2016
It all started in 2016…My brother bought me, my very first sheep for my birthday; 3 Ryeland-cross-Southdown type ewes...Dolly, Molly and Polly.
The same year I headed off to university- albeit still living at home, and my ewes were adopted into my brother’s flock.
2020
Roll on 2020…amidst a global pandemic and following on from the completion of my university degree, with time on my hands, I began to grow my little flock and Lightwood flock was established.
It started with 2 boys; Archie and ‘Leddy’ Zeppelin- Pedigree coloured Ryelands.
The initial tups were followed shortly by a trip to Lincolnshire to collect a flock of 7; Wenda, Vera, Una, Wilma, Winnie, Whoopie and Xavier. Because you can’t ever have enough… a final trio of ewes were added; Zeezee, Zola and Yardley completed the flock of 2020.
Come Autumn, first-timer 'Leddy' was put to the ewes and we waited...
2021
We scanned in January, to learn all but one ewe was in lamb which was a huge relief!
April 1st brought my first lamb; Barnaby who won me over straight away. Followed by: Bertie, Betsy, Bonnie, Beatrix, Barbara, Blossom, Buzz, Basil, Bjorn, Benny, Kenny and Jolene- the latter two lambs, inspired by Dolly (of course).
I decided to keep 3 pedigree ewe lambs to extend the flock; Betsy, Bonnie and Beatrix (Bea).
After much persuasion, I insisted Barnaby was also to stay, (albeit as a wether) to keep the tups company.
Later in the year after the decision to let go of some older ewes, we added 2 more in to the mix; Zelma and Zafina just in time for tupping.
Scanned in December, we found yet again, all but one ewe to be in lamb.
2022
After much waiting lucky lamb (four-leaf) Clover was born on 22/02/2022 followed by Connie, Cooper, Champagne, Chardonnay, Cosmo, Chloe, Cookie, Coco, Cinnamon, Cleopatra, Comet and Celeste. A lucky 13 again(!)
After much to and fro, this year we have decided to keep on 6 ewe lambs; 5 pedigree coloured Ryelands and 1 white cross breed lamb from Dolly.
The 6 are made up of Clover, Connie, Charlie, Coco, Comet and Celeste.
We are currently preparing for tupping time with Archie, this year and who knows… maybe another 13 lambs will be with us in 2023.
6th December 2022
We had a very successful (albeit nervous) scanning day, with all but one ewe being in lamb. If all goes well, fingers firmly crossed, we will be due 19 lambs in March 2023. Our three homebred shearlings are all carrying twins and Dolly is due our second set of triplets for the flock. Archie didn't do a bad job for a first timer after all...Roll on lambing time.
2023
On the 1st March, a week before my annual leave was to start (ofcourse!), lambing commenced, with all but one, lambing in a 2 week window. Our final straggler lambed on the 24th March to complete 2023 lambing. Following a few disappointing losses, we ended the lambing season with 14 healthy lambs. 10 ewe lambs and 4 tup lambs.Deirdre, Douglas, Delilah, Dolores, Dakota, Dora, Diego, Dotty, Daisy, Daphne, Doris, Django and Darwin.
Our very last ewe lamb needed a little more TLC and as I was returning to work, she went to a lovely new home down the road, and was named Delilah- Betsy. (Thank you Erin!!). So in a round about way- we ended back at the magic number; 13 lambs for a third year running.