March 2020: Shepherd's Report

GALA BAILEY-BARKER

It’s nearly April. The sun, after a filthy, rainy, muddy winter, is shining and our first 2020 lambs will be born in the coming week. Having the daily routines that farming brings is something I and the rest of the farmers here are very grateful for in light of what is going on in the world around us. Spending time with animals and plants who are utterly unaware of what is going on is a gift. The reduction in daily aeroplanes going over our heads is also quite nice!

In this strange time our work as farmers has become even more important. Many people, seemingly for the first time, are realising that they are reliant on farmers and their farms to produce food. The perceived value of food has increased over night. Times like these can bring a lot of clarity and focus. For me, it brings the intention to continue to produce the best food I can with the rest of my fellow farmers by keeping our animals and land happy and healthy.

It is going to be a busy spring as we didn’t get to sow any of our cereals in the autumn and so, as soon as its dry enough, Maya and Rose will be busy cultivating, sowing and rolling. Meanwhile just over 60 ewes are about to have lambs who will increase our flock by over 100 in a matter of weeks.  

We have 200 cheeping chicks that are now a few weeks old that Rose is raising to fill our second mobile house. The residents of our first mobile house are beginning to lay up to about 80 eggs a day and in the next few weeks hopefully somewhere in the region of 160 eggs a day. We still have 200 hens in our fixed houses that are laying very well. 

Our little Sussex group (Garden Hens) have not yet started laying despite being exactly the same age as the hens in the tunnel. This is likely to be because, having no soya, they have a lower protein diet. Because of this we currently have no garden eggs for sale in the shop but of course we still have all our other delicious eggs from our happy foraging hens for sale. 

Our new sow, Mary, will be farrowing (having her piglets) soon and when it is dry enough all the pigs will be out in the fields. 

I am very pleased to have a vet student helping with lambing this year, especially one I know as she was here in 2016 before she embarked on training. I’ve got to stop writing now as I need to go and check sheep and move an electric fence! Next month I’ll have news of how this year’s lambing has gone.