Cobden Farm Bed and Breakfast

Monday, October 29, 2012

Autumn down the List




Lucy-dog is sniffing the air for rabbits...

...she isn't interested in the glorious Autumn view down the field we call the List 



...neither is Gipsy, who's just sniffing for anything.

 Cobden Farm B and B website
DUCKS and DRAKES to the rescue.
Our pond was covered with a green weed for much of the summer - even though it's fed by spring water.
Throwing in a bale of barley straw was an option to get rid of the weed 'blanket'
Then a flotilla of more than 20 ducks turned up from the village lodge.
They dived in.
And tucked in.
It took them a couple of weeks to eat it all.
Thank you ducks... and drakes.
GOING...

GOING...

GONE...



Cobden Farm B and B website


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Boskins - a holiday cottage at Cobden Farm


Our former barn, dating back to the 1700s, is now a lovely home for our eldest daughter and her family – and also a self-contained holiday cottage for visitors to our area.
The Boskins combines historic with 21st Century to offer the best of both worlds.
The cottage was once our ‘back shippon’ where, in days gone by, six cows were milked and where hay was stored on the ‘baulks’ above.
Each cow was tethered to a boskin by a soft cotton rope prior to milking...so the cottage’s name was easily chosen!
Click on this link to see photos of The Boskins, and to find out more.
http://www.dales-holiday-cottages.com/WebPages/Dales/ProductDetailPage.aspx?ISDLNK=1&SCODE=DC5463&ACODE=DC5463&RCODE=1427&PETCT=1

Cobden Farm B and B website

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Olympic Flame

June 23 2012: The Olympic Flame at its Loveclough starting point, after visiting Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley. It was heading for Crawshawbooth, Rawtenstall. Rochdale then Manchester.

Great support from crowds. Three generations of our family watched it: our daughter Gemma, me  and our eldest grandchild, Josh. Lovely.


Cobden Farm B and B website
June 22 2012: Sabden Brook, on the way to Cobden Farm. Usually, you can paddle across.

A few hours later it was even higher. Not bad for the first day of summer.



Cobden Farm B and B website

Monday, April 16, 2012

Gooseander route


Mother Gooseander and brood have a treacherous route down to the brook...following a stream in a steep sided gulley. I wonder how many survive?


Cobden Farm B and B website

Gooseander latest news...


Just spotted Mother Gooseander setting off with her brood down to Sabden Brook. Eleven days earlier than in 2011.
The last gooseanderling to join MG and family is pictured preparing to jump off the farmhouse roof.
Click on the tiny blob between the two chimneys.
The nest is in the unused chimney on the left of the photo.



Cobden Farm B and B website

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Friday, March 16, 2012

The gooseander is nesting again in a chimney pot (unused) on the farmhouse roof. (We've seen the male and the female on the pond or flying about. So they've definitely turned up for the third year.)
There's a duck laying eggs in the middle of a thick shrub in the garden.
She appears, with her two drake pals who live round the pond, at sheep feeding time to share the sheep proven.
Next thing, we'll be seeing the swallows arriving in early April.


Cobden Farm B and B website

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Hat trick

The gooseanders have arrived for the third year running. The female was swimming on the pond this morning. Just four days later than in 2011. Amazing. They've a better idea of time than I have.

Cobden Farm B and B website

Monday, February 13, 2012

Birds aren't going nuts...over nuts

The little birds visiting our garden aren't eating the nuts we put out as fast as in previous years. A friend in Lancaster - a much warmer part of the county - has noticed the same pattern.
Anyone any idea why?

Cobden Farm B and B website