Yellingham Farm – Nell
When you see two people with their arms folded, looking over a farm gate, seemingly peering into the distance wasting time, don’t be fooled, as it’s work. I spent many a time doing just that with probably the best shepherd I had the privilege of knowing and working with. It was a special time to […]
TOUR OF BRITISH WOOL DEPOT AND SCOURING PLANT Barley Gould Early in January I boldly left my sub-tropical Isle to venture to the frozen north. Anywhere north of Watford is the north to a proper Ol’e of Wighter. I was on my way to Bradford for a tour of British Wool’s grading depot and Haworth […]
THE JACOB EWE – A SHEEP FOR ALL REASONS Kay Carpenter Wandering through a traditional British pasture or nestled among a modern-day smallholding, one breed of sheep is sure to turn heads with its dramatic appearance and historic charm – the Jacob ewe. With her striking piebald fleece, multiple horns, and ancient lineage, the Jacob […]
Two Jacobs, Half an Acre
A beginner’s guide to keeping sheep in a small space You’ve probably thought it. Maybe at a county show, watching a pair of Jacob sheep blink their golden eyes at you through the fence. Maybe on a walk past a smallholding where a little flock was doing absolutely nothing in particular, and doing it beautifully. […]
Bluetongue Update Feb 2026
Although you may be hearing less about Bluetongue (BTV), the virus certainly hasn’t gone away. As of 2/2/2026, there have been 289 cases in the UK and Ireland since July 2025, with all cases in all regions bar Scotland. There has been a total of 262 cases of BTV – 3 in England, 21 in […]
The Winter Watch – January Lambing
January lambing begins long before the first ewe settles into the straw. It starts in the quiet hours of the night when my mind begins to map the weeks ahead. I run through the checklist: the frost, the frozen pipes, the ground hard enough to bruise. Experience doesn’t just teach you what to worry about—it […]
Your 24-Hour Orphan Lamb Checklist
. The first day determines the lamb’s survival. Use this checklist to stay on track during the critical 24-hour window. Hour 0 to 2: Immediate Life Support • Clear the airways: Remove mucus from the nose and mouth immediately. • Dry the lamb: Use clean towels or a hair drier on a low setting. A wet lamb loses […]
How to Successfully Rear Orphan Lambs
Rearing orphan lambs requires patience and a strict routine. You might find yourself with a “cade” lamb because of triplets, a rejected offspring, or a sick ewe. Success depends on acting fast during the first hours of the lamb’s life. Provide Essential Colostrum Colostrum is the first milk a ewe produces. It contains antibodies that […]
Not Your Grandad’s Sheep..!
A Modern Perspective on Jacobs: The Ultimate ‘Lifestyle’ Sheep for Young Land Managers If you’re picturing sheep-farming as a slow-paced, traditional pastime reserved for old-timers, think again. The world of small-scale agriculture is evolving rapidly, and so too are the sheep breeds best suited to modern lifestyles. Enter the Jacob sheep: a dynamic, heritage breed […]
OBSERVATIONS OF JACOB SHEEP – EAR SET & TEMPERAMENT
By LESLEY PARTRIDGE When we investigate the basis of tameness, ears can be good indicators of emotions. It can be seen that an animal’s ear set shows it’s flight or fight instinct. Wild animals which have dominant pricked ears, signify heightened awareness, and their straight pointed ears give full access to the ear […]
The Jacob Sheep: Celebrating the UK and USA Breeds
They look like something painted in a dream, multi-horned, piebald, half-wild and yet the Jacob sheep has been calmly grazing in British fields for centuries and standing sentinel in American pastures since the early 20th century. It is a breed that holds together opposites: primitive and modern, ornamental and practical, sacred and commercial. In both […]
Lambing Off-Script: Out-of-Season Breeding with CIDRs and Sponges
by Terry Barker Jacob sheep are a breed close to my heart, and like many traditional breeds, they march to the beat of a seasonal drum. Ewes naturally cycle as the days shorten, which means most of us see lambs in the spring. It’s a rhythm that works, but sometimes, you need a different tune. […]
The Rorschach Fleece: Interpreting the Jacob Sheep
By Terry Barker A freshly shorn Jacob fleece is a Rorschach test. You see a badger. I see a map of Wales. Someone else sees the face of their ex. Our brains are hardwired to find patterns, and Jacob sheep are covered in them. No two markings are the same, yet some families pass down […]
You cannot shepherd without a good dog…………
By Janet East This comment was made by the best shepherd that I have had the privilege to meet, although our first meeting was one which I still look back on with horror. The worst ever farming nightmare I’ve ever had, was when I woke up to a scene which words cannot really describe. On […]
Wool Beyond the Grave: Jacob Sheep, Burial Textiles, and the Ghosts in Your Jumper
Introduction: In 2022, archaeologists near Carlisle uncovered something quietly remarkable—a body curled within a peat bog, time-paused and waxen, as if the earth had been holding its breath. The man wore a rough tunic, undyed and simple, woven from a mottled, two-tone wool: dark against light. The pattern rang familiar. Jacob wool. But he had […]
The Ruminant Republic: What Jacob Sheep Teach Us About Democracy
Introduction You’re in a field. A bucket swings from your hand. Twenty-five Jacob sheep stare at you. You’ve brought the blue bucket. But they were expecting the green one. A single ewe steps forward. She sniffs. She walks away. The rest follow. That was a vote. Flock Logic Is Not What You Think Jacob sheep […]