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Hello from Waterloo Cottage We have just about managed to have a Spring, albeit a cold one! Our lambs have survived thanks to the large barn belonging to our next door neighbour. They have been able to get out during the day and shelter at night and during the many cold spells. The pigs and cattle have coped with straw and their winter coats to keep them warm. Our goat, Louise, gave birth, eventually to two lovely billies: Patch and Snoopy. After her fairly traumatic first birth the kids are thriving. Louise didn’t take to motherhood immediately, probably stunned by the vet’s intervention! At one point we thought she would have to have a caesarean! We fed the little kids on her milk through the evening and in the morning she became a very attentive mum! Our learning curve with the Highland cattle has been gentle so far apart from their odd trip to see Richard at Waterloo Leisure fishing lakes! We expect the four cows to calve any day now, let’s hope calving proves to be the same. If it’s anything like pigs it depends on the individual mother. Some of the sows pop their piglets like peas and others seem to be very high maintenance, requiring us to sit with them for hours/days on end. Pandora farrowed last Thursday, she choose her own windy drafty stable rather than the nice warm arc we had for her! We built a little tent to keep the driving snow off her and Angus snuggled up with her through to the early hours of Friday morning. She has had six beautiful piglets that are now back at Waterloo Cottage; the last, a little fragile has come to live in our house. Percy is a delight but still fighting for survival. If the cuddles and strokes he is getting from all the family count for anything then he will pull though! In the shop we are selling our new charcuterie range. The air dried ham, coppa, salami and homemade pâté proving popular. New lines to look out for are a pork rillette (a type of pâté), braseola (air dried beef) and lonzino (air dried loin of pork). Following the success of Easter’s sausage making weekend, we have set some more dates to coincide with May half term. Please phone or email to book your slot to make sausages or hand-raised pork pies: • Monday 27th May 2013 to Sunday 2nd June. How about a great BBQ rub that you can keep made up in a jar or your fridge for those Serves 6 4 lb pork ribs Instructions Preheat oven to 300 °F. Peel off tough membrane that covers the bony side of the ribs (or ask our butcher to do this for you). Mix together the sugar and spices to make the rub. We are now open: Weekdays 8am-6pm
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