Traditional Field Barns of the Northwest The North of England is famous for its ancient, man-made landscape of rolling fields crossed with drystone walls and dotted, seemingly haphazardly, with stone barns which are so integral to the countryside here that it would look empty without them. Many of these barns are made from the veryContinue reading “Traditional Field Barns of the Northwest of England”
Tag Archives: #Lambing
The Role of the Sheep in Shaping Britain’s History and Landscape, Part One
Part One; How sheep farming became a major industry in the British isles There are currently around 38 million sheep in British isles, made up of more than 60 different breeds, not to mention an enormous variety of crossbreeds, or ‘mules’. In this series of articles I’ll write about the history of some of theseContinue reading “The Role of the Sheep in Shaping Britain’s History and Landscape, Part One”
Some of the breeds of Hill Sheep that can be found in the Northwest
This is a guide to some of the Hill Sheep breeds that can be found in the Northwest of England, (for an explanation of some of the terms used please see this article) ; The Derbyshire Gritstone This hardy breed of hill sheep was originally bred by Peak District hill farmers to survive in harshContinue reading “Some of the breeds of Hill Sheep that can be found in the Northwest”
The Hills are Alive, with the Sound of Bleating!
(My original title for this article was going to be ‘lambing time, a season of anticipation, and worry’ but I think my wife’s title is more fun!) Lambing Time For most sheep farmers right now lambing time is getting into full swing. Sheep pens all across the countryside will soon be alive with the questioningContinue reading “The Hills are Alive, with the Sound of Bleating!”
Spring on the Upland Farm
Spring is rapidly approaching and it’s the busiest time for our upland farmers. The dairy and cattle farmers will be welcoming the year’s new calves, while lamb farmers will up at all hours helping their ewes deliver lambs. Our upland moors and pastures have looked the same way for centuries, and this is largely becauseContinue reading “Spring on the Upland Farm”
Northwest Nature and History 