“Spring’s pardon comes, a sweetening of the air.” To writers such as poet Carol Ann Duffy, the season has always brought inspiration; but to farmers, spring spells aspiration.
Across the countryside at this time of year, farmers are welcoming new arrivals to their burgeoning flocks. Their hopes for the year ahead rest upon the safe arrival of these newborn lambs; the outcome of this intense time can make or break the farm as a business.
Our upland fell farm is on the fringe of the Lake District and here – at about 300m above sea level – the weather isn’t as kind as in some other parts of the UK. While farmers in some areas lamb as early as January, we choose to lamb outside in early April when the climate, on average, is milder and drier, and the grass has started growing – which helps the growth of
