Wealden Times | WT258 | November 2023 | Christmas Gift Supplement inside

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Jane Howard explains how Coopers Farm prepares the flock for the start of the ‘sheep year’ November means tupping time at Coopers Farm, when the rams and the ewes get together and the whole ‘sheep year’ starts over again. But before that happens there has been lots of pre-match planning to make sure everyone is match fit and ready for action. The ewes operate on a five, four, three system. Five months pregnant, four months milking and three months off. So the lambs born in April 2023 were weaned in July to give their mums a bit of ‘me time’ and they have since been cosseted with good grass and plenty of supplements to prepare them for the demands of the year ahead. Unlike cows, pigs and indeed humans that cycle regularly all year, ewes are clever, and only come into season after the autumn (September 23rd) equinox when the night time hours exceed the daytime hours. Nature’s way of ensuring lambs arrive in the spring when the weather is better and the grass begins to grow. So traditionally, rams are always put with the ewes on Bonfire Night with the lambs arriving some five months later around April Fools Day. But first we need to go through all the ewes to check they are fit enough to have another successful lambing season. It takes a lot to produce – hopefully – a pair of healthy lambs and then provide them with enough milk to grow into two big strong lambs. So each one gets a thorough MOT – starting with their teeth. Like all of us, sheep’s teeth degrade as the years pass, and without a dentist to fit crowns, bridges and implants a sound pair of home grown gnashers is essential. So anyone with wobbly or missing ones is out. Next we check their teats to make sure they haven’t had mastitis, which makes them hard and lumpy, and to make sure they are not too low slung – another problem for Ewes are clever, and only come into season after the autumn equinox when the night time hours exceed the daytime hours. Natures way of ensuring lambs arrive in the spring when the weather is better and the grass begins to grow the older ewe. Lambs expect to find the teats high up so low down doesn’t work – sorry missus you’re out with the toothless ones. And then there’s the doom laden black tag... When we lamb in April, we expect the ewe to produce – without too much trouble – healthy lambs that she milks and mothers through the summer. If they don’t measure up – like the one last year that sat on and suffocated one of her lambs and the following day despatched the other in a similar fashion – then they get a black tag. Bad news. Once we’ve thinned out the ewes we make the numbers back up by introducing the tegs, the name given to female sheep once they are a year old but have yet to lamb and are now destined to be first time mums. And then, of course, there’s the other half of the equation, the boys! The ewe cycles every 18 days and young rams can manage to get round about 35 ewes at a time so we have two. All the action will be done and dusted well before Christmas and we’ll look forward to welcoming Malcolm the scan man in January to let us know how it has gone. But before I sign off, and a prelude to next month when it will be you know what, don’t forget to pick your holly now. Right now the branches are laden with berries, so gather them and leave in a bucket of water in cold place, because if you leave it till next month the blackbirds will have beaten you to it! Find out more about daily life at Coopers Farm by visiting coopersfarmstonegate.co.uk 130
Supporting communities in Kent since 1781. With offices across Kent and London, we provide specialist legal services for individuals and businesses in the Southeast. + Contracts & Transactions + Conveyancing + Employment + Family + Licensing + Probate + Property + Tax & Estate Planning + Wills To find out how we can help, call us on 01622 698000 or email enquiries@wmlaw.uk whitehead-monckton.co.uk Whitehead Monckton Limited (no. 08366029), registered in England & Wales. Registered office 5 Eclipse Park, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 608279. 131 WhiteheadMoncktonWT246.indd 1 20/10/2022 14:03
Page 1 and 2:
PRICELESS NOVEMBER 2023 258 NOVEMBE
Page 3 and 4:
MINTERIORS JMade Designing in Bidde
Page 5 and 6:
Contents November 2023 10 17 21 26
Page 7 and 8:
From the Editor As I write it’s m
Page 9 and 10:
istockphoto.com/ Maria Voronovich C
Page 11:
Laddingford £1,395,000 The dream:
Page 14 and 15:
John-Paul Rafferty FNAEA FARLA Asso
Page 16 and 17:
M Y Y Y
Page 18:
The wonderfully welcoming Ceramic S
Page 22 and 23:
Why I love Wealden Times Midwinter
Page 24 and 25:
Functional Pottery with a Twist Com
Page 26 and 27:
A house well travelled Alec and Hei
Page 28 and 29:
Oak Framed Buildings ☎ 07716 8252
Page 30 and 31:
“Hanging overhead is a huge gold
Page 32 and 33:
A T A S T E O F T H E E X O T I C W
Page 34 and 35:
This page: The dining room is paint
Page 36 and 37:
Award-winning- Independent - Afford
Page 38 and 39:
Clockwise from top: The large open
Page 40 and 41:
A.T. Palmer Ltd Restoration Special
Page 42 and 43:
Above: The romantic white rattan be
Page 44 and 45:
THINK dynamic Coban Rugs THINK For
Page 46 and 47:
“They just led the way for me. I
Page 48 and 49:
View Finder priceless-magazines.com
Page 50 and 51:
Bespoke Flooring LONG & WIDE . PROD
Page 52 and 53:
This page: A backgammon scoreboard
Page 54 and 55:
Quality hardwood floors supplied &
Page 56 and 57:
The one storey building has had man
Page 58 and 59:
Complete Family Law Complete Family
Page 60 and 61:
This page: Hidden away on the mezza
Page 62 and 63:
AWARD WINNING, LUXURY SWIMMING POOL
Page 64 and 65:
Beautiful & livable spaces, natural
Page 66 and 67:
Enhance Do you need your shelter ou
Page 68 and 69:
KATA Jewellery | 48C St. John’s R
Page 71 and 72:
Christmas Gift Supplement Everybody
Page 73 and 74:
Christmas Gift Supplement Faux moha
Page 75 and 76:
Christmas Gift Supplement Gold Cham
Page 77 and 78:
Christmas Gift Supplement Eiderglas
Page 79 and 80: Christmas Gift Supplement 31 Le Rou
Page 81 and 82: Christmas Gift Supplement Revive gr
Page 83 and 84: Christmas Gift Supplement London Gr
Page 85 and 86: Christmas Gift Supplement Silver Tr
Page 87 and 88: Christmas Gift Supplement Molly Bla
Page 89 and 90: The Chocolate One Price: £27.50 (o
Page 91 and 92: Family business since 1996 Christma
Page 93 and 94: Tied with a bow A blush pink cubic
Page 95 and 96: ICONA UNIT 11 HART SHOPPING CENTRE
Page 97 and 98: Originally from Brazil, chef Maz Co
Page 99 and 100: Rolled pork belly, crushed potatoes
Page 101 and 102: Bay & vanilla panna cotta, roasted
Page 103 and 104: 01892 750 310 SUE@DAVIDHAUGH.CO.UK
Page 105 and 106: Scents for the Season Josephine Fai
Page 107 and 108: to the sun for warmth - an invitati
Page 109 and 110: Wellbeing Posture Perfect Sarah Max
Page 111 and 112: Nourish to Flourish Nutrition & Lif
Page 113 and 114: Garden Many of the Mediterranean sp
Page 115 and 116: Garden Pots are very prone to dryin
Page 117 and 118: British Black Bee images courtesy o
Page 119: Garden Dr. Alsous has been carrying
Page 122 and 123: Let us help you face the future wit
Page 124 and 125: Social icon Circle Only use blue an
Page 126 and 127: Social icon Circle Only use blue an
Page 128 and 129: D lik fr w car parking lifts car pa
show all

Wealden Times | WT258 | November 2023 | Christmas Gift Supplement inside

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?