We shear our sheep once a year, usually in June or July. Our main flock are mules which are a commercial crossbreed bred for meat and wool. Despite what some people think, we do not breed sheep for their wool. It is purely a welfare issue which I will go into further in a moment. … [Read more…]
Everyone dreams of a good night’s sleep. What if your slumber could also help farmers? If you buy a pillow from Herdysleep, you will be doing just that. From the founders of Lake District brand Herdy, Herdysleep began using fairly traded Herdwick wool to make award winning mattresses and has recently expanded to pillows too-the … [Read more…]
We thought winter 2017-18 was bad enough with all the rain but as we have all come to realise, a long spell of dry weather is not great either. The impact on farming has been in the news recently and while we have not escaped completely, compared to some farms, we have been ok. I … [Read more…]
Where there is livestock, there’s dead stock. Most farmers and there families are familiar with this saying. For other people though, it can come as a shock that animals die. I can’t actually believe this but it is true. Sheep in particular have some kind of inbred gene that just makes them want to die. … [Read more…]
Lambing is in full swing at the farm and, as I was sitting on my own one night as the children slept and the farmer saw to the new arrivals, I got thinking about lambing. It can go on for six to eight weeks which, on the face of it, doesn’t seem too bad. When … [Read more…]
Caroline Jellico farms in South Cumbria, UK. The farm itself is 30 acres plus another 20 rented and rights to graze the common. Its a harsh environment with little to no sunshine and poor quality grass. Farming was a life choice. Caroline always wanted to work with animals and became a zoo keeper for some … [Read more…]
As you can imagine, living on a sheep farm, anything sheep is a big hit here. Many farms have finished lambing now but there are still others, like ours where the lambs have either just started or are just about to-just in time for Easter. For that reason, I have come up with these no-bake … [Read more…]
Jeni Parsons lives on a farm in West Camarthenshire with her husband, Rob. Jeni’s is an interesting story as she came late to the farming world after re-marrying, taking early retirement and buy-in 11 acres and a derelict clom (mud) house in West Wales to begin Smallholding. Neither of them had farmed before though they … [Read more…]
Since starting my blog, I like to think I have helped a few small businesses in their quest for success. Everyone has an idea and Chantel from Kent-Made has a good one. She makes beautiful gifts and homewares by laser cutting and engraving wood. Her website, has so many things to choose from that I … [Read more…]
I am still learning about being married to a farmer. I still make mistakes. Mistakes I didn’t even know were mistakes until I felt the wrath of the farmer. It can be as simple as opening a gate too quickly or not quickly enough. Living on a knife edge is par for the course but … [Read more…]
