Fleeces for sale 2019

Jacob fleeces for sale .. in the raw, can be lightly scoured as extra.		..
	all these fleeces can be posted out, cost depends on weight, and we only get to post office once a week	..
	Manx wether fleece 1.2 kg – £12
	Jacob 3/4 x Blue face leicester 1/4 2.6 kg  – £26
	Pure Jacob fleece 1.6kg – £16

2019 – we are beginning to harvest tree hay for our sheep ..
So far we are limited by capacity of humans and space with what we can collect – hopefully both these will improve as I recover from my fibromyalgia, and we get to create more shelter.
There is so much bounty around. This is free food, for the labour.
It is also highly beneficial food, and more is being learned about additional benefits all the time.
The advice is to cut, bundle and dry the tree branches in a dark place to keep the most nutrition (otherwise our polytunnels would be a great place to hang the bundles!)
We have found that bundles need to be retied as they shrink.
Tannins in tree browse is an anthelminth – helps to keep worms away, affecting the instar stages of worms in the gut
Certain species are high in mineral – willow and zinc for instance.
We have lot to learn as to what our sheep will eat, what is most pallatible
A few notes
* nettles – leaves are cropped early, then seeds for ourselvs, after this then cropped to dry for tree hay.
* willow – we have a variety of species, some cut to feed green, the goat willow that we have coppiced in previous years is much more lush than older trees. The Viminalis is lush and so productive.
* alder is highly beneficial in our tree systems as it is a powerful nitrogen fixer, but is likely to be less useful for tree hay as it is not meant to be so edible.
* elder – we have started to regenerate our old elder trees, cutting some back really hard and they have just burst forth with masses of material. Elder is not meant to be particularly pallitable but it is certainly productive, and they have eaten it before, lets see what the winter brings.
* ash – a great fodder plant, we have several trees we will need to coppice as they are too close to power lines, so these will be a great source of tree hay in the future. Whilst it is not possible to buy ash because of the die back, we have a number here with seedlings popping up to be rehomed each year.
* aspen – is a tree hay plant livestock are meant to enjoy, we have some, and planting more, it is also so beautiful quivering in the wind.
* poplar – we have some really good big poplar trees that have been recently pollarded, and will be adding more to the hedgerows as they are fast growing, succulent and enjoyed by the sheep.
* hawthorn – whilst you have to be careful of the thorns of any of these plants the sheep love them .. more and more getting added to fencelines as well as fed over the fence through the summer.
* oak – we now have a number of lovely maturing oak trees, as well as new ones in the plantations, so will get more branches over the years to add to the variety in the tree hay.
* hazel
* rowan – such a wonderful berry tree, but we have quite a bit growing so will be able to add some to the tree hay menu
* birch –
* beech –
*

HIGHLAND STONEWARE POTTERY FOR SALE

2 large mugs
9 small decorated mugs
2 cruets
2 cream jugs
6 side plates
4 10inch plates
2 large decorated plates
1 large casseroles

Farming is not the biggest source of concern for carbon pollution but anyone who believes that farming cannot be part of the solution is just being irresponsible .. particularly if they have children.
and not just for the climate ..
We need to rebuild our soil – stopping ploughing, restore soil biosphere, add mychorrisal activity, add perennials,
We need to reduce our dependence and use of fossil fuels and everything that is made from them .. including plastic, chemicals, as well as fuels.
We need to reduce the use of chemicals to rebuild our health and that of our livestock, and ecosystems.
We need to reduce the water needed for growing bulk low nutrition foods
We need to reduce the processing involved in food before the consumer – drying, packaging, cooking,
We need to grow a lot more food within communities – including the urban areas.
We need to add far greater diversity back into our food ecosystems to include perennial crops : greens, fruit, herbs, nuts.
We need to reduce the amount of food we eat .. stop factory processed food .. reduce our gross waste of food .. cut out grains as far as possible.
We need to have better meat, fish, greens, fruit, nuts .. high nutrition means low inputs needed.
Farmers who act as irresponsibily as some post on farming social media groups deserve the contempt so many of the public treat them with..

Balsam of Gilead / Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera)) slips will also be available in the late winter..  please get in touch to order. 

The buds as they begin to break are reputedly highly potent when infused in oil and made into an ointment. They are wonderfully aromatic, and as they break the bees are highly attracted. 

Balm of Gilead Ointment is known for being:

• Analgesic
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-bacterial
• Astringent
• Helps detoxify
• Helps heal coughs

https://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org/pages/plants/balmofgilead.html

If you are interested in getting some young trees, fruit or herbs taking advantage of much lower than retail prices please get in touch. We are putting in an order to several of our wholesale companies for our own planting and growing, and would be happy to combine orders for all our benefits. Prices will depend on numbers, but will be a lot less than retail.
We are not starting up the plant centre again, these will not be potted on, will need to be collected as they arrived, but we are happy to share the benefit of working together, combining our getting discounts from buying in numbers.
Trees from root-trainers : subject to availability when order placed – Prices will vary but most will be less than £2 per sapling.