Bella our Texel and Smarty-Pants our Charolais are our breeding Ewes, we will be growing our flock and hope to have some new additions soon as both are pregnant to a Jacob and Shetland Cross ram. Jacobs are a slow growing traditional breed, well known for their brown and white colouring and large horns, Shetlands are old traditional Scottish breed of small sheep from the Shetland Isles, known for their excellent coloured and textured wool. We hope to combine these to produce, sheep with excellent wool for weaving and slow growing lamb for eating. They also browse on weeds, herbs and leaves given the opportunity as they are excellent at self selecting nutrients that they need to keep up good health. So our sheep spend time in pasture fields, on herb areas, browsing hedges and trees and also in our veg patch to get a good variety of nutrients.
In the biodynamic system in opposition to cows, sheep nibble the pasture low to the ground, letting in air and light. Their silica rich manure encourages growth of strong stems for plants to reach up high into the air and light. Sheep are known for their ‘Golden Hooves’ which follow the cows deep prints, padding the soil down again after the cows have pushed the carbon downwards.
The Essence of Sheep: Community; sheep function as many individuals but also as one. They will sacrifice the eldest when threatened by predators, encircling the youngest in the middle of a protective formation. They will move together as one, neither being a true leader but all being closely connected to one another. Once we start shearing, we will be putting on a witch weaving workshop for those who wish to engage in the ways of the old.
A new addition to the flock! – Bella’s baby – Aw