Down On The Farm

Spring is slow on the farm. Poor Fraser says he has never known Blagdon so wet at this time of year. But we know that can change quickly and the farm have to taylor their work to the conditions.

The ‘bed and breakfast’ Swaledale ewes have spent the winter away from the moors of Middleton in Teesdale feasting on lush Blagdon grass. They will soon be going back home to the moors ready to lamb in May.

They come on holiday in the winter as the grass stops growing in the uplands and moorlands and they can run out of food. By coming to Blagdon they help our grass growth and its subsequent nutritional value because they graze the grass shorter. The result is better grass quality that benefits our grazing cattle for the rest of the year.

When you travel about the countryside in winter you will see a lot of horned hill sheep spending their time in the lowlands of Northumberland and Cumbria – they are actually on their holidays!