On our walk yesterday we noticed our nephew had been buying some Herdwick sheep.
There must have been at least 100 in this field.
As they looked towards us their white faces stood out really well.
The Herdwick is a very hardy breed of sheep & around 95% of the 50,000 sheep live within 14 miles of Coniston in the Lake District.
During the Foot & Mouth outbreak in 2001 many sheep were lost & it was particularly bad for the area as the Herdwick is a ‘hefted’ sheep which means it knows its own boundaries, passed down from generation to generation so any replacements would take years to learn this knowledge.
Three good things:
1. I have stayed in all day ...only 508 steps on my Fitbit! 😳
2. Egg & chips for tea!
3. Halfway through my book!
Fascinating information...thank you. Some sheep hereabouts, yet relatively few compared to Dairy Cows, whose milk is 'whisked' away every morning for pasteurisation etc. before sale. Brittany is a large producer of milk.
Thought it was a field full of Hereford cattle.. Are they grown for meat or wool?..
Our sheep farmers were on Country calendar last night and just no money in wool now .. it is costing them more to share them than what they get for the wool..
@julzmaioro well pretty much the same here Julz...the Herdwick wool is pretty distinctive...lots of Herdwick sweaters for sale in the Lake District but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea..quite harsh wool but very durable. I think the meat has a stronger flavour so I’m not really sure what the main selling feature is....
Sheep clipping cost more than the wool is worth now I think....try going & buying a wool carpet or sweater though &it’s a different story!
Think its about time I had my eyes tested !!! At first glance I thought they were cattle !! They look to be a sturdy breed ! Good to have lazy days especially as it is a Sunday !
They look a hardy variety and quite similar to some of the Scottish ones. But price drop is grim - my sister Kate has some in Glenelg, part of a group.
I never knew that about hefted sheep, interesting. My steps are just so down now without the regular commuting. My pre work walks and the fitness videos I'm doing now help but still not a substitute.
November 17th, 2020
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Our sheep farmers were on Country calendar last night and just no money in wool now .. it is costing them more to share them than what they get for the wool..
Sheep clipping cost more than the wool is worth now I think....try going & buying a wool carpet or sweater though &it’s a different story!