We also run a small flock of breeding sheep which start lambing in early March. Ours is a closed flock, in that we do not buy in ewes, preferring to keep our own home-bred ewes. This provides biosecurity, reducing the risk of disease, and it means we can keep breeding ewes from our best ewes. However, there are always excpetions and, from time to time, we keep on a ewe who was raised as a pet, whose mothers probably weren’t the best, but whose characters have won us over. Mary is now on her fourth crop of lambs and Evie has produced fabulous twins for the last two years.

The tups are mainly Texels, producing top quality lambs which mainly go to M & S. We also have a Cheviot tup who we used on the first time mothers because his lambs are narrow in the shoulder which makes them easier for young ewes to manage.

We lamb the flock indoors, putting the ewes and their lambs outside once the grass is growing and the weather is warmer. Lambing is a busy time but we are happy for our guests to come and see us and to help feed any pet lambs.

In a rather palatial run at the bottom of the gardens there is a small flock of laying hens who provide fresh eggs for guests staying in the cottages.