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Over The Farm Gate

Hello...Shepherdess, Sophie

10/2/2019

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Last week I went to visit Sophie and her Middlewood flock of Hampshire Down sheep. I was especially looking forward to this blog because Sophie had arranged it so that I could visit on the day that she was scanning her ewes. I have never actually seen a ewe being scanned for lambs (lots and lots of cows, yes, but never sheep!) so it was a learning experience for me too. I absolutely loved it and it was also an opportunity to witness first hand, Sophie working closely with her sheep. It was a fantastic morning and much as I expected, a family team effort, with Fiancé, Matthew and daughter, Harriet on hand to help out. They were making sure the ewes were in the right place for scanner, Ben. I have known Sophie for many years and I am really excited to share her story as she begins to rebuild and grow her flock of Middlewood Hampshire Downs. Sophie is one of the most passionate people you could meet and it was a pleasure to spend the morning watching her work.
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Sophie taking her ewes back to their field after being scanned.
How long have you been involved in farming? 
I’ve been around farming since I was a little girl but working in the farming sector since 2009.

What first attracted you to industry?
I’ve always had a great love of the outdoors from a very young age. I had ponies from the age of 2 so I was always outside. When I was younger we lived on a farm in Kettlestone where my dad was a farm mechanic. I have many pictures of me bottle feeding lambs or riding in a tractor. I went to agricultural college to study horses at school leaving age. As time went on life changed and so did adult responsibility. I sold my horse and my father bought me two dairy calves for my 21st birthday which I reared and then sold on. I also started working on a straw based pig finishing unit where we finished just under 2000 pigs on a high welfare system. We also reared calves on contract which I loved. This is where the love of sheep also started; I stared helping a brother and sister team with their Border Leicester sheep with lambing, at shows and so on. This then started me looking into other breeds, the Hampshire Downs caught my eye with their fluffy heads and velvet black nose, they were a winner for me. With easy lambing and they finish off grass, so I invested in 3 beautiful ewe lambs and the rest is history. I lambed them in my garage so I could hear them out of the bedroom window (I do have pictures for evidence ha-ha!).   
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Sophie with one of her Hampshire Down ewes.
How do you find being a young women involved in agriculture?
I’m not going to lie I do find it tough.  I find it very lonely sometimes especially winter with shorter days. Being mostly male dominated you have to gain the respect and prove you can do as good a job as them. Men are known for their banter so you have got to have a strong back bone and brush it off or if you’re like me just give it back to them tenfold! I’m lucky enough to have worked alongside some fantastic farmers that have been flexible with working, as having two young children under 5 has it challenges. I’m quite an emotional person so I always cry if I lose a lamb or calf. I find nowadays there are more women in the farming sector as they have a more maternal side when it comes to livestock. I think our qualities as women In agriculture actually helps the tough males open up about problems (well slightly). Being a mum in agriculture has some very rewarding moments and some not so, but if you can juggle husband, boyfriend, partner, children and grab some you time you’re on to a winner. My fiancé and I work with each other all the time a we are one hell of a team when we are together yes we argue but we come as package and I’m very lucky.  
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Sophie and her three year old daughter, Harriet, who adores the sheep and clearly shares the same passion for Hampshire Downs as her Mother.
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 How long have you had your Hampshire Down flock?
I’ve had my current Hampshire’s since July 2018 so just over a year, which was gifted to me from a very good friend. I’ve been involved in Hampshire’s since 2010 when I purchased my first 3 ewe lambs. Sadly I lost my last original hamp ewe in august of this year.

What first attracted you to the Hampshire Down breed?
It was their presence, with their velvet black ears and noses and wooly heads, they have a stubborn characteristics which I actually really like, it gives something about them. They lamb with ease and they are quick to get up and suckle. They are very hardy. They don’t need any supplementary apart from laming time. They have ad lib hay all winter when grass is in short supply. Just an all round great sheep.  

What is the history of the breed ?
The Hampshire breed was started about 150 years ago. The Hampshire Down was born from the cross of three different breeds, Wiltshire Horn, Berkshire knot and the Southdown. Over the last 50 year the Hampshire has been developed as a terminal sire  
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The ewe's waiting patiently to be scanned.
How many Hampshire’s do you have in your flock?
We currently have 11 breeding ewes, 2 breeding rams, 1 ram lamb and 1 ewe lamb.   
 
What future plans do you have for your flock?
Over the next 3-5 years we would like to build up to 100 breeding ewes. Keeping hopefully all ewe lambs as breeding females, either to go to the showing flock or to the pedigree commercial flock. The showing flock will be made up of the best I can produce to sell on to other breeders. These will all be kept MV Accredited. We will hope fully build up our lamb boxes with our pedigree Hampshire lamb. 
 
As a native breed, are they still suited today commercial market?
Yes. The commercial market is changing. Farmers seem to want lower input but still get output from the lambs. This is where the Hampshire Down as a breed comes into its own. It’s a terminal sire which means it’s a ram that provides the genetics to optimise lamb growth, convert feed efficiency and lamb carcass quality. Cross bred lambs finish of mother’s milk and grass from 14 weeks of age. The Hampshire cross lambs and pure lambs are quick to get up and suckle moments from being born. Strong, hardy lambs which gives them the best start. We start lambing in December so the weather is not always the best and they cope so well in the hardest of conditions.
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                    The ewe's running out to grass.

​What advice do you have for someone wanting to become involved with farming and sheep in particular?

My advice would be think about what aspect interests you and go with that. Don’t just go into anything because if you’re not dedicated you will most likely fail (been there and learnt the hard way!) I chose sheep because I’m passionate about my breeding and genetics. Producing a ram that will go on to produce cracking fat lambs for the commercial farmer or producing high quality show stock (early stages on both but that’s the plan) you must have the drive to want to be up at all hours. Endure the wonderful weather we have here on the British isle. Be willing to learn and adapted to different systems. Drive and stubbornness not to give up is one thing, I’ve learnt more over the past 5 years as things don’t always go to plan and things change. Always talk to an experienced shepherd or shepherdess to gain as much knowledge as you can, you may not like everything you come across but experience is a wonderful thing. But most of all love, love, love what you do as farming can be so rewarding.  
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These are a few of the pictures that I took while Ben, the scanner was in action. Sophie, Matthew and Harriet waiting tentatively for the results. It was so interesting to watch and it was very exciting as Sophie is expecting 16 lambs from December onwards. 
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I would like to say a BIG thank you to Sophie and her family for introducing me to their Middlewood flock of Hampshire Down sheep. I spent a fantastic morning with them all and if you would like to find out more then follow them on Instagram @middlewoodhampshire.
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Longhorn Inspiration

4/7/2019

2 Comments

 
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I had such a fantastic visit to the Pointer Farm, I don't think I have ever taken so many photos in one day. I focused on the majestic English Longhorn cattle, but Jamie did kindly introduce me to all the different breeds which are also at the Pointer Farm. I came back to the studio with so much inspiration! It was fantastic, as well as the Longhorns, I have drawn from three of the different breeds of sheep and the Middle White pigs.
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The Longhorns do not have to have symmetrical horns, and no two cows have the same horns. They come in quite literally any shape and size, going in any direction they fancy! This meant it was really hard to choose which cow to draw from, but I decided on this cow as she just caught my eye. I loved her delicate mottled markings and her horns are beautiful. 
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                       My pencil sketch of the Longhorn cow.
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This is my final print of the Longhorn cow, I am really pleased with the outcome. The Longhorn is so very distinctive and they have so much character and I think that this has translated through the print.
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As I said before Jamie works with 5 different breeds of sheep at the Pointer Farm and I have drawn from three! It was hard to choose!
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The Valais Blackness Sheep - these have been recently sheared and are usually REALLY fluffy. I can't wait to draw them when their fleeces have grown back!
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Sketch and print of Exmoor Horn Ewe.
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My new favourite sheep - the Greyface Dartmoor, I loved drawing this ewe, she had the most amazing curly fleece.
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Finally... The Middle White Pig!
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I would like to say another BIG thank you to Jamie, for taking the time to show we around the amazing Pointer farm. I have really enjoyed putting this blog together and drawing so many different breeds. I certainly learnt a lot and gathered so much inspiration that I can't wait to use on products in the future. If you would like to learn more about Pointer Pedigrees take a look at their website > www.pointerpedigrees.com and follow them on Instagram > @pointerpedigrees. 
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Hello... Stockman, Jamie

4/1/2019

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Last week I travelled to Wotton in Buckinghamshire, to meet Jamie Brewer the head stockman at Pointer Pedigrees. Pointer Pedigrees is home to cattle, sheep and pigs (including many different breeds). However, in this blog I have mainly focused on the majestic Longhorn Cattle which were originally established in 2006 on the farm. I had a great morning meeting all the various residents of the farm and was especially lucky with the weather! The Longhorns are such an iconic native breed and it was great to catch up with Jamie and hear about the progression of the breed over the years.
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How long have you been working with Longhorn Cattle?
I moved to Buckinghamshire in 2013, I was drawn to David’s (my boss) enthusiasm so I knew it was the right decision for me to come and work with a breed I hadn’t worked with before It was a challenge to get to the top. It was also a great opportunity for me to shine, with the backing and support to get where we wanted to with the breed.

Where do the Longhorn originate from and what is their history?
History is being made by me!... The Longhorns are beef cattle that originate from Craven, in the North of England. The breed was initially used as a draught animal, which its body is well suited for; the milk was also collected for butter and cheese because of its high butterfat content. The notable long, curved horns that serve to distinguish this breed from others can make an individual appear aggressive, although by temperament they are usually friendly.
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What would you say the most attractive attributes of the Longhorn’s are?
People seem to see a lot of negatives to the Longhorns, the horns are probably one of the first things to put people off. People need extra space because of the horns and they carry the negative stigma of many native breeds of being slow finishing. However, with the improvements within the breed this is no longer the case, if farmed correctly. There is such improvement in the breed now people look past the horns and see a good suckler cow. They have a strong maternal instinct, easy calving, high milk yield; they flesh out well with the right food. They will finish on grass (turning grass into flesh) better than a continental, and finishing quicker than most native breeds.  Higher profit margins within a beast, with not as much supplement feeding.
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How many Longhorn’s do you now have in the Pointer herd?
We have 42 Longhorn cows, 15 two year old heifers which being introduced to the bull this spring. 5 bulls, 2 bought in and 3 homebred and all working. As well as the Longhorns we have Highland cattle. We have 5 different breeds of sheep; Hampshire Downs, Coloured Rylands, Exmoor Horns, Greyface Dartmoors and Valais Black Nose and finally... Middle White Pigs. All pedigree!
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The latest addition to Pointer Pedigrees are these Swiss beauties, Valais Black Nose sheep. Jamie imported these only a few weeks ago so I was very lucky and excited to meet them!
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Feeding Time! Pointer Pedigrees have 5 different breeds of sheep on the farm; Hampshire Downs, Coloured Rylands, Exmoor Horns, Greyface Dartmoors and Valais Black Nose.
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Special treatment for this orphan lamb!
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My personal favourites! The Greyface Dartmoors... aren't they just adorable.

Back to the Longhorns...You are in the middle of calving at the moment; do you find the Longhorns to be good mothers?
Yes, excellent mothers and good temperament, but I am always cautious and I treat everyday like a new day every time I see them. As my temperament changes daily, so does theirs.

What do you do with your young stock; do you sell them on to other breeders or retain them for your own breeding stock?
We do a bit of everything, we wean all our young stock at 9 months then go through them all and work out what we want to be kept back to reintroduce in the herd. These are chosen for specific attributes, I am looking for length, locomotion (keeping fit and healthy on their feet), and decent growth rates. You start to understand what cows are breeding what! Anything that doesn’t make the grade has their horns removed and males will be castrated. These are then sold as stores straight away. The ones that make the top 25% are retained and haltered and any we don’t keep ourselves are available to buy both privately and at society sales. 
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A few of the 2019 born calves.
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Longhorns make excellent mothers, here is a cow with her calf which was born while I was there!

​Do you sell your Longhorn beef locally, if so what feedback have you had?
Our boss keeps a few for himself, just for his own private functions and events. Otherwise we sell the young stock as stores so not finishing them ourselves.
 
You show your cattle, what do you look for in a show animal?
I am looking for conformation, something that is stocky not fat but well fleshed. Length is important but you can’t always get flesh and length together. For the cows I want a nice feminine head and a bull to have a strong masculine head. I want width for easy calving and something, which walks well.  The horns are irrelevant, with this breed the horns do not have to be symmetrical and can go any direction, the horns are irrelevant to the butcher! 

Why do you feel showing is important for you and your cattle?
I think it is more important for the breed, whether it does me a favour or not because I have a good cow. It does a favour for the breed, which has had hard, times but is now on the up! It is a great selling platform for both the breed and me. It is even better when you are winning! Nothing better than your hard work paying off. 
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Pointer Pedigrees have had a lot of success in the show ring!

​What is your favourite thing about owning cattle?

I am just addicted to cattle since my Grandfather introduced me to them. I couldn’t think of anything better than being with him and his beloved Dairy Friesian cows. I bought my first Highland cow with money I got from the Government to fund my college, but I realised my money would be better spent on a cow which I paid off £25 a week for a year! Now the rest is history!

What advice would you give someone looking to get cattle?
Don’t bother! No joking… it brings you great joys but sometimes it can be hard work and painful with loss but the good overcomes the bad and I wouldn’t want my life without cows in it!

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I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Jamie, for taking the time to show we around the amazing Pointer farm. I had a fantastic morning learning all about the Longhorn cattle and being introduced to all the other breeds on the farm. I certainly learnt a lot and got a massive amount of inspiration for drawings and prints. If you would like to learn more about Pointer Pedigrees take a look at their website > www.pointerpedigrees.com and follow them on Instagram > @pointerpedigrees. 
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Herdwick Inspiration

2/15/2019

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After visiting Helena and her flock of Herdwick's I came back to the studio to look through all the photographs I had taken. The Hardwick's have so much character and are extremely distinctive with the small white faces and large, thick fleeces. Tormund the Ram is particularly eye-catching with his impressive set of horns and tufty beard.  
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The Herwick's have a distinctive contrast between the colour of their faces and fleeces.
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These are two pencil sketches which I have completed of 'Tormund' the ram.
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A pencil sketch of Arya, one of Helena's favourite ewes.
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These are my final hand stamped prints which I created from my pencil drawings. I take all the 'main' shapes from my drawings to create simple stamps from, which I then use to build up and create the coloured prints. I then work back into the stamped prints, putting in all the characteristics and detail. I am really pleased with how these prints have turned out, I think it is mostly because of the character and distinctiveness of the Hardwick breed. They also have such variety of texture and colour within their fleeces which really compliments the hand stamped technique. 
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I would like to say another BIG thank you to Helena for taking the time to introduce me to her Stark Herdwicks. It was so interesting to learn so much about another one of our countries native breeds.
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Hello... Shepherdess, Helena

2/8/2019

1 Comment

 
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Welcome back to 'Over The Farm Gate', following the Christmas/Winter break I am really looking forward to starting the blog up again and begin visiting local farmers to share their stories and gather inspiration for my prints and designs. Last week I had my first farm visit of 2019 to local Shepherdess, Helena Wright. Helena keeps native Herdwick sheep which originate from central and western Lake District and would usually live on the highest of England’s mountains. I was lucky enough that I could find these beautiful sheep in the local village of Wood Norton. I went to see Helena and her Stark flock of Herdwicks to find out more about the Native breed and why she chose them.
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Helena feeding her flock.
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Helena's flock is called Stark Herdwicks, named after Game of Thrones which she loves!

​How long have you been interested in sheep and how did you become so involved with them?

I have always been interested in “Livestock” in general with my family since I was born, but my own flock of sheep I have had since December 2017


​What made you choose the Herdwick breed?
By chance on social media I saw a picture one day of a Herdwick (Herdy!) and I instantly fell in love with the breed and said these are my sheep!


Can you tell us a little bit about the history of the breed?
​The are native to the area of central and western Lake District and live on one of England’s highest mountains. The breed dates back to the 12th century with local folklore linking the breed to the Vikings. The name Herdwyck dates back to the 6th century and refers to “Sheep Pasture”. There is a lot of references to the Herdwick breed throughout the years along with Beatrix Potter being so passionate of her Herdwick sheep that upon her death left the National Trust all her 4000 acres, 21 farms and it was stipulated that her Herdwick flock must remain on these farms. Her Legacy remains one of the largest and most significant bequests ever made.
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The Herdwick is distinctive looking with its small white head and large heavy fleece of dense wool.

​How many Herdwick sheep do you now have in your flock? 

I have 6 shearling ewes and 1 shearling tup.

​You have just bought a ram, what specific qualities were you looking for?  
The boys OR Rams must be masculine in character. Broad and full. Horns smooth and round, rising out well from the back of the head. Their face, jaw and top of head must be covered with strong, bristly hair and free from wool.
Legs must be straight and clean with big knees. Bristly hair and free from wool again. And both face and legs must be clear “hoar-frosted” (White) in colour.
Their wool should be heavy and dense with and undercoat of fine wool which is even in colour. Good quality all over their body. A strong ruffle or mane around the neck and top of shoulders. And a good strong tail.
No spots, brown or yellow in any part.
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Helena's Ram Tormund with a Herwick ewe. 

​This year will be your first year lambing, how excited do you feel?

Nervous and Excited! I’m use to calving, but sheep are smaller scale. But I can’t wait to grow my own flock. And the lambs are completely black when they are first born! They then change colour as they get older, so I’m interested to see that for myself.


Will you lamb them outside or inside?
Herdwicks have good mothering instinct and I have been given advice that they are very much the independent type, so they will be outside but if they need help they have a nice new “maternity” pen to come into.


Will you be selling your lambs on or retaining some for breeding stock?
The plan is to keep my ewe lambs for breeding stock and I’m not sure on the ram lambs. Depending on how many I get, to sell on as breeding tups or for meat (But that’s another plan of mine 😊)


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                     Arya, one of Helena's ewes due to lamb in March.
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              Helena took her Herdwick's to a handful of local agricultural shows in 2018.

​Last year was your first attempt at showing, how did you find it?  
I did get very nervous as again I have shown cattle, but sheep is a different thing again. However, I have met some great friendly people along the way. And that is the main thing. To enjoy what you do.


What do you look for in a good Quality Herdwick sheep?  
Strong body, clean legs and face. Females must not have horns and have that “feminine” look to them. Then the Tups being “manly” as I call it. Good even colour of wool.


​What is your favourite thing about owning sheep?
With my herdy’s it’s got to be the face! They always look like they are smiling. So, no matter what time of the day or night. Whatever sort of day I’m having they always make me smile. And they all have names which I’m sure they know it! As they all seem to live up to their character.
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Helena with one of her favourite ewe's Arya.

​What advice would you give someone looking to get sheep?

Speak to other’s who have the same breed as you. As each breed is different. Some need more prep than others. Always contact your breed association, as they are very helpful in pointing you in the right direction. And you got to like being cold and wet! No matter what the weather or time of day. So long as you don’t mind getting your hands dirty then your fine!

​A BIG thank you to Helena for taking the time to show me around her flock of Herdwick sheep. It was great to be back visiting a local farmer, I never get bored of hearing about peoples passions and stories. I am even more excited to go back and visit in March when Helena starts lambing! 
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Norfolk Horn Inspiration

9/16/2018

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After visiting Phoebe at her family farm in Eye and meeting her flock of Norfolk horn sheep I came back to the studio to have a look through all the photographs which I had taken. There were a lot of photos! I had enjoyed spending my afternoon with the Norfolk Horn sheep so much, I had really been looking forward to it. They are a breed with such distinctive characteristics which I was really looking forward to drawing,
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A bit of a stare off between a Norfolk Horn ewe and Nellie the sheepdog.
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Phoebe's sheepdog Nellie.
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This is a pencil sketch that I did from one of the photographs I took of Phoebe's Norfolk Horn ewes, I was really pleased with how distinctive it looks. The dark face contrasting with the staturesque horns. 
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This is the final print which I have created from my pencil sketch, I have taken all the basic shapes out of my drawing and then worked back into the print to get the detail and features of the ewe.
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I would like to say another BIG thank you to Phoebe and her family for taking the time to show me around their farm. I had a brilliant time and if you would like to see more about Phoebe's family business 'Woolly Comforts' creating beautiful lambskins from their flock of sheep then please take a look at their website >>> www.woollycomforts.co.uk.

If you would like to find out more about Norfolk Horn sheep the Rare Breeds Survival Trust have lots of information on their website >>> www.rbst.org.uk.

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Hello...Shepherdess, Phoebe

9/3/2018

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Last weekend I went to visit 16 year old shepherdess, Phoebe with her flock of Norfolk Horns. I was very excited to travel to Eye in Suffolk to meet Phoebe's sheep as I have wanted to draw Norfolk Horns for a while now. They are so majestic and striking with there dark faces and handsome horns. It is also really important to raise awareness of the Norfolk Horn as they are also a rare breed on the Rare Breed Survival Trusts minority list.
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How long have you been interested in sheep and how did you become so involved with them?
I have been interested and involved with sheep from an early age, having grown up on a farm and working alongside Mum and Dad.

What made you choose the Norfolk Horn?
They are practical but a different and characterisitc breed, with their horns making them look nice.

​How many Norfolk Horns do you have now in your flock? 
I now have 17 ewes, all to lamb this coming season.
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Phoebe's 17 ewes enjoying the summer grass.

​What is the temperament of Norfolk Horns? Are they easy to handle with their horns?

They can be quite naturally unsettled if they are not looked over regularly enough, but once they know you they are calmer and easier to work with.
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Phoebe regularly handles her Norfolk Horns, checking teeth, feet and ear tags. This also means the ewes are used to being handled.

How many lambs have you had this year?
This year, I had 12 lambs for the 7 ewes that lambed.

What do you plan to do with this years lambs?
As this years lambs were Norfolk Horn x Charollais hopefully they will all be sold as freezer lambs in about two months time.
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2018 lambs - Norfolk Horn x Charollais.

What are you looking for in a 'good' Norfolk Horn?
I always look for nicely shaped horns personally, but they should have a good conformation all round too.

Do you have Norfolk Horn Sheepskins made?
Yes, we have them back from the lambs.
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Phoebe's family run a business called 'Woolly Comforts' creating beautiful lambskins from their own flock of sheep reared in the Suffolk Countryside.
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                               One of 'Woolly Comforts' lambskins on my sofa at home!

​Do the Norfolk Horns make a good sheepskin?
Their sheepskins are very similar to the Suffolks and the Charollais sheepskins, being thick and varying colours from cream to more speckled and some darker brown, but they are slightly smoother usually. 
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                                    Phoebe with one of her favourite Norfolk Horn ewes.

What is your favourite thing about owning sheep?
The satisfaction and pride at lambing time, especially seeing new borns.

What advice would you give someone looking to get sheep?
Choose a practice and relatively calm breed, to make handling them easier.
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I would like to say a big thank you to Phoebe for taking the time to show me around her farm and introduce me to her flock of sheep. It is always so inspiring to meet someone so young with so much passion and knowledge for farming. Take a look at 'Woolly Comforts' website to see what a great farm diversification business they have created as a family >>> www.woollycomforts.co.uk.

If you would like to find out more about Norfolk Horn sheep the Rare Breeds Survival Trust have lots of information on their website >>> www.rbst.org.uk.
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Beltex Inspiration

6/18/2018

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Emma's flock of Beltex is called 'St Theobalds'.
After visiting Emma and meeting her flock of Beltex sheep, I returned to the studio to look through all the photographs I had taken. I had never really taken much notice or come across Beltex sheep before. The Beltex sheep arrived in the UK from Belgium in 1989, and with their double muscle traits they have brought a new dimension to British lamb production. They are extremely distinctive to look at with a very short, thick face which is square in shape. 
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The Beltex face is short and thick.
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Pencil sketches of a Beltex ewe.
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These are the hand stamped prints of the beltex sheep which I created from the pencil sketches that I did to begin with. It is always difficult doing an animal that doesn't have a bold colour, especially when it is white/cream and making it stand out. However, the Beltex is so distinctive and striking looking that I think that the portrait is really effective.
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I would like to say another BIG thank you to Emma for taking the time to introduce me to her flock of sheep me and showing me around her farm yard!
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Hello...Shepherdess, Emma

6/15/2018

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This week I spent the afternoon with Emma and her two flocks of sheep. Emma keeps both commercial and pedigree Beltex sheep which she runs separately on her family farm in Coltishall. With the help of her 11 month old sheep dog, Tink, Emma runs her sheep enterprise single handedly with an emphasis on homebred, grass reared lambs which are then sold on at local farmers markets. It was really interesting to meet such a young farmer who has already found an outlet at local markets for her product which is selling successfully, with all her stock selling out at last weeks farmers market!
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Emma with some of her commercial mule ewe's with Beltex cross lambs. 

​How long have you been interested in sheep and how did you become so involved with them?
I had always wanted sheep and kept asking my Dad if I could have some lambs but on a particular day in March 2014 he said ‘yes!’. I started with five orphan lambs, I then sold the two male lambs to a local vendor and kept the three ewe lambs for breeding. This was the beginning my commercial flock. I bought cross beltex ewes and a beltex cross tup and I liked the lambs and this was when I decided I liked the breed. I then went on to buy three pedigree Beltex shearlings and two ewe lambs in 2017. As well running my pedigree flock of Beltex which MV accredited, I run separate commercial flock alongside. 

Why did you choose the Beltex breed?
I was first attracted to the Beltex because of their conformation and pretty heads. As well as this they are popular for the meat trade with their muscle conformation, producing lean meat which grades well. They do take a little longer to finish but there is more taste in the meat for the customer. I have found that using a Beltex tup on my commercial flock has been successful and produce better shaped lambs. The Beltex ewe produces a small lamb, which is strong and fast growing, they have good maternal instinct and make extremely good mothers. 
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A few of Emma's Beltex from her 'St. Theobalds' flock. 

​How many Beltex sheep do you now have in your flock?
In my Beltex flock In total I have 6 ewes, 5 ewe lambs and 2 ram lambs, 2 tups and 10 shearlings to breed with this year. In my commercial flock I have 80 ewes, 4 tups and 170 lambs (I have already sold quite a few of the early lambs).
 
What do you plan to do with this year’s lambs; will you be selling them on or retaining some for breeding stock?
I will keep all my Beltex ewe lambs to go to the tup in september 2019, I plan to sell the ram lambs as shearlings for other flocks. With my commercial lambs, I sell them all to a combination of local butchers and private customers as meat boxes. I started doing farmers markets in August 2017, I was approached by Hickling Farmers Market who were interested in having home reared lamb. Since then I have started attending more farmers markets including Stalham and Aldborough. Farmers Markets has been a great place for me to promote my stock and the home reared lamb I produce and has lead to a lot of repeat custom.  
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Emma with some of her 2018 Beltex lambs.

​You have recently sheared your sheep, why is this important to do at this time of year?
I started to shear in February but this was purely just for my show shearlings, so that by the time the agricultural shows come about their fleece has come back. Otherwise I shear in May and this is important to prevent them from getting fly strike in the warmer weather. When a sheep sweats they can’t release the heat through their wool this is when the flies start hanging around and lay their eggs in the fleece, which turns into maggots which then begins to eat the sheep alive. This is a big problem with sheep in the Summer months and the main reason we have to shear them. 

You show your Beltex sheep, what do you look for in a prize-winning Beltex?
When I am looking for a good animal I want good muscle conformation, an animal that stands nice and square and walks well, an animal that catches your eye with presence in the field. Straight back and good width between the loin. Specific traits within a Beltex you would definitely want is a small head. 
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What is involved in your show preparation?
To start my show preparation I have to halter train the sheep so I know that the can walk and get in and out of the ring with out too much embarrassment! When they are in the ring they are shown off the halter so you want to be able to catch them reasonably easily. Bathing is the main preparation to get the grease out their fleece and also trim their fleece so that they look shapely and well presented.

​Why do you feel showing is important for you and your sheep?
I feel showing is important as it is a chance to show my stock off to potential buyers, especially as I am hoping to sell my ram lambs onto breeders. It is also a chance to promote my meat as people get the chance to see the animals I am producing. 
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Emma with one of her Beltex's which she is taking to the Norfolk Show.
What advice would you give someone looking to get sheep?
Have patience, they can make you very stressed! Sheep are idol, they always want to do the opposite of what you want. You have got to love sheep! If you want to get into them on a larger scale get a dog as this will make your life easier.
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                                  Tink, Emma's 11 month old sheepdog.
​What are your plans for your flock over the next few years?
I hope to expand my pedigree Beltex flock to 100 and to be able to take my stock to the larger sales to help promote my flock (St.Theobalds) and get my name out there. With my commercials I plan to get up to 500 breeding ewes, continuing to cross them with Beltex tups and continue to sell the meat both to butchers, markets and farmers markets. 
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A big thank you to Emma for taking the time to show me around her farm and telling me all about her sheep! 
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New Card Collection

5/14/2018

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I am really excited to announce the launch of my first collection of cards which have been inspired by my farm visits as part of 'Over The Farm Gate'. I started this blog in January with the aim to combine both my passions, design and farming. I wanted to visit other peoples farms, hear their stories and meet their livestock. I have had a fantastic time visiting other peoples farm yards and learning so much about all the different breeds. Having looked through all my drawings and designs Lara and I have picked 12 prints which make up the first 'Over The Farm Gate' card collection. Each card has been personalised on the back with the farmers name, the animals breed and a little quote from the farmer. 
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Each card has been personalised to every farmer.
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My first blog all the way back in February was about chicken breeder, my sister Cecily with her Buff Orpingtons and Light Sussex. Cecily has had chickens throughout our childhood and I as my first blog I was so happy that she agreed to be my first farmer/breeder! 
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My next visit was with pig breeder, Hayley who has British Lop and British Saddleback pigs which are both on the RBST rare breeds list. These pigs have to be some of the best looked after pigs I have ever come across! Hayley attended South Suffolk show yesterday and won Champion with Jilly, her British Lop and Reserve Champion with Minty her British Saddleback. Hayley and I are attending lots of similar agricultural shows this summer and I am looking forward to seeing her winning streak continue! 
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At the end of February I visited cattle farmer, Annabelle who has Charolais cattle. Annabelle has grown up on a cattle farm but at only 16 years old the Charolais are her own venture. Annabelle is so passionate and knowledgeable about the breed, I am looking forward to following her progress through the show season.  
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At the beginning of march I visited young sheep farmers, Archie and Oscar with their flock of Suffolk sheep. I was amazed at the knowledge the brothers both had about their sheep. The boys will be busy this summer at local shows, I will be keeping my eyes peeled to see how they get on!
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At the end of March I was lucky enough to meet Esme with her Original Population Dairy Shorthorn which are on the RBST critical list. This means that there are only 150 or less of these left, Esme and her father Granger are doing a fantastic job at preserving this historic breed.
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At the beginning of April I visited Zara, it was one of her busiest times of the year because as well as having to lamb her own Ewes she was contract lambing through the nights for other farmers. I spent a morning with Zara and her sheep learning about both her breeds, the Southdown and the Texel Mule and the attributes which attract Zara to these breeds. 

I am already looking forward to continuing to visiting more farmers with their livestock and creating more prints for future design ideas!

These 12 cards will be available to purchase on the website individually and in a pack of 12, take a look at the 'CARDS' section in the 'SHOP'.  
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    Hello

    I am Izzi, farmer’s daughter and textile designer at IzziRainey. If I am not designing or sewing you will find me out in the farmyard with my cattle. I am constantly seeking inspiration for my prints, not that I have to look very far. Growing up on the farm, I have always been influenced by my surroundings and this combined with my passion for farming is what inspires my designs. I love spending time on the farm but I also enjoy learning about other people’s animals, passions and stories, which are also influential to my design process. I hope you enjoy reading ‘Over the Farm Gate’
     
    If you would like to get in touch please do not hesitate izzi@izzirainey.com.
     
    Izzi x

    Follow me on Instagram
    @heytherefarmgirl 

    All images are my own unless stated otherwise or people's childhood photographs.

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