Northernlights

Cool breezy dull day with some torrential downpours to our east in the afternoon while we got just a few spits. Currently 9c. No real grass growth so cattle turnout going to be late.

Lazy wind here too absolutely freezing with a strong wind earlier plus sleet showers at 5c.

My favourite type of weather at this time of year Arctic skies with vibrant colours and snow capped hills Photos from a drive up the A9 and minor roads this morning. Temperature from 3 to 7 c

Managed to finish sowing this morning before an afternoon of strong winds and heavy rain and hail showers. Hope the promised high appears this week as it is just like a midwinters evening here with a northerly wind howling down the chimney . Currently 8c after an afternoon of mostly 6c due to all the hail showers.

Fine day for sowing wind and sun earlier. Some showers late afternoon.Into last field 30 minutes ago and heavy rain came on. So stopped again.

Some sharp showers this afternoon with hail took the temperature down to 5c by early evening Wintry sunset with clear arctic air and snowy looking shower clouds over the hills. Sower rained off at 6.00pm but windy and dry again so hopefully get going in the morning.

Sowing today finally About rwo weeks later than usual.

Very gusty wind bright and mild at 12c.

SW Saltire SW Saltire Never seen it like this before but surface conditions very deceptive plenty of tales today of machines sinking suddenly inapparently dry looking fields and then having to leave large areas to dry out more before attempting sowing again .My own contractor was nagging me to go today but patience is needed. Must be down to excessive rainfall totals from last October till now. Sower arrived this evening ready for early start tomorrow as no one else would go today with high water tables being blamed in lower Moray just above sea level Thankfully we are on a hill and the water flows away from us.

Fine drying day again very windy and 16c maximum ground surface looking very dry. Tractors going into fields however finding soft wet spots especially in low lying areas with high water tables near the sea and rivers. Farming community under a lot of stress with the worst for anyone lambing or calving outside in the last few weeks Just odd fields being sown round about today mainly sandy south facing ones on gentle slopes.

Another dull damp day. Climate extremes are very real to farmers. Watching my estate today carting tonnes of soil back up a tattie field from last year which was washed down some bad gully erosion channels into the big ditch at the bottom . Breaking up tattie fields just after harvest may be made compulsory in terms of cross compliance if the head of SEPA gets his way .I have to say I agree with him. In the interests of balance found this very interesting from The Independant especially when we are being asked to do carbon audits and a lot of the time we are found to be recycling carbon and not creating more as farmers. How airlines greenwash the skies WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK Fancy a quick flight to Barcelona, but worried about your carbon footprint? No problem. Despite aviation being responsible for between two and three per cent of all carbon emissions, many airlines are claiming that...

"The north wind doth blow and we shall have snow". Pure winter afternoon with strong NW wind dull and 6c. Finished ploughing neep ground yesterday so all ready for spring barley sowing. Spring is going to a difficult one but at least in north of Scotland we have long days in May and June when plants can catch up on growth at least one benefit of being so far north . In Scandinavia they have spring barley varieties that go from sowing to harvest in 100 days with their long midsummer days.

Back to square one ground saturated this morning.

Another very windy morning three days now. Ground drying up well currently 12c

Quinach Exactly the same here dust starting to blow on tracks. Hoping to have a go sowing tomorrow if this keeps up.