the contrast!