Farming is a job that doesn’t come with much in the way of time off! For farmers, work is reliant on the seasons and keeping up with the natural world. It is also important to ensure that high standards are maintained, and that animals and crops are cared for, farm health and safety is always high, and that machinery is kept in good condition too.
In the autumn months, the rush of the harvest is mostly at an end, but there are still plenty of things that need to be done on the farm – here are some of the jobs that are done in the autumn…
September – As summer turns to autumn, there may still be some crops that need to be harvested. Some crops will also be sowed at this time of the year too in preparation for the winter. Lambs are being weaned at this time too, and it is a time for some farmers to take their sheep to auction.
October – At this time the temperatures start to become too low for some animals so barns are used at night, and the sheep will be dipped to protect them from illness. Some crops are also harvested at this time, such as potatoes.
As the bird nesting season is over, this is a time when many farmers cut back their hedges.
November – At this time winter is near and food is scarce for animals so livestock will need to be fed with other food to keep them well through the winter. Ploughing is done at this time to prepare the fields for the crops.