@fionaswaters thanks Fiona. I've spent hours looking for Susan today! I think she's in the pit with her lamb but having stood on a wasps nest and waded through 6ft bracken, I've had to give up! Hopefully she'll appear.
Thank you for sharing what you do. It is inspiring to see someone who cares so much about their land and their animals and who manages such a large space in such a low impact way. We are about to move to a comparatively small patch of land (around 11 acres) in Lincolnshire and have very similar principles to yours. We will be working on a much smaller scale with far fewer animals but I’m still learning so much watching you. I’m interested in the comments from those that criticise - - nothing is ever black and white and land management is such a controversial topic - we’ve been researching a lot recently and there are so many opposing views and so many people quick to criticise others without understanding. We can only do what we truly believe is best for our own contexts and you are a wonderful example of someone willing to share this journey - and someone able to make changes in response to what you experience - so much more nuanced than having a singular approach that you refuse to deviate from like so many people on the internet!
Exactly! I'm following Isabella Tree's methodology (Knepp) of do nothing! There are many arguments for controlling the return of nature, scraping over bits of land etc, but I believe just letting nature sort it out is probably best. As in one of my woodland areas - I planted trees, and nature planted trees. Of course, the nature trees (coming up in a completely different area to where I wanted) are doing far better! So leaving Well alone. As you say, it is nuanced. I'm not completely doing nothing as I graze animals etc, but for me, it works.
I think it’s amazing, you had a dream and a plan and we’ve been privileged to have watched the successes and the pitfalls and the adjustments you have made and will continue to make and I have complete respect. I love the idea of rewilding, but I have to admit it gives me massive anxiety when it’s not in ‘controlled’ parcels of land, plus I am only one half of a farm that still needs to make some money (feels like that just gets spent on fences but hey ho) We get stick because we don’t trim our hedges, so you must get that x10 Please keep doing what you are doing, unapologetically, what you learn we can learn too and I bloody love watching your farm evolve and grow x
Hi Geoff. Great to see the place and for you to reiterate your farming philosophy. Yes free range as far as possible for us up here. We are classified as a 'less favoured area.' We have 'inbye land and moorland grazing rights. We are in that respect, similar to you. Glad you found the lamb and ewe. Best wishes. Jacob and Johnny. 🧔 🐶 🤓
Hi,I live not far from you.I’ve been subbed for a long while, since you had your mid terrace. Also a quail and chicken keeper and breeder, although less now. I have a lot of omelet netting both types.. no longer needed as I’m down to 5 hens. Would it be useful to you?
What’s your plan for when you die? As some other farmer might just buy your land, chop down the trees and dig over the land. Making your wild farm back in a traditional farm.
BLIMEY MATE! That's harsh! 😂 Do you have children who hate what you are buying and doing? 😮 and who want to put a car park on your dreams 😂😂 Lol, personally, on my farm, I'm putting mine into a trust. This means it can't be mono-cultured when we are gone, but will be here for my family name in the future. I know a few like me doing the same.
I'm literally doing the same ... a trust and/or leaving to Natural England or something of the like. I haven't thought too far ahead though as, I'm hoping, death isn't on the cards just yet 😆
When all goes well it is beautifull, but they still are domesticated animals with an owner. She lambed without help and that is very good, she lambed without you knowing where she was and so no help was available had she needed it. Bad. Please sit down and look very critically at what the definition of natural means for your domesticated lifestock and their needs. They have an owner and therefore someone who is responsible for their wellbeing, safety and health in a way that nature is not. And yes i see a lot of poached land with less plant diversity then some good regenerative management should have. Could be transition, could be you are missing something. Question yourself, question the ideal of "natural", a lot of misery is "natural", maintaining a certain balance requires some human action, just not a big machine or poison. And you'll need to maintain a balance even if it isn't totally static to keep both lifestock and wildlife fed. That may mean mowing areas that are monoculture plant patches due to how your animals graze and even more shocking it may mean a critcal look at how many predators your area can sustainably feed. I have seen results of "nature making" over here. Crashed plant diversity and left no food, shelter and such for all kinds of small stuff it should have helped. You are restricted space wise and that means some processes will not function as hoped. Be critical of the ideals and principles of how to get there and look really hard at what the land wants, does and needs. And no it doesn't need to be producing optimally humanfood wise, it still needs diversity and active management to not become a predator pit or deadzone due to letting natures feast and famine cycles run amok. Your land is no way near big enough to stabilize without you stepping up.
Totally agree - hence, as you know, why I lamb indoors. LOTS of farmers lamb outside here and check last thing at night and then in the morning ... as I did, and she'd lambed in the morning. But I always prefer to have eyes on them, esp as we've bred sheep away from their primitive forms so more likely to have lambing issues. The field is definitely in transition. Is it perfect, no? But it's a lot better than a monoculture arable crop or even meadow cut for haylage where lots of plants are stripped out. All a learning experience!
Huh! Many farmers are no different from a cheap garage on a side street, leaving oil and equipment all over the road! These garage owners are always scraping by, working too hard and more often, just to get that final penny from the punters that he absolutely needs. Back to your endeavour (or "farming-concern" as I call such a situation), you have a cleaner, more natural "gararge"! Folk (the customers) see you as a qualified professional and not a jack of all trades. They'd rather go to you than the greese monkey up the road. Fella, you are doing alrght. No different from myself that now see how badly thjngs around me are run. With them, always chasing a cheap subsidy and cutting corners to save money. THEY have forgotten, or never had the respect and love of what they do. To be frank, anyone today that looks at your 30-plus acre concern and 'tuts' can shut up and look at themselves. Your business abilities, however, are hilariously off kilter, but only because you dont run for the nearest loan to set you up. Mate! You are doing just fine. Now... how's your decking coming along? 😂
Ha! I'm getting there ... you'd be proud of me ... just sorted my paperwork for the RPA so I can FINALLY apply for some stewardship grants and get some money from the Animal Welfare Pathway. I also think there's a fencing grant somewhere in there! No physical work has been done but I HAVE taken measurements and drawn out the space. 😉
@Nellyontheland nor me. I had the vet out the other day and the UK are now doing an Animal Welfare Pathway and for sheep, they're focusing on parasite load this year. Effectively you get a full poo sample, management plan and vet follow up, and a couple hundred quid for free. So I'm trying to get paperwork sorted so I can sign up!
I think it’s amazing, you had a dream and a plan and we’ve been privileged to have watched the successes and the pitfalls and the adjustments you have made and will continue to make and I have complete respect. I love the idea of rewilding, but I have to admit it gives me massive anxiety when it’s not in ‘controlled’ parcels of land, plus I am only one half of a farm that still needs to make some money (feels like that just gets spent on fences but hey ho) We get stick because we don’t trim our hedges, so you must get that x10 Please keep doing what you are doing, unapologetically, what you learn we can learn too and I bloody love watching your farm evolve and grow x
Thanks! I mean, the animals wandering all over the place can give me anxiety, but then so too did them jumping out of the electric. So what's better?! 🤣🤷🏻
Looks like things are coming along beautifully x🇬🇧
Love your honesty on the realities of rewilding and how you make it work - and the latest lamb and mum happy in their own environment.
@fionaswaters thanks Fiona. I've spent hours looking for Susan today! I think she's in the pit with her lamb but having stood on a wasps nest and waded through 6ft bracken, I've had to give up! Hopefully she'll appear.
I think your farm is wonderful and so natural!
Thanks!
Oh no typical. But lovely to see around the fields. Lots of lovely insects.
Thank you for sharing what you do. It is inspiring to see someone who cares so much about their land and their animals and who manages such a large space in such a low impact way. We are about to move to a comparatively small patch of land (around 11 acres) in Lincolnshire and have very similar principles to yours. We will be working on a much smaller scale with far fewer animals but I’m still learning so much watching you. I’m interested in the comments from those that criticise - - nothing is ever black and white and land management is such a controversial topic - we’ve been researching a lot recently and there are so many opposing views and so many people quick to criticise others without understanding. We can only do what we truly believe is best for our own contexts and you are a wonderful example of someone willing to share this journey - and someone able to make changes in response to what you experience - so much more nuanced than having a singular approach that you refuse to deviate from like so many people on the internet!
Exactly! I'm following Isabella Tree's methodology (Knepp) of do nothing! There are many arguments for controlling the return of nature, scraping over bits of land etc, but I believe just letting nature sort it out is probably best. As in one of my woodland areas - I planted trees, and nature planted trees. Of course, the nature trees (coming up in a completely different area to where I wanted) are doing far better! So leaving Well alone. As you say, it is nuanced. I'm not completely doing nothing as I graze animals etc, but for me, it works.
@@BrimwoodFarm her book is wonderful. I read it after seeing you recommend on an older video.
@@OtterwoodCottage it is! And they've just brought out a feature film - I must get to see it.
@@BrimwoodFarm ohh I didn’t know that - will try and find it!
I think your farm is wonderful
Thank you 😊
I think it’s amazing, you had a dream and a plan and we’ve been privileged to have watched the successes and the pitfalls and the adjustments you have made and will continue to make and I have complete respect. I love the idea of rewilding, but I have to admit it gives me massive anxiety when it’s not in ‘controlled’ parcels of land, plus I am only one half of a farm that still needs to make some money (feels like that just gets spent on fences but hey ho) We get stick because we don’t trim our hedges, so you must get that x10
Please keep doing what you are doing, unapologetically, what you learn we can learn too and I bloody love watching your farm evolve and grow x
Thank you!
You may have to rethink the fences at tupping time. lol
@@HilltopFarmHomestead any boys not being used as going into the barn behind cattle hurdles! Naughty boys!
You are doing an outstanding job!
Gosh! Thank you so much!!
Hi Geoff. Great to see the place and for you to reiterate your farming philosophy.
Yes free range as far as possible for us up here. We are classified as a 'less favoured area.'
We have 'inbye land and moorland grazing rights. We are in that respect, similar to you.
Glad you found the lamb and ewe. Best wishes. Jacob and Johnny. 🧔 🐶 🤓
Best wishes to you both too 😁
@@BrimwoodFarm Thanks Geoff. We enjoyed your vlog.
I love the way you farm
Thank you :)
Hi,I live not far from you.I’ve been subbed for a long while, since you had your mid terrace. Also a quail and chicken keeper and breeder, although less now. I have a lot of omelet netting both types.. no longer needed as I’m down to 5 hens. Would it be useful to you?
Hi Gerry, very kind offer. Netting is always useful. And thanks for following for so long 😇
What’s your plan for when you die? As some other farmer might just buy your land, chop down the trees and dig over the land. Making your wild farm back in a traditional farm.
BLIMEY MATE! That's harsh! 😂
Do you have children who hate what you are buying and doing? 😮 and who want to put a car park on your dreams 😂😂
Lol, personally, on my farm, I'm putting mine into a trust. This means it can't be mono-cultured when we are gone, but will be here for my family name in the future.
I know a few like me doing the same.
I'm literally doing the same ... a trust and/or leaving to Natural England or something of the like. I haven't thought too far ahead though as, I'm hoping, death isn't on the cards just yet 😆
When all goes well it is beautifull, but they still are domesticated animals with an owner. She lambed without help and that is very good, she lambed without you knowing where she was and so no help was available had she needed it. Bad.
Please sit down and look very critically at what the definition of natural means for your domesticated lifestock and their needs. They have an owner and therefore someone who is responsible for their wellbeing, safety and health in a way that nature is not.
And yes i see a lot of poached land with less plant diversity then some good regenerative management should have. Could be transition, could be you are missing something. Question yourself, question the ideal of "natural", a lot of misery is "natural", maintaining a certain balance requires some human action, just not a big machine or poison. And you'll need to maintain a balance even if it isn't totally static to keep both lifestock and wildlife fed.
That may mean mowing areas that are monoculture plant patches due to how your animals graze and even more shocking it may mean a critcal look at how many predators your area can sustainably feed. I have seen results of "nature making" over here. Crashed plant diversity and left no food, shelter and such for all kinds of small stuff it should have helped. You are restricted space wise and that means some processes will not function as hoped. Be critical of the ideals and principles of how to get there and look really hard at what the land wants, does and needs. And no it doesn't need to be producing optimally humanfood wise, it still needs diversity and active management to not become a predator pit or deadzone due to letting natures feast and famine cycles run amok. Your land is no way near big enough to stabilize without you stepping up.
Totally agree - hence, as you know, why I lamb indoors. LOTS of farmers lamb outside here and check last thing at night and then in the morning ... as I did, and she'd lambed in the morning. But I always prefer to have eyes on them, esp as we've bred sheep away from their primitive forms so more likely to have lambing issues.
The field is definitely in transition. Is it perfect, no? But it's a lot better than a monoculture arable crop or even meadow cut for haylage where lots of plants are stripped out. All a learning experience!
Huh! Many farmers are no different from a cheap garage on a side street, leaving oil and equipment all over the road!
These garage owners are always scraping by, working too hard and more often, just to get that final penny from the punters that he absolutely needs.
Back to your endeavour (or "farming-concern" as I call such a situation), you have a cleaner, more natural "gararge"! Folk (the customers) see you as a qualified professional and not a jack of all trades. They'd rather go to you than the greese monkey up the road.
Fella, you are doing alrght. No different from myself that now see how badly thjngs around me are run. With them, always chasing a cheap subsidy and cutting corners to save money.
THEY have forgotten, or never had the respect and love of what they do.
To be frank, anyone today that looks at your 30-plus acre concern and 'tuts' can shut up and look at themselves.
Your business abilities, however, are hilariously off kilter, but only because you dont run for the nearest loan to set you up.
Mate! You are doing just fine.
Now... how's your decking coming along? 😂
Ha! I'm getting there ... you'd be proud of me ... just sorted my paperwork for the RPA so I can FINALLY apply for some stewardship grants and get some money from the Animal Welfare Pathway. I also think there's a fencing grant somewhere in there!
No physical work has been done but I HAVE taken measurements and drawn out the space. 😉
@BrimwoodFarm Plans... cool, dude! 👍
You'll thank yourself come winter...
@@BrimwoodFarm I've never gotten around to applying for grants... I should 🤗
@Nellyontheland nor me. I had the vet out the other day and the UK are now doing an Animal Welfare Pathway and for sheep, they're focusing on parasite load this year. Effectively you get a full poo sample, management plan and vet follow up, and a couple hundred quid for free. So I'm trying to get paperwork sorted so I can sign up!
@@BrimwoodFarm It's an odd thing with me, but I try and avoid gov intervention.
I suppose we don't need to.
I think it’s amazing, you had a dream and a plan and we’ve been privileged to have watched the successes and the pitfalls and the adjustments you have made and will continue to make and I have complete respect. I love the idea of rewilding, but I have to admit it gives me massive anxiety when it’s not in ‘controlled’ parcels of land, plus I am only one half of a farm that still needs to make some money (feels like that just gets spent on fences but hey ho) We get stick because we don’t trim our hedges, so you must get that x10
Please keep doing what you are doing, unapologetically, what you learn we can learn too and I bloody love watching your farm evolve and grow x
Thanks! I mean, the animals wandering all over the place can give me anxiety, but then so too did them jumping out of the electric. So what's better?! 🤣🤷🏻