Last year went out in a deluge of water as our little stream next to the farm turned into a raging torrent and burst its banks, flooding sheds, kennels, steading and almost the house.
Luckily my husband and Manitou got to it just in time to prevent our brand-new living room carpet and freshly painted kitchen from being ruined, but it was a close shave.
We lost a little bit of barley and the finishing lambs needed quite a bit of extra straw to dry the pen up, but the damage was minimal, thank goodness.
I know others around the country have had it much worse and my heart goes out to those who lost stock or had major problems.
We will be scanning the ewes next week and moving the twins onto a field of grass we have been saving to try to keep them in the best condition possible.
It is the first time we have used grazing rather than feeding silage all winter, and I am interested to see how well it works.
The idea was to save on the cost (and emissions) of cutting, baling and wrapping but it has been a source of huge temptation every time we go past, and I am amazed we have managed to resist grazing it.
The hill ewes are, hopefully, well tupped and have gone back out onto our 500-hectare (1,235-acre) hill in the best condition I can remember. The dry summer last year certainly seemed to suit them.
The cows (and us), are much happier now that water troughs are flowing again after the freezing spell this month, which meant twice daily watering with water tanks and frozen fingers.
QMS work is getting going again following the Christmas break, with a reception at the Scottish Parliament and we have invited professor Alice Stanton to address the guests, including a variety of MSPs.
Prof Stanton has been working to challenge the questionable results published by the Global Burden of Disease on the potential health risks of red meat consumption, which many dietary guidelines around the world are based on.
Along with other scientists, she has written to the medical journal, The Lancet, on this subject. She has also been one of the group instrumental in encouraging over 650 scientists from around the globe to sign the Dublin Declaration on the Societal Role of Livestock.
This aims to give voice to the many scientists who research diligently and honestly to provide evidence of the health benefits, environmental sustainability and socio-cultural values of livestock around the world.
I am really excited that Prof Stanton will speak to some of the politicians and policymakers in Scotland to emphasise how important red meat is as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
We are also recruiting for new board members for QMS, so if you are looking for a new challenge in 2023, please consider applying. Details can be found on our website.
Happy New Year and lets hope 2023 gives us all something to smile about.
