[farmershort]

Hi All,

well as promised, here's the first of the photos from our new holding. just over 2 months since we moved in, we have the field fenced, and our first sheep have arrived. We went all the way up to Holmfirth in yorkshire to visit the main breeding sale for our favourite variety of sheep -Whitefaced Woodlands. They're a rare breed, and are mostly confined to their original area around the village of penistone in Yorkshire. There are also a few well known flocks in cumbria, derbyshire, and wales. We've had a few of this breed before (by accident), and found them so good that they were top of our list for the new holding.

They're a hill sheep, thought to originate from a Lonk - with improvements from other crosses. The wool is generally much better quality than a hill sheep, and the frame slightly larger. The horns probably put some people off, but they don't have the large thigh-width sweep of their horns like scottish blackfaces do.


The boys: Woody the pedigree whitefaced woodland, and Rambo the Texel




posing ewe:




some of the girls:




more posers:




goat proof fencing? we'll see!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Just beautiful, congrats! Is the 2nd ram a texel?

[farmershort]

Just beautiful, congrats! Is the 2nd ram a texel?

thank you! yes he is. not pedigree, but a great looking chap for terminal sire duties.

There's 26 ewes, but 4 of them can't be registered as pedigree due to breed-spec faults (overbite and horn layout), so those 4 girls will go to the texel this year.

I don't like having 1 tup on his own, so mostly the texel was a companion ram, but a very useful one.

[Anke]

Barbed wire on top is a no-no with goats. Torn udders.... because they will try and jump!.

[farmershort]

Barbed wire on top is a no-no with goats. Torn udders.... because they will try and jump!.

They will try and jump low barb certainly, but we're getting smaller goats (old English) and I think the taller posts and 3 strand of barb will stop them even attempting to jump. I know those white saanen type things are pretty tall, but oegs are not.

[SallyintNorth]

As you're getting your goats from Jaykay, I assume she has advised on appropriate fencing? 

[farmershort]

As you're getting your goats from Jaykay, I assume she has advised on appropriate fencing?

Yes indeed, we're getting 2 girls from jaykay, and an unrelated billy from the breed society president.

We've kept a pet goat before now, so are well aware of their climbing abilities. I watched our old British alpine climb up c80 and jump the netting and the single strand of barb on 5ft6 posts.

The fencing is what it is... If they do decide to climb it, and succeed, well have to look into having a hold-off strand of electric or something. I have some confidence that 3 strand of barb on top of 6ft posts should be enough for a smaller breed of goats.

[SallyintNorth]

6' posts that have 18" in the ground, you mean?  So the top strand is at 4'6" ?

[SallyintNorth]

Just that I've been to Jaykay's and she does have higher fencing than that   And Anke's frightened me with talk of torn udders... 

[farmershort]

I know this is the way of things with this forum, and I know everyone means well, but honestly I just wanted to share some joyful pictures with you.

Our fencing will be tested by a variety of animals, and I'm happy to see what works and what doesn't. I by no means know it all, not even close, but we did used to rent a fair few acres in Leicestershire 10 years ago, and have kept pigs, sheep, and others previously. I'm happy that I have enough background knowledge, and enough resourcefulness to cope with most that is thrown at us.

I hope that reads correctly... The typed word is so tricky sometimes.

[pharnorth]

They are a lovely breed. I have the pleasure of helping with a flock which includes 60 or 70 WFW. They definitely class as 'proper sheep' in my opinion. Generally pretty straightforward and as I understand it a good general purpose breed which is verging on being a commercial one on productivity.

[SallyintNorth]

Back to your lovely sheep... a nice Whitefaced Woodland fleece is an utter joy to spin, it practically spins itself.  I didn't know they originated from the Lonk - that's another breed with a most beautifully spinnable fleece; surprising lustre, too.  I really like spinning Lonk

[waterbuffalofarmer]

What do you plan to do with them [member=7747]farmershort[/member] ?

[Bionic]

I was given a couple of whitefaced woodland fleece earlier in the year. As SITN says they are lovely to spin. So get yourself a wheel if you haven't already.

[farmershort]

I've not got any plans to take up spinning myself... God knows I haven't got time for the things I'm supposed to be doing at the moment... Let alone new things.

It'll be nice if I can sell the fleeces whole to spinners, and perhaps come up with some sort of barter perhaps on things produced... Meat for blankets, etc. We'll see.

At the moment they're just 'my' chosen flock for the house meat production and boxed lamb selling. My partner wants to choose a local Devon ish breed to be 'her' ewes, and she fancies Devon close wool at the moment. We're both big fans of the woodies though, and I would imagine they'll be the main flock by population.

They are a breed that do seem to have everything going for them, yet are sooo under the radar.