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If you are reading this, I want to congratulate you on getting through what is, in my opinion, the worst month of the year - the dreaded January.

January has flown by, which is no bad thing as I am not a fan of short days and long nights.

Now January is slowly drawing to a close, I definitely look forward to the days getting lighter and more productive from now on.

The new barn is here. After a month of delay due to supply chain issues, the holes have been dug, the concrete has been poured and the steel is going up.

NEW WRITER - Dan Jones farms 650 ewes at the National Trust-owned Parc Farm, which sits on the Great Orme, a limestone headland which rises up 207 metres (683 feet) on the North Wales coast near Llandudno. His Farm Business Tenancy covers the 58 hectares (143 acres) at Parc Farm, plus 364ha (900 acres) of grazing rights on the hill.

Happy new year. January is always a month that flies by but in theory should be quiet, with little other than routine feeding to be done.

By rights, when you read this Stephen and I should have had a couple of days in Glasgow at the Semex conference, which is always an interesting and thought provoking conference. However, it has obviously been cancelled due to restrictions in Scotland.

I hope you have all had a happy and peaceful festive season. It is mid-January and the hustle and bustle of the Christmas turkey rush seems like a long and distant memory.

I am writing this on January 1, so Blwyddyn Newydd Dda pawb (happy new year all). May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door. Lang may yer lum reek (long may your chimney smoke).

Winter might have been a bit late in coming this year – here in the Scottish Borders the grass was still growing in November – but when it did it definitely came with a bang, or should I say storm.