Northernlights

Being a miserable mean grumpy old farmer I noticed a patch of self seeded pine like trees growing on the site of an old shed about ten years ago and thought I would just leave them to grow. Turned out they were Douglas Fir, free and absolutely cat and dog proof as their needles are very sharp so careful decorating is required. However they are a good shape. Got it up last week with some seasonal cursing as it stabbed me as I got it in the door. Less wind but still the odd flurry today and currently -0.5c with lots of ice and even icicles.

All this snow to my east must be giving off some heat as we have warmed up to 1.5c but no precipitation although cloudy so its a bit warmer tonight than it was during daylight hours.Currently 1.5c Snow dog enjoyed herself in spite of being on a lead to give stitches on her back time to knit (small skin lump removed as precaution by vet) Trying to keep a spaniel calm and restrict movement for 12 days especially a young one is hard work.

Fine sunshine now but ground frost setting in, ice on any puddles and icicles hanging from north facing roofs.

About 2 inches of dry windblown snow this morning and any bits of clear ground begining to freeze up at -0.5c

Same here dry snow falling and now 0c

Shower activity seems to be increasing up here and we have just had a dusting of dry snow. Currently 0.5c Half an hour ago it was 2.5c.

Just finished putting up the permenant electric fence in the neep field for the winter in blustery conditions with showers rattling in off the Firth and becoming and looking more wintry as time went on. Its now a quick job to give the cows a fresh row of neeps every day. Currently 3c.

Just fairly breezy here with the odd burst of rain and currently 6c

Very springlike day today at 10c with a strong drying wind with the newly ploughed field dusty on the surface. Even the birds were singing but I doubt they will be singing so much by Friday!!!! Really going to be a week of contrasting weather conditions.

Finished liting winter store of neeps for inside cattle in perfect ground and weather conditions today. Cows go out every day to a row of neeps behind an electric fence so only hard freezing conditions stop them from eating.Big relief all round. Load of concentrate feed here late afternoon. If weather is bad later this week then we are mostly under cover feeding cattle.

Fine dry day again with little or no wind but overcast . Lfting some turnips today to get a store in for the winter as ground conditions are much better now. . Also got a soil sample from the last ploughed field which has been in grass for four years. Crossing the soft ploughing on foot reminded me I did the same job at the begining of the November 2010 cold outbreak .It was about 11.00am and I remember watching the ploughing dry very fast behind the plough. All of sudden I realised the ground was becoming easier to walk on .As the sky got clearer it was actually freezing up in front of me not usually seen as you approach the warmest part of the day. The strength of cold coming across us had all the ground with a frozen crust on it by dusk. Currntly 6c

Great day here too gentle breeze and a bit dull but not cold.Newly ploughed grass field surface dry enough to sow in today. Soil sample from this field will be taken tomorrow . Bringing straw bales home and refillng sheds in preparation for the end of the week. Finished tidying up herbaecoeus border in garden so nearly ready to leave winter to take over in the garden. Got some superb holly too in case birds go for it next weekend. House oil top up ordered and a bulk load of cattle concentrate due on Tuesday. Will fill all stick baskets, coal buckets in house tomorrow. Currently 6c

Ploughing again today a grass field the last field,a few dry above jobs lined up for the next few days. Had a short drain jetted to clear a pond in a field and cleared the pond in 24 hours and the weather dries up a bit so probably worth the money. Currently overcast and 6c

Road sign at Nairn this evening saying that A939 Cockbridge-Tomintoul road is blocked tonight and its still only autumn just. Its been a bad November for the farm with no ploughing for a fortnight and fields just bogs. Calves very happy inside now racing up and down the fold when their mothers are out at neeps in the mud and their mothers come in very quickly when they finish their strip of neeps because of the wet and mud. Currently clear 1c and a ground frost.

March 2006 remember loading newly lifted neeps out of a pit and had to dig the snow off to reach the neeps. Stunningly cold wind here with the odd flurry and a snow shower coming in off the Firth just now. Currently 1.5c.

I see the model thread might possibly be hinting at a cold high and not raging blizzards. I for one would be very happy with this just to start drying up the ground as walking around in six inches of mud is not very exciting. Farm road is breaking up badly with the continuous wet and will have to take a digger in to alter the camber to drain the water off it as huge potholes are now appearing.

Well another very wet evening. Been speaking to a couple of other local farmers of the same vintage as me and we have all never seen the ground so wet in this area. The local monitor farm near Elgin has also measured a years rainfall in the last five months and we still have December to go. Currently 3c

Miserable start to the day with heavy rain. Still patches of snow remaining in sheltered north facing areas especially in the woods so its waIiting for more!! Currently raining breezy and 3c

Slightly better day today with less wind and a bit more sun but wet this evening and milder at 6c. If anything like some of the predictions come off in the model thread then it will just be the icing on the cake of bad weather for the last six months of 2017 for agriculture in Scotland. A local farmer has measured a years rainfall in the last five months and with tonights rain ground conditions will be as bad as ever.

Onto the third day of some snow cover although its a degree higher at 3c this afternoon leading to a bit of melting.but the heavy sleet this afternoon feels just as cold. A really miserable November day.

-1c early this morning so everything very icy but a nice bright day to follow with snow showers round the Firth. Maximum temperature of 2c today A couple of photos; Ben Wyvis attracting the showers. The hills to the west Hairy Celt country The remaining snow in the garden frozen hard this morning.

Still a fair bit of snow remaining especially on north facing sheltered areas and there have been some further light snow showers tonight. Currently 1c. Tried to get a close up of Ben Wyvis at Connon Bridge this afternoon and you can just see it peeking out of another snow shower. A really very wintry sky. On the drive up it seems we were one of the snowiest low ground areas today although as Northern Rab says the Black Isle was very white right down to sea level including the cliffs in the early morning.

Yes now moderate snowfall and we are properly white for the first time this autumn.

Just started to lighly snow here with a dusting now, currently 0.5c.

Yes as above mini rivers in every field. "Bertha" was the last time I saw water flowing out of the field gates. At least we are up the hill a bit those below us must be really catching it. Very foggy too with no wind I hope the pneumonia vaccine works for the calves.Don"t begrudge the cost at all when the weather does this.Currently 5.5c