As I write this, I can once again comment on the tremendous spell of weather we have had since I wrote last month.

We are beginning to see crops flourish and the grass has grown considerably in the hot weather.

However, as always, we want what we don’t have, and at the moment that is rain. The ridges of fields are just starting to burn up, so I am hopeful the forecast of heavy showers comes our way.

Calving is progressing at a good pace, with 92% of one batch of heifers calved in three weeks and the second batch now 60% of the way through. This is reassuring that the bulls have done their job, and shows that the young bulls have performed well.

It also saves calving being a long drawn out affair. Cows are following the trend and out of the 62% calved, fewer than 2% required assistance.

Keeping on top of tagging, dehorning and ringing is made much easier if calving occurs at a steady even pace. I have been tagging eight or nine a day as calves are up on their feet and become active very quickly in this warm weather.

Bulls were put back out to work on May 20, for calving next spring. We have been keeping a close eye on them and their first 10 days appear to have been busy. They will be swapped around after three weeks to ensure all have been up to the job.

Ewes and lambs do not have a lot of grass to graze at the moment, as while the heat is often a saviour, without accompanying rain, new growth is disappearing fast. We are moving them around every few days and have now been able to graze one of our reseeded fields.

Fallon and I weighed and checked over the pure lambs that were born in February for replacement tups. The first of the lambs that failed to make the grade headed off to market two weeks ago and the first of the large lot of lambs born at the end of March are looking well and almost ready to head off the same way.

The shearers are booked to come on Monday. We plan to take worm samples from the lambs before then and have the results back. If we need to treat them for worms and fly protection, having them in at this time will give us every opportunity to do so and save double handling.

The first of our silage was cut last weekend, on May, 30, mainly due to the fact that it was beginning to burn up and we felt we would end up with less rather than more if we waited for much needed rain. But with rain forecast we are hopeful and keeping everything crossed for a bumper second cut.

We purchased a second front mower at a farm sale at Lanark and cousin Grant fixed it up to ensure it was running its best. It has been able to knock everything down that bit quicker, enabling us to take advantage of the heat to dry it quicker before harvest and for filling the pit.

Our daughters, Fallon (8) and Farah (2), have been in lockdown for 11 weeks and there’s not a day gone by when they haven’t been out on the farm joining in with whatever job comes next. When they aren’t out, they are keeping a close eye on the calving camera and have what feels like 100 questions for me when I get in.

We hope this spell of fantastic weather continues well into the summer and feel very lucky, like other farming families, to have the space and activities to keep us busy throughout this time.