Author Topic: I've been lurking...... (Read 2598 times)

JovialGnome · « **on:** June 30, 2011, 11:24:26 am »

I've been popping into this forum for quite a while now and you all seem like nice people so I thought I'd better introduce myself!

Moved to my 2 acre smallholding near Boston, Lincs. last year having decided to invest my inheritance wisely rather than fritter it away!

The first 16 years of my working life spent in farming, milking cows mainly but then I drifted out of farming and into the transport industry where I've been ever since.

I've got 5 Ryeland ewes which were a bit too young to go to the tup last year but will be receiving 'gentleman callers' this year! Never really been a sheep person but I have become inordinately fond of these little ladies and barely a day goes by that they don't give me something to smile at!

Also got 2 yearling Dexter heifers, short-legged, black - they were a bit wild when they first came but have calmed down no end - I'm pretty fond of these ladies too and I reckon I may just have become a bit too soft for this farming lark but what the hell, they make great pets!

Andy.

Hilarysmum · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2011, 11:43:28 am »

Hi welcome, if you have room get a couple of male weaners. By the time they are ready to go you will probably be quite pleased to take them, and have gained a lot of fun from them too.

Rosemary · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2011, 12:11:32 pm »

Hi and welcome from sunny Carnoustie

We have Ryelands and Shetland cattle, plus poultry, ponies, dogs and cats. I am also very fond of my ewes - more that I thought I would be - but I still eat their babies. I expect the 3 "originals" will have a home for life. The heifers are also great - being AI'd yesterday and today so hopefully calves next year.

Enjoy the forums - love your "name" by the way. I now have a mental picture of you

JovialGnome · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2011, 01:49:24 pm »

Quote from: Rosemary on June 30, 2011, 12:11:32 pm

Hi and welcome from sunny Carnoustie

We have Ryelands and Shetland cattle, plus poultry, ponies, dogs and cats. I am also very fond of my ewes - more that I thought I would be - but I still eat their babies. I expect the 3 "originals" will have a home for life. The heifers are also great - being AI'd yesterday and today so hopefully calves next year.

Enjoy the forums - love your "name" by the way. I now have a mental picture of you

The "name" goes back almost 40 years to schooldays because I am somewhat vertically challenged but have a sunny disposition my best mate (who's now a vet) christened me thus and it has stuck!

Like you, my 5 originals will be with me until nature takes its course but lack of space dictates that I will have to sell the progeny - not sure that I'm hard enough these days to eat them myself though!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2011, 03:56:03 pm »

Hello and welcome from north Cumbria.

We're commercial (but very traditional, low input) beef & sheep, with a Jersey house cow, a pig (hopefully in pig), ponies & choox on the side. 3 working collies.

I left 'the rat race' only 7 years ago (feels like a lifetime - a very full and rewarding lifetime!) BH has farmed all his life, and his father and grandfather before him.

This 'do we eat our own' is such a personal thing. There's no logic to it and each of us is different. BH still is unsure whether he really wants to eat stock he has reared himself. I am quite certain I would rather eat an animal I know has had the very best life I could give it - and where I know exactly how it's been fed, medicated and otherwise treated. But when it comes time for the old cows or sheep to go, he doesn't hesitate, whereas I plead their cases, each and every one!

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2011, 07:15:51 pm »

Helloo and welcome from Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire!

I can cope taking the boys for the chop (sexist but in reverse the livestock world), but like to keep the ewe lambs. I found it hard at first but once I tasted the lamb and knowing the great and twice as long as normal lambs life they have had, I feel ok about it.

However had 14 out of 19 ewe lambs this year! (shetlands). Happily my vet who sold us old Curly Wurly the shetland ram now wants to put some shetland back into his flock so is having 10 of them hurrah!

I do keep my old saggy uddered retired ladies tho, it's not economic but I feel that giving me x lambs is their contribution and unless numbers get mad they can stay as long as they are happy with home grown hay and a few nuts (they say they are very happy).

I did have to make sure I got a white ram tho, Shetlands come in all colours and I found my first set of lambs who were multi coloured too easy to get fond of...which is why both the coloured boys from that year are now companions to the ram and safe from the chop. I need to have lambs all white so I dont get to know the boys quite as well as individuals

Barrett · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2011, 12:41:43 pm »

Welcome you lurker you

, I have had 4 sheep in my time on my small holding and I swore I would never have any again they really don't like me, my last 2 Texel's completely recked my field and escaped a lot, if had more room would consider again just to bring on and send to market. Also had 3 AA heifers that just had to go to market in the end they loved my eldest son but would make a large bee line for me usually with there back legs. No we are sticking with pigs and chickens though the pigs are a night mare when they disrespect my electric fencing and break into feed sheds and stuff, I can't stay mad at them they are all little scallywags but we love them.