This is our first blog and is written to build up a relationship for future guests, and to update news for past guests, of some of the animals that share Cheristow with us. As you probably know we are new to “farming” never having even kept a pet before we moved here. We are fascinated by the animals and their habits – and enjoy spending time with our visitors sharing our little knowledge but great love. This is one of the Cheristow family.
This is Minstrel’s story.
It had been a hard winter. It had been a long winter. Spring came but without conviction. Days were longer, the sun shone but a bitterly cold Easterly wind made sure that the temperature stayed close to freezing. The land stayed frozen. Every morning the first task was to break the ice on the water troughs and to hope that the water main was not frozen. Nothing grew. Even the daffodils – the flower of Spring – popped their heads out of their green overcoats and withered and died because of the cold.
Yet in the fields the ewes were ready to give birth.
Ministrel was one of triplets born to number 16! But number 16 did not have the strength to care for one lamb let alone the three nature had decided for her. She had not been able to feed on fresh grass because none was growing. Times were hard for the farmers and little extra sheep cake had been spread in the fields because of the cost. Like many other ewes Number 16’s milk was weak and in short supply. Steve the farmer knew he had to help Number 16 and nature, if the lambs were to survive.
Number 16 was already rejecting her weaker lambs and wanted to feed just one lamb. She pushed them away with her head not allowing them to reach her teats and the poor supply of weak milk. Time was vital without milk the lambs could not survive. Steve took two lambs indoors to the barn. For the next four weeks they would need to be fed, every four hours, by bottle. The one lamb left with Number 16 was given frequent top ups from the bottle to help supplement her feeds.
After just two days with more and more lambs being born cruel Mother Nature struck again in the form of a hungry fox. A Jacob’s ewe had given birth to twins in the field. As she struggled to recover the fox pounced and killed one lamb and took it away to feed her own family. Next morning amongst the destruction the second twin died.
Steve saw a mother ewe with a full supply of milk yet no remaining lambs of her own. Skilfully with his sharp knife, he removed the skin from the dead lamb. He then peeled the skin over the small shivering body of one of the rejected Number 16 lambs. Minstrel.
The Jacob sheep was so pleased to have a lamb she recognised by its smell put back with her. Quickly the little lamb wearing his coat found mother’s teat. Warm nourishing milk was in plentiful supply.
Mother and child quickly bonded. No one was able to get close without Mum moving to protect her “new” lamb. They moved back into the small paddock where the wind had changed direction and was blowing from the south west off the sea. The temperature rose. The fields were no longer brown but had changed to a green as new grass grew.
The lamb quickly filled his new outer overcoat. He grew far more active and fat. Soon his overcoat will be removed. He will no longer be a white faced lamb in a black coat. But his mother will still love, care and protect him.
