The Year Round

This farm, high on the north Pennines, has set a new record, though not a particularly desirable one.

From our large stock of registered Swaledale ewes there are 26 pet lambs, the most we have ever known.

This was not due to any great calamity but to a series of ewes with more lambs than they could cope with. Some had triplets, and a number of shearlings lambing for the first time had twins. After the long and severe winter they could only cope with a single. The pet lambs have also been bottle fed twice a day.

Grass is very short here but we had a good day's steady rain early in the week. Few cattle have been turned out in the neighbourhood, but a few warm days would soon make a difference.

Last month I mentioned 60 Swaledale ewe hoggs which were to be sold to Ireland.

The buyer could not raise the cash so they had to winter here. Our son advertised them in a farming paper and they quickly sold. They should join someone else's breeding flock this autumn.

Recent Government directives about stocking rates on the fells are unbelievably complicated.

On parts of our lower land, only half the number of breeding ewes may be wintered.

Thus our returns are halved but expenses are little changed because of the wide acreage involved the same number of hours are needed to feed and check the sheep.

Our system has evolved over 60 years, but Natural England adopt a "take it or leave it" attitude. To appeal is very complicated and we stand to lose our grants if we do not comply.

We try not to disturb the grouse. They may be nesting or caring for new broods and we hope for decent weather.

CW 5/6/10