THE FARMING YEAR-summer

We’ve been following the life of a Cotswold farm throughout the seasons. Now, as the earth warms up, it’s time for a new bull, picking fruit from the orchard, and looking forward to the spring barley harvest

- Katie Jarvis

We’ve followed the Boyd family – on their organic Whittington Lodge Farm near Cheltenham – through autumn, winter and spring of the farming year. Now, as summer warms the earth, they’ve new tasks to perform: finding a bull to service their cows; picking fruit in the ripening orchard; looking towards the spring barley harvest in late August. (When your land lies 900 feet up in the Cotswold hills, harvest takes place a little later than down in Gloucester Vale). Lockdown has been affecting the Boyds, too; but the joys of the farm go some way to compensating. Social distancing means nothing to the clouds of butterflies that feed on the wildflower meadows, or the voles busy in the orchard.

Ian and Dale – the farm manager - are responsible for general farm work, as well as tending the herd of pedigree Hereford cattle. Ian’s wife, Cathy, manages meat retail sales in partnership with their daughter Steph. Steph also runs her own business, Bhoid: contemporary British fashion accessories. Here’s Ian’s summer:

Spring and early summer are my favourite times of year: sunny mornings and evenings have to be good for the soul. Flowers emerging from winter slumber; cowslips in the wildflower meadows; green-veined and early purple orchids. Insects flying around - like the amazing fly bee - hovering in flowers; and the sometimes almost deafening sound of birdsong in early morning.