Snow!

It is unusual for us to get much snow this side of Christmas in Ireland, but we have made up for it this year. Westmeath has not been hit as hard as some parts of the country and we only have about three inches.

Knock Eyon with a light dusting of snow.

 Once the fields are covered with snow it is important to get feed out to the animals still outside.

Christopher puts out the round feeders and then places a bale of haylage in each for the ewes.

 Iota feeling very small in the snow!

  Iota and Smidgen following the quad tracks up to the bull.

McCabe and two weanling bullocks are still out, and quite happy as long as they have food and water.

Water does become a problem as all the troughs and pipes freeze. McCabe knows how to break through the ice and get to the water, however after a couple of days we have to break out all the ice and refill the trough. For the last fortnight the daytime temperature has not got above freezing, and at night our wall thermometer has read as low as minus 10 Centigrade.

The only outside tap still working is at the front of the house in this wall. Christopher has to bring a barrel in the quad trailer and fill it from this tap,

the water is then decanted by bucket into the various troughs. Alot of  extra work!

Some of the ewes being picturesque.

Knock Eyon, and the ewes eating their haylage.

The weather might be hard work, but it is really beautiful.