The year round: Hoping for the crowning glory with our rams

At Far Ings we are right in the midst of sheep sales. This hill holding's house stands at 1,300 feet and extends to 2,000 acres.

We are far from neighbours but are seldom lonely, as the Pennine Way passes through the farm. Swaledale sheep here are bred pure to start with then one third of them is crossed with Blue Faced Leicester rams to produce the Mule.

The Swaledale is spreading regularly into Scottish hills and we have four registered rams entered for a Selkirk sale.

Some rams are being put forward for 'crowning'.

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This entails having them inspected by a panel of experienced breeders for conformation, sound feet and legs, wool quality and face colour.

Only crowned rams can be entered in the Swaledale register. These are serious occasions but combine the countryman's enjoyment of work and pleasure.

There is always plenty of good food and drink and an atmosphere of merriment whatever the economic climate.

Hill farmers spend a lot of time alone so it is always a pleasure meeting neighbouring families.

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In our young family, the four-year-old son is already learning to drystone wall and is making good progress.

Two brood mares are kept. The older one is a regular breeder but the three-year-old awaits a scan to see if she is in foal.

She is a coloured mare, the sort of height suitable for pulling or riding. There is a temptation to breed for more size all the time but it is avoided here.

The Farm Assurance Scheme inspection ended as usual with flying colours. This is a great relief, for failure can be very expensive. The trouble with these tests is that so many of them are duplicated.

All are time consuming but inspectors tend to work to suit their own programmes even if a farmer is lambing or haymaking.

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