Lambing time

Every year, before the weather turns warm enough for beekeeping to be on the agenda, the arrival of baby lambs takes priority. The ewes belong to another family member and have their lambs undercover on Penlan Farm, not far from the Quarry Field in fact. Although it is dry in the lambing sheds, the weather outside is generally cold and damp and the long hours waiting for something, well anything, to happen can really drag. It’s a job for sensible clothing and a flask of coffee, although this year we have gone soft and added a few cameras to make observation more comfortable. The sheep, like farmers, aren’t great with new technology and don’t think that they’re being watched. They like peace and quiet to give birth.

Lambing has obviously been part of the Shepherd’s year for millennia and the highs and lows, mostly highs, have probably not changed very much in all of that time. Lambing, for us, is about the kick-off for 2024. No farm seems to work to quite the same schedule. The first few fluffy faces started making an early appearance as we passed the first day of Spring.

The photo indelibly attached to this post is our very favourite lambing picture. Bear with us if you don’t see much at first. It shows Dave caring for a still wet lamb that he had assisted into the world only moments before and shows a pensive pause as he waits for the new arrival to breath normally after clearing it’s airways. It was taken almost exactly 3 years ago on the day of writing this post, in March 2021, by the award winning photo-journalist and recent Welsh Photographer of the year, Joann Randles. Google her, she’s superb and rightly applauded.

Ironically, ever the professional, Joann is known for her keen eye and perfect lighting. however, this shot somehow happened by accident. With the flash choosing to disobey, it is lit only by the fast waning daylight and yet somehow captures the mood perfectly.