December 2024 at Stourton

Kiln Dried Logs – first delivery date in the new year is 7^th January.

Logs are going out as quickly as we can load them on the van in this final week before closing on Friday 20^th Dec.  We will aim to keep the kiln running over Christmas to ensure we have plenty of kiln dried logs to go out the first week in January. We open back up on 6^th January and our first deliveries will take place on 7^th January.

Estate News

We’re just finishing our tree felling in the woods. Nothing goes to waste here so we are now pulling out timber so that this can be chipped for our landscaping products.

Over the winter we’ve been assessing various parts of estate and its time for the safari tent roof to get a makeover. We’ve been measuring up for a brand new safari tent roof to be fitted in the new year so that we look as smart as can be for our upcoming weddings and events in 2025.

We’re starting to look at our events calendar for 2025. We are planning to open up to the public on a monthly basis, on the first Sunday of each month from May – October. Once the plans are finalised we will be able to let you know more details. Watch this space!

On the Farm

The farm in December is beginning to quieten down for Christmas. We have lifted some more sugar beet so this now leaves us our last 25 acres to lift in the New Year. The team has been busy washing machinery and putting it away until the spring.

At the start of December we began our winter bird feeding in various locations around the farm. Wwe will do our best to get some photos of them being used by actual birds so keep an eye on our social media for these! This helps fill the hungry gap many wild birds experience in mid-winter when there is not much else to eat. The mixture we are feeding consists of wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sunflowers, white millet and canary seed.

We are having an interesting few days this month interviewing students from Harper Adams for the chance to spend a year working here on the estate during a placement year. They will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience of all areas of the estate but, as they will start here in early July, the first job for them will be helping with harvest! It seems quite a long time off during these dark, short days but as farmers we are always planning many months, even years, ahead.

The rest of December has been spent loading grain lorries, of which there have been plenty. We have also had our Red Tactor Audit which I mentioned last month. We are pleased to say we passed! Please support BRITISH farmers by ensuring you buy produce labelled with the Red Tractor, or better still buy directly from local farmers and ensure you know where your food comes from.  Food produced in the UK has the HIGHEST quality standards so if you buy local you know you are getting the best quality food with the lowest environmental impact.

Deer Diary

We’ve recently taken delivery of 43 more hinds to replace our aging hinds that are no longer producing calves. They’ve settled in nicely and have been busy taking in the sights and sounds of their new home.

Our young deer (this year’s calves) have now been moved into the roundhouse to protect them from the elements. They’ll be kept warm & cosy over winter and will receive a plentiful supply of silage to enjoy.

The stags have been separated and are now enjoying a well deserved rest from their duties..! Fingers crossed they’ve been successful and we can look forwards to welcoming some calves in the late spring/early summer.

And that’s all folks except to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We’d like to thank you all for your support over the last year, whether you have attended an event, bought some landscaping products or logs, enjoyed our venison or have simply kept up to date with what we get up to. We couldn’t do it without you.

We will be closed from  Friday 20^th December until Monday 6^th January. Enjoy the break

Antony & Helen