The RX-8

IN THE NEXT
ISSUE...
Farmers
fight back
Many farmers see
farming as a vocation
but their challenge is
that costs so often
exceed sales. The
answer is to increase
margins and if possible sales. The Island Food and Craft
Association, IFCA, is an organisation that is setting out to help
Island farmers do that. It is also focused on doing the same
thing for craft producers hotels, restaurants, B & Bs and farm
shops because it sees all these groups as having the same
objectives and being able to help each other achieve their
mutual goals.
IFCA’s first objective is to bring together the creators (i.e.
farmers and food processors) and promoters (hotels,
restaurants, farm shops, delis etc) so they can jointly sell
quality local products to the general public. They want to
create an open market so promoters know what is available
and from where while creators know who is most interested in
buying their product – Promoter members of IFCA.
IFCA is focusing on four key methods of achieving these
objectives: creating a market, special projects, creating a micro
distribution system and branding.
IFCA intends to create a market place through its new
interactive website to be launched at the end of April. The
information on this website will automatically be launched on
two mainland websites dedicated to supporting the local food
movement and discussions are underway to add a further
three more websites later in the year. The importance of this
access is that, according to a recent survey, 64% of the
population now regularly uses the Internet to source their
requirements.
The first special project will be the “Island Breakfast” The
concept is borrowed from the New Forest that launched a
similar project last year. The idea is to create a link between
the prime producer and the breakfast supplier. The promoter
can find all the main ingredients and who supplies them on a
website he can order them then and there and have them
delivered direct. The “Island Breakfast” is then promoted by
IW Tourism and IFCA as well as the users to maximise
publicity for all.
Using modern technology, IFCA is trying to recreate the
systems that existed 50 years ago that allowed farmers to sell
locally. The plan is to establish micro distribution systems ecommerce
sites, couriers and cold chain distributors to help
the farmer take a larger share of the pound that a consumer
spends on the products he or she produces. However, IFCA is
not about any particular project, it is about finding solutions,
making those solutions available to its members so they can
make a profit.
Island Life - www.islandlifemagazine.net
Making bacon, we visit
Moor Farm, Godshill
Sponsored by NFU Mutual - FARMING
Lambs spring
into the new
season
The sight of a new generation
of woolly lambs gambolling in
the fields is one of the surest
signs that spring is really on
its way. Did you realise,
though, that the Island’s
sheep farmers are responsible
for bringing over 15,000 lambs
into the world each year?
March and April is the time of year for lambing in most flocks,
although this is not the hard and fast rule for all. The breeding
season is dictated by biology, with only breeds such as the
Dorset Horn being able to lamb as early as December. In fact,
the Dorset is one of the very few breeds that can reproduce
twice in a year.
Although modern British farming practices do not require a
shepherd to watch the flock day and night, at lambing time the
hours are not far short of this. It’s very easy to identify a
shepherd at this time of year. Pop into a country pub and he’s
not there; in fact, he’s probably not been to the pub, barber’s, or
even seen much of his own home for the entire duration of the
lambing season.
One experienced shepherd explained: “Lambing season is sleep
deprivation time. I actually went shopping in SCATS and forgot
what I had gone in for. I was half asleep and ended up buying
some boxer shorts, when I think I actually needed wormer!”
The shepherd is undoubtedly a dedicated character. He’s been
the matchmaker; he’s introduced the boys to the girls and then
looked after his ewes through the 147 days of their pregnancy.
As with any livestock, the husbandry of the sheep flock is a
very demanding responsibility. In fact, the successful shepherd
needs to have the multiple skills of an agronomist, scientist,
nutritionist, veterinarian, logistics expert, mathematician
and genealogist.
He must be able to plan the grazing patterns and ensure there is
sufficient grass to maintain a healthy flock, he must then plan
the vaccination and worm control programmes, supplementary
feeding plans, management plans and genetic matchmaking –
and all this whilst dealing with the day to day chores and
challenges thrown up by the sheep themselves.
So, next time you’re taking a walk in the country, take a
moment to look over the hedge and spend some time watching
the antics of these happy newborns, and remember the work of
the shepherd in ensuring their safe arrival and
continued wellbeing.
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