Glynelwyn

08/08/2024

Finally got around to the first of the LUSH Bluefaced Leicester fleeces. 😍.
Older ewe, no spray marks, no chemicals, fully skirted, picked over so minimal VM . Just over 1.5kg of loveliness. £22 plus postage.

21/07/2024

So much white clover in the piggy paddocks. Amazing.

19/07/2024

Busy starting the process of skirting, grading and picking over fleeces. 3 gorgeous Leicester Longwools ready to be shipped.

06/06/2024

20/05/2024

Bit of carrot proving too big 😁

28/04/2024

The old fella, Laddie. Just had his dinner, his light rug on and going back outside.
32 years old and other than a bit of stiffness in one leg, stll going strong.

19/04/2024

Berkshire piggies back at Glynelwyn 😊

02/04/2024

The Dragons Breath this morning 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

02/03/2024

Veronica, fully recovered now and out with Ruby.

29/02/2024

"Faithmead Hermione" 🥰

24/02/2024

Thank you to everyone for your support over Veronica's health. To those who have messaged asking for updates 😘😘😘, here she is this morning looking heaps better and I THINK out of the woods now.

22/02/2024

Thanks to Derek's Eagle eye, on Wednesday morning, after yet another night of heavy rain, he found Veronica shielding from the weather in one of the little shelters. She wasn't looking too bright. I gave him some food to take up to her, which she wolfed down, so decided to leave her until the rain stopped.

The rain stopped early afternoon and all the sheep were out grazing again...except for Veronica. I went up and got a halter on her and it took 20 minutes of '2 steps at a time' to gently encourage her back down the field and then into the big shed.

She wolfed down another feed but then looked decidedly poorly. She had just got too wet, and then too cold. Her temp was high and she was showing all the signs of pneumonia.
She sat down in the straw and I covered her back with a load of straw too, to help dry her off and keep her warm.

A couple hours later she'd dried off enough to put a little rug on her. Gave her an AB injection and left her in peace. Checked on her at 10pm and she was hanging in there but I only gave her a 50/50 chance. This morning, she was still with us and had a bit more feed plus she'd clearly been drinking, so signs were good but she still looked really poorly. Got her onto a different AB and also a shot of Metacam.

She looking better and I think we're possibly on a 60/40 side of survival.

This winter had probably been the worst since we moved here 16 years ago. The amount of persistent rain has been unreal. Topped off with me being unable to get out into the field to physically check the sheep due to my broken ankle, has made it so much harder, 😔 but Derek has been a star.

Anyway, here is Veronica earlier today. Keep your fingers crossed for her. 🤞

22/02/2024

Our current 3 special care sheep. Little Coloured Ryeland "Sweetpea" (11 y.o) in the front. Wonderful "Wanda" the Wensleydale (9 y.o) behind and in the shadows at the back, Coloured Bluefaced Leicester "Hope" (6 y.o) All doing brilliantly.

06/02/2024

First of all, a huge THANK YOU to the mountain of support and the dozens of messages, which has been truly heart warming. ❤️.

Today I had a very productive telephone conversation with our local Rural Crimes Officer. He was brilliant and I felt totally reassured that although this is a 'first' report of an incident here on our sheep, the extent of what happened yesterday and the innumerable occasions on which this owners dogs have been out and about around the local lanes, let alone how intimidating they are when you come face to face with some of them, warranted an official 'Final Warning' letter.

He has since spoken to the owner, whom I am pleased to say is very remorseful and will be contacting me in a day or two to discuss civil compensation. I just hope she now understands how devastating dog attacks can be (and to the dogs, this is all just a game) especially right now, at lambing time.

Our flock is very special to us and we have won numerous Championships with their amazing fleeces, including 'Best Knitwear/Speciality Fleece' for the whole of Wales, back in 2018. Sadly, my little homebred 'Sage' was one of my last 2 Corriedales and will be impossible to replace.

What is surprising is the Government 'Act' hasn't been update since the 1950's. which is so ludicrous, its laughable. This surely needs to change?

The horror results of a dog owner not acting responsibly 😪. (photo in comments) Thank goodness we no longer lamb, or this could have been even more of a tragedy, that doesn't bare thinking about.

Thank you again xx

05/02/2024

LOCAL RESIDENTS... 2 loose dogs killed at least one of our sheep before running off. Owners is from Dandderwen.
Keep a watch out.
Now 2 dead.

30/01/2024

Today's beautiful sunset reflecting on the clouds at about 5pm.

10/01/2024

What a sunset 🥰

09/01/2024

Little coloured Ryeland "Sweetpea", who is now about 12 years old (and only comes up to my knee) tucking into a bit of Christmas Tree, whilst the goats aren't about.

08/01/2024

Our goat herd has taken a bit of a bashing this past 12 months. I rather hoped 2024 would bring about some good news. However, yet another curved ball landed and we lost, very suddenly on Saturday evening, our stunning buck 'Kaverquil Feenix'.
It was a bizarre and very quick deterioration. He was as right as rain Friday evening but refused breakfast Saturday morning. He looked and acted perfectly normal. By noon, he was a little quiet so I wormed him.
At 4pm he was looking decidedly not himself and I noticed what looked like parts of intestine in his bed. His temp was 38°. He had a very wet tail. Rang the emergency vet who got to me about 6pm.
She was somewhat mystified too but her "best guess" was worms. Lots of meds and 500 ml of warm electrolytes drenched into him, as his temp had dropped to 36.7°. I also rugged him up.
She left at about 7pm. Very sadly, he deteriorated quickly and was gone by 9.30pm.
I still think something mysteriously ruptured inside him but why, where, how, we have no idea.
His last kids are due end of Feb and beginning of March. Run free Feenix 😢

25/12/2023

The MERRIEST Of Christmases Everyone. From our house to yours. 🎄😘🎄

It's been a bit of a tough year with regards to some health issues, but we're on track now for a much better 2024. 😘🙏💪

Christmas morning breakfast with our usual Scrambled Egg and home Smoked Salmon along with a bit of Bucks Fizz.

26/09/2023

Busy, busy, busy couple of days getting stuff done before the NEXT downpour and very high winds, due tomorrow. 🌧 . Dogs having a race around out in the fields, as will probably be confined to barracks tomorrow 🙄.

13/09/2023

All now stacked and just need to net them. Relief or what 😊.

10/09/2023

4 hrs this afternoon spent setting up pens, rounding up sheep, splitting up sheep and then drenching, dagging, foot trimming and Clik'ing 37 sheep. Most of these sheep are around 70-80kgs.....I'm 52kgs.....but I won 😉. I'm a bit battered and bruised, but job done. 💪
Showered, feet up and glass of wine. Shepherdesses will know that feeling of achievement 👌

Photo is not from today, as empty pens didn't make for a thrilling image 😁 so picked one from a few weeks back.

08/09/2023

Hoorah

28 big lush bales 🤩

08/08/2023

So, after 18 years of breeding pigs, we just dropped off our very last home bred Faithmead porkers.

Time to retire from breeding pigs and just buy in a few weaners (obviously Berkshires ) once a year and rear to order as well as fill our freezer.

Sort of a sad day, but I'm also looking forward to an easier Winter.

Life is an exciting ride (IMO) and its time to shift direction slightly, make things a tad easier for ourselves and carry on with this amazing journey called 'living our best life' . 😉

07/08/2023

They looked like little vultures on 27th July. But 6 days later, 4 of the 5 had fledged and were just waiting for number 5 to get his act together

21/07/2023

Small churn of delicious Anglo Nubian Goats Milk.
Goes into our daily Kefir, cheese (soft and now Halloumi) as well as adding to the dogs' diet.
Thank you girls (currently Peony and Harriet,).

21/07/2023

Yesterday evenings beautiful sky.