27 September 2024
During the summer months our Farming Officers, Claire and Eliza, are busy meeting and speaking with farmers at country shows, sales and other farming network events. Claire shares an update on what they have been up to.
Something that will remain a highlight for me for many months to come, was the opportunity to meet our new Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in August. We were asked to showcase Farming in Protected Landscape (FiPL), and naturally, I also took the opportunity to speak passionately about the importance of farming in the Lake District. The minister showed a genuine care for rural communities and the need for a balanced approach in a socio-ecological landscapes such as ours.
It is difficult to express the unique set of challenges facing farmers in the Lake District. But I’m determined, in my role as Farming Officer, to find ways to best support farmers in overcoming these.
Our farmers are now at a crucial stage in the farming calendar, the start of the autumn breeding sheep sales. In simple terms, this is where “spare” females are sold off the farm and new blood is brought onto the farm in the form of new tups. Even though several months away, this is the start of next years’ lambing time, as decisions are taken now on future breeding and the direction of the flock.
Read more on tupping season in Eliza’s blog.
Both Eliza and I enjoy getting to as many local shows and sales as possible; talking to farmers, watching sheep judging, and seeing how our sponsorship helps support these events that are such an important part of Lake District farming heritage.
The “summer” show season has been challenging for many due to the weather, so here’s hoping for an Indian summer to help keep farmers’ spirits up before winter sets in!
Myself and my colleague Mairi, World Heritage Coordinator, visited the Fellgather Roadshow at Grasmere Sports in August. The show promoted the multiple benefits that farming brings to the Lake District through a programme of events. Of course, it was pouring down with rain so some of the events were cancelled but, there were interesting talks about farming in a World Heritage Site, how sheep meat and wool are produced and used, explanations about the three main breeds of sheep – Herdwick, Swaldale and Rough Fell, and the history and heritage.
Mairi demonstrated spinning Herdwick fibre and provided information on the value of wool and how it’s more sustainable than cotton, linen or other trendy fibres which take a lot of processing and high-water requirements.
Maria Benjamin from Lake District Tweed joined and brought some Lake District tweeds including throws using wool from each of the 13 valleys of the Lake District. The development of the tweeds is FiPL funded and the two-year project will produce 13 distinctive Lake District valley tweeds and throws. The design of the tweed throws is based on specific elements in each valley, drawing attention to the special qualities and distinctiveness of each area and truly authentic to each valley by making the wool taken from those farms.
Despite the wet weather, it was great to talk to people about sheep and their value to the Lake District World Heritage Site and the contribution farmers and their livestock make to the landscape of the Lake District.
Learn more about what it means to be a World Heritage Site on our website.
Staff Blogger
Claire Foster, Farming Officer
