Sarah Hoggarth Birkhaw, Howgills - WordPress.com
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Voices From the Land, 2017. Interview by Harriet Fraser Article and photographs © Harriet Fraser and Rob Fraser 1 Sarah Hoggarth Birkhaw, Howgills Birkhaw sits against the western flanks of the Howgills, with the Tebay valley spread out below it, and the Kendal Fells opposite. The buildings are hundreds of years old and Sarah’s family have been farming here for one hundred and sixty years. Her mother and father, Judith and Frank Capstick, live in the farmhouse here but have given over most of the farm work now to Sarah. Sarah lives in Sedbergh with her husband, Paul, who is a builder. She works on the farm every day, with help from Paul on evenings and weekends. It’s the school holidays when we visit, so Sarah’s two daughters are with her: Fiona, who’s nine, and Laura, seven. They are involved in the farm work, and they’re keen. 'My dad and uncle farmed together, and they showed their sheep for years,’ Sarah tells us. ‘Foot and mouth year, they stopped. Now my two kids have taken over. They have their small flock and have been out showing them for the last three or four years.’ Even Laura, the younger girl, has the ability to recognise and remember individual sheep in the flock. ‘She kens them,’ says Sarah. Born and raised at Birkhaw, Sarah has always been hands on. She has around 200 Rough Fell ewes and 100 hoggs i . Sarah likes her pure breed rough fells but each year puts about twenty to the Blue Faced Leicester ram to breed mules. The sheep have eighty acres of inside land to graze on but for much of the year spend their time on the common land behind the farm, which spreads over the rolling backs of the Howgills, rising to the Calf, a summit of 2220 feet. There are twenty-eight active graziers on this vast expanse of land, so sheep from the Howgills, Tebay, Borrowdale and Ravenstonedale all roam up here. With so many flocks grazing these fells, the traditional and cooperative way of managing sheep is just as important now as it was in previous generations. Each flock is hefted, which means that it knows a certain area of fell, and will stick to it; each lamb learns from its mother. When it’s time to gather the flocks in, neighbouring farmers often work together.
Transcript of Sarah Hoggarth Birkhaw, Howgills - WordPress.com
VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietFraserArticleandphotographs©HarrietFraserandRobFraser
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SarahHoggarthBirkhaw,Howgills
BirkhawsitsagainstthewesternflanksoftheHowgills,withtheTebayvalleyspreadoutbelowit,andtheKendalFellsopposite.ThebuildingsarehundredsofyearsoldandSarah’sfamilyhavebeenfarminghereforonehundredandsixtyyears.Hermotherandfather,JudithandFrankCapstick,liveinthefarmhouseherebuthavegivenovermostofthefarmworknowtoSarah.SarahlivesinSedberghwithherhusband,Paul,whoisabuilder.Sheworksonthefarmeveryday,withhelpfromPauloneveningsandweekends.
It’stheschoolholidayswhenwevisit,soSarah’stwodaughtersarewithher:Fiona,who’snine,andLaura,seven.Theyareinvolvedinthefarmwork,andthey’rekeen.'Mydadandunclefarmedtogether,andtheyshowedtheirsheepforyears,’Sarahtellsus.‘Footandmouthyear,theystopped.Nowmytwokidshavetakenover.Theyhavetheirsmallflockandhavebeenoutshowingthemforthelastthreeorfouryears.’EvenLaura,theyoungergirl,hastheabilitytorecogniseandrememberindividualsheepintheflock.‘Shekensthem,’saysSarah.BornandraisedatBirkhaw,Sarahhasalwaysbeenhandson.Shehasaround200RoughFellewesand100hoggsi.SarahlikesherpurebreedroughfellsbuteachyearputsabouttwentytotheBlueFacedLeicesterramtobreedmules.Thesheephaveeightyacresof
insidelandtograzeonbutformuchoftheyearspendtheirtimeonthecommonlandbehindthefarm,whichspreadsovertherollingbacksoftheHowgills,risingtotheCalf,asummitof2220feet.Therearetwenty-eightactivegraziersonthisvastexpanseofland,sosheepfromtheHowgills,Tebay,BorrowdaleandRavenstonedaleallroamuphere.Withsomanyflocksgrazingthesefells,thetraditionalandcooperativewayofmanagingsheepisjustasimportantnowasitwasinpreviousgenerations.Eachflockishefted,whichmeansthatitknowsacertainareaoffell,andwillsticktoit;eachlamblearnsfromitsmother.Whenit’stimetogathertheflocksin,neighbouringfarmersoftenworktogether.
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Sarah’sdad,FrankCapstick,lovesgatheringthesheepinfromthefells:‘Neighbour’ssheep,they’llbranchoff,they’lljustseparatethemselvestogotowheretheirownpieceis.It’samazingtoseeithappening,fourorfivedifferentflocksandthey’llsplitoffthemselves.’Sarahdescribesthefinerdetail:‘YoudropdownintoMatthew’spensandtherethetrackforks,andaslongasyougivethemenoughtime,hiswillwalkuptotheright,ours’llcarryon.Theyknowwheretheyshouldbe.Andwefeedupthereinwinter,insightofanotherthreepeoplefeeding,andyoucangoandthey’reinfourdifferentflocks–theydon’tmix.It’sprettyamazingwhattheyknow.’Withsuchamixtureofflocksonanygatherit’salmostcertainthatonefarmermaybringinafewofanotherfarmer’ssheep.Identificationisimportantandtheoldmethodspersist:woolmarks,lugmarksandahornburn.Thelugsorearsarecutwhenthesheeparetwoorthreeweeksold.‘Ourearmarkiscroppedonthenearearandaheartholepunchinthemiddleofthenearear.ThehornburnisJC–IsupposethatgoesbacktoJosephCapstick.’
Untilveryrecentlyregularshepherds’meetswereheldforpeopletobringandreclaimstragglers.Birkhawwasoneofthemeetingpoints.‘OnthefirstTuesdayofJuly,thatwouldbethesheepmeetinginthisarea.Tebaywouldhavetheirsafewdayslaterorearlier,soalltheTebaysheepwouldbethere.AndthenRavenstonedale.’Themeetsstoppedjustafewyearsago.‘IthinkfarmingmethodshavechangedslightlyandnotmanypeopleinthisareabythefirstofJulyhadclipped,’saysSarah.‘Goingbacktherewouldbeclippingdayswhentheyallwentroundfarmtofarm.They’dallhavetheirsetdayandthenthesheepmeetingwouldbeonthefirstTuesdayinJuly.Ithinkbecausepeoplegotlaterandlatergettingcontractorsin,thingshaveslippedbythewayside.’
Thedaybeforewemetatthefarm,IhadspokentoSarahonhermobilephonewhileshewasuponthefells,gatheringsheep,inthedrivingrain,helpinganeighbour,RobertThexton,whohassheeponWinderii.Theyhadsetoffinclearweather,andtheraintookthembysurprise.‘Everythingdisappeared,themistjustcamein!We’dtakenJoanne,Julie’sdaughter,andTony,herboyfriend,withus.Tony’sveryexperienced–thankfully–andI’dsenthimupaboveme,Joanneinthebottom.Said,yeah,you’llbefine,we’llwalkintothisbasin,everybodywillpushinandwe’lljustcomedownwith’em.Hewentontothetop,thenhedisappearedoutofsightbecausethemistcamedown,andIwaslike:willweeverseehimagain!IhadgoodwalkingbootsonwhichareusuallywaterproofandIwastippingwateroutofthem.’Thelastfewweekshavebeenverywet,whichcancauseaproblemwhenitcomestocuttinggrassandmakinghay.BothSarahandherfatherbelievethesummershavebeengettingwetter.‘Thetrendatthemomentseemstobethere’sahotspellearlyoninJune,andawetsummer,andthenmaybeaslightlybetterSeptember,October,’saysSarah.‘Wintersaren’tasbadIthink,nowherenear.Wedon’tgetthesnowthatweusedtoget.
The trend at the momentseemstobethere’sahotspellearly on in June, and a wetsummer, and then maybe aslightly better September,October. Winters aren’t asbad I think, nowhere near.We don’t get the snow thatwe used to get. Every year itwasdiggingoutandtheroadwould be full, a couple oftimesayearatleast.
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Everyyearitwasdiggingoutandtheroadwouldbefull,acoupleoftimesayearatleast.Butthenwehadtogetthemilkoutsoitwasamatterofdiggingtheroadouttogetthetankerin.Wehaven’thadtodothatforyears.’Sarahtakescowsinforgrazinginthesummermonthsbutnolongerkeepsherown.Sarahremembersherandhersistersdrinkingfreshmilkwhentheyweregirlsbutthefamilystoppedmilkingaboutfifteenyearsago.Thebyrethattodayhassomeroughfelltupsshelteringinithasroomfor36cowseachside.‘Thatwaswheretheylived,forthewinter.Theywerefedhayandcake,infrontofthem,awaterbowlinfrontofthem.Thevetusedtocomeandlookroundthebyreandhelovedit–theyweresohappy:warmbyreandeverything,andbecausetheyweretiedbythenecktherewasnobullying,nobadfeet.TheywerehappyandIsupposeitwasthewayyou’dalwaysdoneit,wasn’tit?Theywereabitskittywhenyoufirstletthemoutinsummer,foundtheirlegsagain.’Whenregulationschanged,requiringcowstobeuntied,andwithtoofewfemalecalvesbeingborn,Sarah’sfatherandunclewhowereinchargeatthetimedecidedtostop.‘Well,itwouldhavemeantnewbuildings,andDadandEdmundweregettingneartotheendoftheirfarminglife,ratherthanthebeginning.’Nowit’sthesheepthattakeupthemajorityofthetime,alongsidemaintenanceofthefarm,andatthistimeofyeartherearemorethanthreehundredtoshear.Sarahlovesthisjob,andpreferstoclipbyhand.’I’vedonesomethistimewiththeoldfashionedclippingshears,andthere’snewscissoractionones.Ourhoggshaveaveryhardrisebecauseit’sthefirstclip,andbecausethey’reoutonthefell,Iclipthemwithaproperpairofshears,andthatreallydoeshurtyourhand.Butthesenewones,theyseemsharperoreasier,andIdidmostofthefellyowswiththem.’
Ifthey’reworkingtogether,SarahandFrankmanagetoclipbetween60and70aday.‘You’recatching,wrapping,everything.It’snotaspeedthing.Wedipatclippingtimeaswell,soyouhavetomark,clip,dose.Forsomeofthemwehavepensinthefields.Ifyou’reclippingbyhand,youcanliterallygowiththebikeandatrailer,andacarpetorboard,anddothemwheretheyare.’Clippingisnotaneasyjob,andit’scertainlyveryphysical.‘Headuptoyourchinsometimes,thebiggeryowswhenyouturnthemover.It’squitealongwayroundthem.’Iwonderifbeinga
womanholdsanyparticularchallenges,orifthereisanydifferentattitudetowomen.Sarahdoesn’tsenseanydifference,andalthoughsomeoftheheavierworkiseasierformen,herdadtellsmeshe’sgoodwithtractorworkandhe’llaskhertodothebaling,ratherthandoithimself.‘IthinkIcanprettymuchdoanythingthatIhavetodo,’shesays,smiling.‘Andatauctionandthings,noyou’renottreatedanydifferent.Youtendtopickupthesecretaryjobs,andItrainedasasecretarysoIsupposeI’msuitedtothat.I’msecretaryforBrantfellCommoners,FrotstrowCommoners,andIalsodoRydalSheepDogTrialsandHoundShow,Ambleside.’
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Atpresent,thecommonisnotinanagri-environmentscheme.‘Wedidhaveameetingbutitdidn’twork.Somepeoplereallywantedtogoinit.Somepeopledidn’twanttogoinit.AndthenNaturalEnglanddidn’thaveanythingtoofferusatthetime,soitwasleftinthebalancereally.Itkeepsrumblingthatthereisgoingtobesomethingelsebutatthemomentwedon’tknowwhat’shappening.’Agri-environmentschemes,amongotherthings,canmakestipulationsabouthaycuttingtimesortheupkeepofwalls.OnBirkhaw,therearefewwirefences–theboundariesarealldrystonewallsorhedges.FrankisproudofthehedgesandheandSarahbothgetalotofsatisfactionoutofcaringforthem.‘Thehedgerowsaresomethingweprideourselvesin.Wifeusedtoworkat
Weasdalenurseries,sowe’vebeenplantingthornsforyearsandyears.’Onceahedgeisestablished,cuttingandlayingitisanimportantmaintenancetask,andSarahlovesthis.‘Twoyearsago,Mother’sday,myhusbandandkidsgotmeanaxe.’Shelaughs,‘So,yeah,thatwasmymothers’daypresent.Practical.Anaxe,properaxe.it’sjustsatisfyingwhenyoulookbackatwhatyou’vedone.’Wallingisanotherongoingbutsatisfyingjob.‘Asheepwillfindawallgapandjumpit.Soonceit’sjumpedawallgap,it’lllookatawalldifferently–you’reencouragingbadbehaviourinyoursheep.Oncetheyfindthatbounce,they’reaway,youwon’tstopthem.’Anywallgap,then,needstobemendedquickly.‘Whenyoutakethewallgapout,youthink,pfff,wherewe’regoingtostartwiththis?Andthenyougetabouthalfwayup,andthenyoulookbackatit,andthenyou’vedoneit.Prettysatisfying.Asakid,youputthefillingsin,andthenprogresson.Now,thesetwohelpputthefillingsin,fillaboxreadyforyou,it’sjustpartofitreally.’It’snotjustacaseofstackingstonesontopofoneanother:wallingisaskilledjobneedingcarefulthought,patience,andknowledge.‘Foundationsareyourmain–puttinggoodfoundationsin.Andthenbuildingup.Youputastoneon,putyourrowofstoneson,putinfillings,keepthemiddlefullsoyou’vegotabasetokeepgoingon.Andthenaboutafootandahalfyouputarowofthroughsin,whichisalargestonewhichcrossesbothsides.Upanothercoupleoffoot,throughsagain,thenabitonthetopandyouputyourtopstoneson,whichholditalltogetherIsuppose.’Whilegatheringmaynothavechangedmuch,onethingthathaschangedrecentlyistheincreaseduseofsocialmedia.‘I’mquiteactiveintheRoughFellSheepBreeders
You’re catching, wrapping,everything. It’s not a speedthing. We dip at clippingtimeaswell, soyouhavetomark,clip,dose.Forsomeofthem we have pens in thefields. If you’re clipping byhand, you can literally gowith the bike and a trailer,and a carpet or board, anddothemwheretheyare.
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Association,’saysSarah,‘tryingtopromotetheRough.That’swhyIsetupaBirkhawRoughtwitterpagetotryandpromotethebreed.Somebody’ssetuparoughfelltwitterpageandshe’sverygood–doesalotofpromotiononthatside.’Gainingnewmembersandpromotingthebreedisaconstanttask,Sarahtellsme,andIwonderwhyshewouldrecommendRoughFellsaboveaSwaledale.Franksays,‘Themuleoutofaroughhasmoreweightandbody,thewool’sabitbetter.’Sarahadds,‘Attheendoftheday,aRoughFellwetheriiilambwillbemakingasmuchasaSwaledalewetherlamb.That’syourbreadandbutter.’Makingendsmeetinfarmingisachallenge‘Whenyoulookatthisvalley,’saysFrank,‘thesewereoncejustsmallfarms,dependentontheland.It’salldiversificationnow.There’snonenowthatareself-sufficientonthefarm.’ForSarah,Paul’sincomeisacrucialpartofthefamily’sincome,andthecombinationworkswellforthem.Herenthusiasmforfarmingisinfectious.Hertwoyoungdaughtersseemequallykeen,andwiththeirrecentsuccessesattheshows,andtheattentiontobreedingthatcomesfromthat,itseemstheymayfollowinherfootsteps.‘We’vejustputoursheeptothefellforafewweekstogetthegimmerivlambshefted,sowe’vesortedallthemout.Lastweekthere’sbeenalotofdrivingawayandtakingthemback,andtakingthemtowheretheyshouldbe.Yougetthere,youlookaround,youknowyourdogs’vedonewell,itgivesyouabuzz.Yeah,it’sgood.It’swhatyoudoandwhenitgoesright,it’sgood.Idon’tknow,Ijustloveit.It’shardbutit’ssatisfying.Tobreedagoodsheepandworkwiththedogs–that’smypassioninlife.’
www.dalesfarmers.co.uk
iAhoggisasheepthat’sstillinitsfirstyear,notyetreadyforbreeding,andhasn’tbeensheared.Afterthefirstshear,thesheepisknownasashearling.iiWinderisoneofthefellsintheHowgills,‘totheright’asSarahsays.iiiAwetherlambisacastratedmalelamb.ivAfemalelambiscalledagimmer.
It’swhatyoudoandwhenitgoesright,it’sgood.Idon’tknow,Ijustloveit.It’shardbutit’ssatisfying.Tobreedagoodsheepandworkwiththedogs–that’smypassioninlife.
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