Sitting on the quad bike looking over the field as it unfolds before me, both collies by my side, the view is a truly pastoral scene. The grass and trees are enhanced by a clear blue sky; and the fields are dotted with sheep. Our sheep. Our flock of pedigree Texels.
My husband Aubrey and I began with nothing except an impossible dream. We knew we were determined to keep sheep, even though we had very little money and no inherited farm.
Aubrey was working on a mixed farm and had considerable experience with shepherding, while I was totally ignorant of any stock other than horses. Then we were given the unexpected gift of a temperamental Black Welsh Mountain ram.
I always say it started with this ram. To be fair, he wasn’t all bad. In fact, he had a great sense of humour. Just a bit warped.
His escapades upset most of the village until we found him a quartet of ewes. Then we bought our first pedigree Texel. It was love at first sight; although as our flock grew, so did the number of early mornings with difficult lambings, and the harsh winter nights spent hunting for lost sheep.
Aubrey assured me that all this meant we were progressing up the farming ladder.
Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Cotswold Life.
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Denne historien er fra November 2019-utgaven av Cotswold Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Gloucestershire After The War
Discovering the county’s Arts and Crafts memorials of the First World War
THE WILD SIDE OF Moreton-in-Marsh
The days are getting shorter but there’s plenty of reasons to be cheerful, says Sue Bradley, who discovers how a Cotswolds town is becoming more wildlife-friendly and pots up some bulbs for an insect-friendly spring display
Mr Ashbee would approve
In the true spirit of the Arts & Crafts Movement, creativity has kept the Chipping Campden community ticking over during lockdown
The Cotswolds at war
These might be peaceful hills and vales, but our contribution to the war effort was considerable
Trust in good, local food
‘I’ve been following The Country Food Trust’s activities with admiration since it was founded’
Why Cath is an open book
Cath Kidston has opened up almost every nook and cranny of her Cotswold idyll in a new book, A Place Called Home. Katie Jarvis spoke to Cath ahead of her appearance at this year’s Stroud Book Festival STROUD BOOK FESTIVAL – THIS YEAR FREE AND ONLINE: NOVEMBER 4-8
From the Cotswolds to the world
Most people know that the Cotswolds have featured in a fair few Hollywood movies and TV series.
The Wild Hunt
In search of the legendary King Herla in the Malvern Hills
Fighting spirit amid the flowers
Tracy Spiers visits Warwick, a beautiful town that is open for business and ready to welcome visitors
Final journey
Cheltenham author and volunteer on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR), Nicolas Wheatley, recounts the fascinating story of funeral trains