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Begin at the Beginning. Having got the vote to be chairman for another year, I was confident there was a good chance of getting a sheep/NEMSA representation to cereals 2006 - to re-introduce arable farmers to the Golden Hoof. No such luck - Everyone is still living in the world of cheap fuel. Anyway - Keep 'B……..' on as someone once said! So, we took the NEMSA stand to the Easy Care Sheep Event and promoted the mule sheep, emphasizing the strict genetical selection process that occurs in a traditional Hill Flock. i.e. Selection for hardiness - good mothering, milkiness - Its called Mother Nature, which is the reason the mule ewe lamb came to be so popular in the first place. If you don't know what I am talking about read Scottish Farmer October 14th- OPINION - John Elliott "Maintaining the purity and hardiness of the hill strain, and ensuring their thrift is not again threatened, by artificial criteria of excellence, is paramount." Sales Report The NEMSA sale at St Johns Chapel didn't happen due to lack of numbers. The traditional TOW LAW sale, held for the first time at Hexham mart had forward 6985 lambs. From the 15 pens of 10 presented for judging the judge Philip Richardson of Thornley Hall Farm, Ashbournre, Derbyshire awarded the championship + £150 prize money to ML & BE Coulthard, Bridge End Farm, Westgate. Reserve Champion W Reed & Sons, West Biggins, Frosterly. 3rd Prize G.W. Lee & Sons, Stockley Burn 4th Prize J.M. Robinson, Ling Riggs, Ireshopeburn. The first 2/3 of the sale was a good trade, and up to peoples expectations - But the final 1/3 was disappointing. I have seen this collapse at the end of a sale happen a few times this back-end. Not entirely, but partly because people cannot 'pass' their stock and take them home as they used to do as it locks them into a six-day standstill and are unable to sell other stock in a busy period - Another hidden cost to Agriculture by DEFRA. … Back to the real world of making a living:- The drought didn't help - but when the rain did come the grass certainly caught up, which has done wonders for the store trade - but hopefully will not produce too enormous a lamb crop next spring. Happy lambing KEN LUMLEY |
