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.

VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietFraserArticleandphotographs©HarrietFraserandRobFraser

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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.

VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietFraserArticleandphotographs©HarrietFraserandRobFraser

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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.’

VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietFraserArticleandphotographs©HarrietFraserandRobFraser

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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.

VoicesFromtheLand,2017.InterviewbyHarrietFraserArticleandphotographs©HarrietFraserandRobFraser

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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.