We apologise for any inconvenience arising from launch of weather modification rockets. Risk assessments indicate immediate danger is very slight.
Update 1: Chinese consultants have seeded clouds with green tea. Any rain to be jasmine scented.
Update 2: Clouds dispersing.
Updated health & safety procedures here.
Filed under: Beach
Temperature zero degrees. The last day of the year and the final hours of daylight. Next we will plough and power harrow here.
Update (Spring 2009): this field is now entering cultivation.
Fantasma
The management is pleased to announce the arrival of the filly Fantasma at noon on Saturday, 29 November 2008 (the picture, taken moments later, above). Mother Zamba, a polo pony, arrived from Argentina in April – nobody knew she was pregnant until the autumn. Winter is not always the time to have a foal but Fanta is already going out (in a dog coat!) and at night occupies a heated stable.
One man went to mow a meadow
We are trying again to make hay after last year’s disaster when the ground was never dry. But next year it will be haylage. Manet & Rodin on standby.
With Manet (left) and Rodin providing the propulsion, the governor driving and Mr Daniel Brown in the passenger seat, the Velhurst Farm Horse Power vehicle had its coming out at Singleton, West Sussex, on May 31 and June 1.
The vehicle was presented to several hundred spectators and fellow-horsemen at the Weald & Downland Open Air Museum, the living rural history museum established by the late Chris Zeuner.
Presenter Sarah Rouse was kind enough to be very complimentary about the vehicle which she described as a 21st century interpretation of a traditional farm vehicle, speculating that if the price of diesel went any higher, Velhurst Farm might be lucky enough to sell many examples.
She was also considerate to mention the very high standard of turn-out on the part of the Velhurst percherons. In the opinion of senior management, this was a well-deserved compliment as the boys were indeed splendid, thanks to the ministrations and plaiting of Joanna Leathers and Emma Nickolson. Best in show, IMHO.
Sarah Rouse commented that the Horse Power vehicle could find applications on estates, golf courses, horse yards and farms, where its zero emissions (other than fertiliser) made it a vehicle in which horses might once again work for a living.
Obviously, as one horseman commented, nobody wants to return to the days when tens of thousands of horses were flogged and worked to death. But that’s NOT what we are advocating. Working horses can achieve a lot often without breaking into a sweat. And they are always happier with something to do.
