Apricot Surprise

On a cold and windy night, when nobody was home (Olly was in Aberdeen, and I was in Sussex), Mango gave birth to a heifer calf, alone in the field. Luckily the lad who was feeding the animals for us checked in on Mango late that evening, and found them both. Another friend rallied and helped get them into the barn, warming the new calf under the heat lamp, milking Mango, and making sure the calf had colostrum. What a start to life for Apricot, and a start to motherhood for Mango! I’m so grateful for friends who will sleep in a barn overnight to make sure animals are ok.

I’m still in Sussex, but Olly arrived home yesterday. Mango and Apricot are doing so well. Mango is getting used to being milked.

Mango wasn’t due until April, and I had everything crossed that she wouldn’t calve early during the 4 days Olly and I were both away from the Croft. But animals have a way of timing things terribly...