It is an exceptionally dry winter and brings back memories of the previous one to the infamous drought of 1976. I do hope history does not repeat itself.
Around the Parish we have some early born lambs and they always do well in dry weather, which is always nice to see. When it's wet they tend to huddle up individually just like little children instead of running around to shake it off and warm up.
It's a good time of the year to catch up on fencing and repairing gates etc.
We celebrate Plough Sunday in early January in our own Church among others and an old mini horse plough is carried in to be blessed. In years past the horses would be at it every day in perfect soil conditions.
The weather to follow would break the furrows down in readiness for easy cultivation in early spring.
Modern ways have differed with the advent of technology to grow higher yields ,so the majority of ploughing is done in the autumn these days.
20 acres on my Farm is over winter stubble until April 1st . The is Habitat for the birds, including the Cirl Bunting of which 8 have been observed by a local 'Twitcher'. I am encouraged to give up this land with an incentive payment through my Agri-Environment Sceme.
Don't walk by a culvert that needs 5 minutes maintenance.