Farm update 15/10/2017
The last few months have been mainly revolving around getting our sheep together, which we have now done. Three breeds make up the Hathor farm flock. The rare Castlemilk Moorit, the rare Kerry Hill, and the Romney marsh. The Kerry Hill I found pretty close to home, on a farm near Dallington. We got a ram, 5 ewes and 4 ewe lambs. The Castlemilk took a weekend and a road trip to teh Quantock Hills in Somerset, where we got a ram and 5 ewes from a lovely couple on farm that knew all about these sheep, including all their bloodlines, family relations and personal names. Four more ewe lambs joined the Castlemilk adults from a biodynamic farm in Essex, brought over by Eelco, the other half of the we I keep mentioning. Eelco Visser did the apprenticeship on Tablehurst Farm as well, is an old friend of mine from the Netherlands, and the sheep are now our joined venture. The main flock is Romney Marsh, 45 of them, which we bought in: the Romney Marshes, from a flock established around 1870, if I remember correctly. The ram, last and final addition to the flock, we bought at the Ashford market. The first time we bought an animal at an auction, which was an experience in itself. We went together with Gala, the shepherd from Plawhatch Farm, who also bought a Romney ram there. Both boys we then brought back to Sussex. Our ram joined the other boys straight away, and they are getting along like lifelong friends. Soon though, we will be separating the ewes into three groups and the ladies can be formally introduced to the gentlemen, in the hopes of a successful lambing this March/April. Exciting times this spring!
In the meantime, I also brought our own boar to the farm, who got on very well indeed with our sow Julia, the oldest of the ladies. This should result in another beautiful litter of piglets early January. The early January birth would qualify them to be entered into the shows this summer, which is something I’m considering. Our animals are looking great, so perhaps we should show them to the world.
The two young sows, Juno and Norma, farrowed (gave birth) a week apart from each other end of August, and produced two great litters of Berkshire – Large Black crosses. Both new mothers and little ones are doing great and enjoying the autumn at Hawthbush farm in Gun Hill. The piglets do demand a lot from their mothers, so it is likely I will have to wean them off a bit earlier than the 8 weeks I usually keep them together. Otherwise I might demand too much of them. After this they can have a few months break before being introduced to our own boar for the first time.(As a reference, most sows would be introduced back to a boar 3 days, or 3 days and 3 weeks after weaning) I do believe letting a sow recover for a bit longer is better for her and therefore better for her next litter as well. It might seem to be less productive, but I think in the end if you take care of your breeding stock, they will take care of you so to speak.
At our equinox gathering I was happy that we got to stir the biodynamic horn manure preparation, which we spread across the land with the people that came to our gathering. This leaves one more preparation to be sprayed this year, and then we will already be entering our second year of conversion to biodynamic status at Sacred Earth. This year has indeed flown by!
