It’s an abundant time of year… though our veggie field started offering additions to our menu many weeks ago, all of our meat items have been taken out of the freezer. But in another week, we’ll be able to feed our family – and yours – with fresh 2022 Hebridean Mutton. Another two weeks afterContinue reading “Harvest time”
Tag Archives: #thehirsel
Lost Lamb
Normally, walking through our eastern woodland calms me, brings up almost uncontainable waves of gratitude. The woodlands surrounding and weaving through our farm are ancient, noted down on the earliest maps we can find of the area, and walking through them feels like connecting to something deep and rich. The patch I’m walking through isContinue reading “Lost Lamb”
Time Flies
For most of my working life, my days have been ruled by the clock and calendar. It was natural to always know what time of day, or day of the week, it was. But time moves differently on the farm, is controlled by seasons, daylight hours, and breeding and growing events, rather than a clockContinue reading “Time Flies”
Lucky
We were lucky: when we took over the management of the family farm in 2015, one of us had never farmed before, and one hadn’t since he was a boy. We were, for the most part, starting from zero, or from dim memories. We had to learn a lot, and fast, as the first sheepContinue reading “Lucky”
Food Poverty…
…and why we’ve gone political. The following was inspired by yet another politician lecturing the poor on the dietary choices…and some fellow farmers jumping on that bandwagon. As farmers ourselves, we understand the desire for folk to choose our food. But they have to be able to, don’t they? This is one of the thingsContinue reading “Food Poverty…”
Farming & politics. Do they mix?
For years as a freelance artist and arts manager, I told myself that I needed to keep politics out of my business. But it was a lie I told myself: as a young actor, I had a hard time auditioning for jobs that included selling the new brand of toothpaste to people who hoped itContinue reading “Farming & politics. Do they mix?”
Partners
We talk a lot about how our sheep are partners in the farm’s regeneration. This is what we’re talking about: when the sheep first arrived, this copse was impenetrable. They started pushing in through it, and bedding down at the edges at night. We thought, at first, that we should get in there and clearContinue reading “Partners”
The Hirsel 