August 2002

Our month started with a wonderful course, Spirit of Horse. We watched and dreamed and talked and played with horses and the horses gifted as fully and as graciously as they always do.

This was always destined to be a challenging month on the beef front and indeed it proved to be. Back when we were looking to buy more steers to finish and provide a steady flow of beef to our growing number of customers, we didn't have the presence of mind to consider when their birthdays were and therefore when they might actually come ready for the table. What we ended up with was three animals all needing to go to the butcher this month - believe me, that's a lot of meat by anyones standards! Armed with our new chiller, Lorraine set about a mammoth retailing project taking on not only our local Wootton Bassett and Swindon farmers markets, but also Greenwich. Yes, the craft market is now promoting a foodhall on Saturday and Sundays. We're only there on Saturdays, so if you're a Londoner and would like to come and look around, buy or visit and chat, Lorraine would love to see you. She leaves the farm at 5.30am and gets back around 9pm. It's a very long day and one that will be under regular review to see if it's worthwhile. Emily did the last one with Lorraine and as they drove home in the car together all she could say was, "respect mother"!

A lady visited Vowley Farm for one of our courses and fell in love with the way we are working. She was quite determined that this should be the next home of her little Exmoor pony, Spirit. What did we need with another horse, a little one at that... we were on the verge of saying no when she sent us a photograph! So we find ourselves with a newcomer, has settled in very well and is working his way around the mares making friends with them all in turn! The day after his arrival, a friend gave us a rather bent and twisted cart but after some amazing work during the helping hands weekend with welding kit, wire wool, a tin of red hammerite and some new tyres, we have a delightful little scurry and Spirit looks really great kitted out and ready to go!

Talking of helping hands, what an incredible weekend we had this month. We had a whirlwind gang through the farm tidying the office, moving the woodpile, trimming hooves, fixing carts... you would hardly recognise the place! Phil, Ian, Petra, Rena, Jules and associated relatives... great job you guys... thanks.

And as summer progresses Lorraine finds herself more confident around Jazz and Jazz seems more settled in herself and so the two of them got together one afternoon in the barn and Lorraine ended up riding. Very beautiful it was too. We're not out to run any races or win any competitions but as is our intention with everything here, it was a gift created out of the true spirit of partnership - listening, walking together and honouring each other.

As the month draws to a close we still await a decision from the bank about how/if we progress further here or if we need to move on. This is an unsettling time and one that does nothing to decrease our stress levels but as we move through each day, we are each doing what we can to the best of our ability and finding ways to make the most of the gifts and blessings that flood through our hearts each moment.

May you too walk along the path of blessings...