Some sales coming up this week are: Saturday, September 29, Top Farm, Derbyshire, Eaton and Hollis will host a dispersal sale of tractors and equipment. There are a few sales on Bank Holiday Monday. One of which is at Penrith auction mart, which has a commercial suckler herd sale from W.Richardson and Son, and another is Paul Slater’s Whiteley Hey flock production sale at NWA, Kendal. On Wednesday, September 2, there's a Mart's the Heart first anniversary sale of 150 dairy cattle at Holsworthy livestock market.

I plan to go to the Whiteley Hey sale, so maybe see you there!

This week we’ve been on with the important job of weaning our lambs. It’s good to see how they're turning out and to select the ones we will keep for breeding.

I went to the Tweeddale British Blue dispersal sale on Friday. What cracking trade they had. The ring was packed out with some well-known breeders and some new buyers. It’s sad to see a dispersal, but on the other hand, it’s good for the breed when established bloodlines are spread throughout the country, giving new buyers opportunities to build on solid foundations. Embryos saw unbelievable prices – I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to take such an unknown gamble!

Speaking of gambles, some of the store lamb sales have seen a pretty fair trade considering the state of the prime market – which has shown no improvement – so I hope there is a decent margin at the end of the day for all those buyers.

Some sales coming up this week are: Saturday, September 29, Top Farm, Derbyshire, Eaton and Hollis will host a dispersal sale of tractors and equipment. There are a few sales on Bank Holiday Monday. One of which is at Penrith auction mart, which has a commercial suckler herd sale from W.Richardson and Son, and another is Paul Slater’s Whiteley Hey flock production sale at NWA, Kendal. On Wednesday, September 2, there's a Mart's the Heart first anniversary sale of 150 dairy cattle at Holsworthy livestock market.

I plan to go to the Whiteley Hey sale, so maybe see you there!

We’ve taken a deep breath and made the decision to mow for haylage! Hopefully the forecast is accurate and we have enough of a window of dry weather to get it baled and wrapped. I hope everyone else is lucky getting crop in.

Sales to look out for this week are theMart's the Heart Carlisle premier sale of Beltex sheep. It kicks off this evening  (Wednesday, August 12) with the judging of all classes. Females and ram lambs are sold on Thursday, and shearling and aged rams are sold on Friday.

The summer continues to be a big fat disappointment here in the north. Many folk are waiting to crack on with making hay and combining but, unfortunately, the weather is just against us.

Protests over prices paid for milk and lamb continue as farmers frustration and anger levels rise. Why is this being allowed to happen to our industry? The public just aren’t being given the positive messages about UK agricultural produce, meanwhile these sectors of the industry are going to hell in a handcart. Surely the farming unions could do more for their subscription paying members?

Frustrating and challenging though life is, like others we are trying to stay optimistic by focusing and getting ready for the sales ahead and telling ourselves it will get better! Actually, prime lamb prices have been a little better in many markets this week – hopefully it’s more than a blip.

Sales to look out for this week are: Thursday's Mart's the Heart annual young handlers show and sale of prime lambs at Longtown mart. On Friday, August 7, it’s Shrewsbury market’s August collective machinery sale. On Saturday, August 8,Sedgemoor Auction Centre is holding a special catalogue sale of 1,200 continental cross breeding ewes, and on Monday, August 10, there’s an organic beef herd on-farm dispersal sale. Held at Colbrans farm, Laughton, near Lewes, East Sussex, and hosted by South East Marts.

Maybe I’ll see you at Longtown mart – I’ll be the 'non-young handler'!