Kate Batchelor Artist

So back to a drawing of British White cattle at Maple farm. They were grazing in the meadow on a hot summers day swishing their tails.

In many of the farms I have visited during this project it has been the farm dog that has greeted me. Many of these are working dogs that are used in herding of cattle and livestock or that protect domestic livestock from predators. Of the working farm dog breeds perhaps the Collie is the best known.

On day 8 I drew the shocks of wheat at Hulver farm, at that time the wheat and the thatching straw were still together and were yet to be threshed. Back then we arranged to meet at Brampton plough day where they would have a threshing machine demonstrating the removal of the wheat from the straw. Today’s drawing has 2 people one pitch forking the sheaves of wheat into the binder the other removing the binder twine.

The annual plough day at Brampton and a great weather for it. A great chance to catch up with some of the farmers I have already met on this challenge as well as to see numerous old tractors ploughing. Today’s drawing is of a Massey Ferguson 35X, my favourite tractor. As a teenager I spent many hours driving one of these.

When I first spied a Muntjac through a gateway down a lane I could only see the one. I snuck up a bit closer so the gate was not in the way. Only then I could see that it was not only just a doe but at her feet was a very young fawn. Then the buck joined them to see how his doe was. So the 3 of them stood there whilst I could watch. Such a joy.