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Glensaugh News 20 December 2010

The snow brought our autumn maintenance work to an abrupt halt

At Glensaugh a new production year has begun with the tupping of our ewes with the tupps (rams) introduced into the Cheviot and blackface flocks. The date for the tupping of hill ewes is “set in stone” (usually 22 November). What is not set in stone is the onset of winter and heavy snow began to fall on 25 November since when we have been storm feeding all of our sheep, a task that is occupying virtually the whole working day.

The snow brought our autumn maintenance work to an abrupt halt and forced us into a winter routine before some of our stock had been gathered off the hill.

In the picture, our hinds are waiting to be let down from the hill reseeds on to Cairn Henney. It was less easy to bring relief to the sheep on WP 3.6.2’s Plot B which lies mainly on the north side of the watershed. Once the snowpack settled it was possible to ski out, dragging leaves of hay in a large polythene bag attached by a nylon slingto an old climbing belt. After six such missions a thaw brought relief and the sheep are now home. Rumours that my wife Sue (who took the photograph) was harnessed to a rumevite block are totally untrue. The compensation for this hardship was some enjoyable skiing on the way back and an improvement to my telemark turns.


Printed from /news/glensaugh/20-dec-10 on 28/03/24 10:54:44 AM

The James Hutton Research Institute is the result of the merger in April 2011 of MLURI and SCRI. This merger formed a new powerhouse for research into food, land use, and climate change.