Millfields Smallholding

23/09/2023

Wow it’s been a long time since we posted here.. so much has happened since then!

I’ve been having treatment for breast cancer so haven’t been able to spend as much time here as I would have liked and poor Steve has had to carry all the workload!

Other than this life has pretty much carried on as usual here, we are a few chickens lighter and we lost our beloved Vic (twin lamb to BFB) and our lovely farm cat Claus left home 💔 but life has to go on!

Today the weather has been amazing so we are getting up to date with jobs which includes picking the last of the bullaces and blackberries to make gin for Christmas!

18/08/2022

Bottle Fed Bobs brother Vic (Vic & Bob, geddit?) - can you see where his horns would have been many generations ago? These dark patches were there from the minute he was born 😈

18/08/2022

Farm cat 🐈‍⬛ Claus

21/06/2022

We certainly made the most of the longest day of the year! Just inside from ticking off some jobs from a long list….

17/06/2022

Willow snacks tonight for the dangerous brothers! 🌲 🐐

29/05/2022

We have space on our weekly egg round!! Get in touch if you like wonderful tasting, fresh eggs from happy hens!

27/05/2022

🐑GARDENER'S did you know..🐑
Using sheep's fleece in your gardens/pots/greenhouses has so many natural benefits!!
ITS GREAT.. I've used it for a few years now and never had so much fruit and veg!
🐑 Stops slugs and snails as they won't go over it so no need to use slug pellets...
🐑 Stops the weeds coming up through so no time wasted weeding...
🐑Helps contain moisture in the soil and stops it from drying out...
🐑All the natural nutrients in the fleece are a natural fertiliser so no need for growth chemicals either...
🐑It naturally rots down over the winter, ready to turn over in the soil the following year..I could go on... im quite passionate about the use of fleece and how more people should use natural products!

WE DO HAVE FLEECE AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO GIVE IT A GO...

25/04/2022

Finally some good news for poultry owners!

How to spot avian influenza (bird flu), what to do if you suspect it, and measures to prevent it.

23/04/2022

Most egg-scellent!!

17/04/2022

So there’s not been many updates here as we have been lambing our Greyface Dartmoors for the first time at Millfields. It’s been eventful with the first lamb 10 days early and emotional to say the least - we have many people to thank for supporting us in our efforts and steadying our nerves - Dawn Trembath, Gillian Wardle and Gemma Gemmas Farm xx

We have been blessed with 3 gorgeous ewe lambs and 2 lovely ram lambs (who are now wethers). Praise has to go the gorgeous tup “Bear” who we hired from Baylham House Rare Breeds Farm and the lovely Kate Ockleton.

We have one bottle job (Bob) but we are very much looking forward to a full nights sleep for the first time in 17 days.

Biggest thanks of all go to Mr Millfields for being amazing and delivering two of these beauties safe and well!! The lambing course at Westpoint Farm Vets was invaluable.

We have kept everyone clean and safe thanks to RenaSan and been warm and cosy thanks to many clothing purchases from Ernest Doe - Braintree.

Millfields Supplies have kept our sheep (and other animals) fed but specialist feed blocks supplied by Scotmin Nutrition made a huge difference nutritionally but also made a nice bed for Betty (see photos!)

16/04/2022

The RBST watchlist has been updated for 2022. All of our the breeds at Millfields are either at risk or a priority with the exception of the hens (watch this space on that!). It’s a real shame some of the breed societies don’t allow registration of tups until they are older… but we have our ewes to help conserve this beautiful breed.

15/04/2022

Farm Fresh Eggs for Sale! Just £1.50 for delicious, fresh eggs laid by happy hens! Local delivery available 🥚

01/04/2022

First the weather now the hens are playing an April fools on me!!

27/03/2022

The animals are so thoughtful ❤️

22/03/2022

Early morning dip in the water trough for some of the Millfields flock!

22/03/2022

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL EGG CUSTOMERS

As you may be aware, our little flock of free-range hens have been kept confined since November to protect them against avian flu. Unfortunately the risk is still very high and the housing order is still in effect.

Because of the amount of time the birds have now been restricted as of today we can no longer call them free range!

This is frustrating but applies to every free-range farm in the UK and is completely out of our control.

Our girls are still laying the same lovely fresh eggs for you to enjoy and are as happy as ever with lots of enrichment in their pen to keep them entertained🥚

20/03/2022

Resident feral Claus is making the most of this gorgeous weather….

18/03/2022

"Ode to the feral women”

“My soul is not set fire by being the best home maker but by growing flowers and plants, shoveling dirt, snow or manure, breathing the cold fresh air, letting them sun beat on my face, and tending animals.
It is not that I can not cook and clean it’s that I desire to be else where.
I’ve struggled with the fact that I am well me. I am a feral woman. As much as I wish I could be the sweet and clean home maker, I am
not.
I finally made peace with this when I saw a quote circulating around that said “the term domestic house wife implies there must be a feral one”

It’s me and other women I know. I am and we are feral women.

We may not have perfect houses but we still make them a home. We may not clean the dishes right after every meal but we can sure cook a good meal. The laundry is lagging but at the end of the day everyone has something clean to wear. We may not be domesticate but it does not make us less.
If anything our strength is found as we carry feed sacks across our shoulders,as we till up dirt to plant gardens, as we end a life to provide food for our families all while we still carry the softness of a woman.
Here is to the feral women. May we be them, may we know them, may we raise them.”

Author unknown, but clearly a bloody marvelous woman.

08/03/2022

We attended a lambing course last night with the fabulous Westpoint Farm Vets and left feeling excited and certainly less nervous about our impending lambing season! Big thanks to the team for a great evening 🐑

04/03/2022

Getting our game on ahead of lambing! RenaSan plays a huge part in our biosecurity here at Millfields and is our go to product for any cuts, scrapes or minor wounds. It’s simply the best!

20/02/2022

Our beautiful girls sheltering from Storm Franklin

20/02/2022

Naughty pair!

18/02/2022

This could be a fun morning….. ensuring all animals are safe, warm and fed during Storm Eunice!

13/02/2022

Absolutely delighted that our pedigree Greyface Dartmoor ewes all scanned in lamb today! Very proud and excited for April!!

05/02/2022

It gets that hot on our muck heap it’s actually cooked an egg!!

* we didn’t put the egg there for our breakfast, it must have fallen out of my pocket!!

05/02/2022

Three little piggies!!! Our girls will hopefully be scanned in lamb next week 🐑

04/02/2022

More of these beauties available - freshly laid by happy hens and just £1.50 per 1/2 dozen!

04/02/2022

Game, set and match!

03/02/2022

Yum yum yum

01/02/2022

This little panther follows me on evening rounds every night, making sure everyone is tucked in, fed and watered….