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Keeping livestock in winter: housing, shelter and feeding

Two sheep eating a feed block in a snowy field

Winter

Tim Tyne

With winter approaching, Tim Tyne offers advice to smallholders on shelter, feeding, bedding and grazing options for sheep and other livestock.

Agricultural tractor ploughing a field in a rolling English landscape

Farming

Campaign returns with a focus on food and farming

Emily Damment

Hay stacks and bales at farm haylof hangar storage

Farming

Stakes are high with underinsured haystacks, warns farming expert

Emily Damment

Wasp stings can potentially be fatal, and it is important for farmers to understand the risks associ

Trade body’s wasp warning for farmers

Emily Damment

2021 has caused problems for smallholders with the unseasonably damp weather causing an increase in

How to spot tomato blight and what to do about it

Emily Damment

Charles in September with carrots from the dig bed on left, no dig on right

The benefits of the “no dig” bed system for veg growers

Emily Damment

A hedge and brood-rearing strip at The Allerton Project

Proposed Hedgerow Carbon Code receives £81k funding

Emily Damment

The Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) is hosting their National Countryside Week at ambassador, Adam H

Would you like to have tea with Adam Henson?

Emily Damment

Sheep worrying incidents have increased since the panedemic as greater numbers of walkers take to th

NSA and RSPCA unite to raise public awareness of sheep worrying by dogs

Emily Damment

Family Notices

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Brits' obsession with large and extra large eggs is putting hen welfare at risk; food writers have b

Food writers targeted in a bid to alter Brits’ large egg obsession

Emily Damment

Phase Worldwide has launched its Start Strong UK Aid Match Appeal, which is raising money to support

Charity launches appeal to assist female smallholders in Nepal

Emily Damment

From 20-21 March, the Wellness in Wellies weekend will feature a range of fun and relaxing activitie

Wellness in Wellies weekend to raise money for farming charities

Emily Damment

All five lambs with student Alisha Utting

One-in-million quintuplet lambs born at Hartpury

Emily Damment

Blackthorn Prunus spinosa, blossom flowering on tree, RSPB Winterbourne Downs Nature Reserve, Wiltsh

The Spring we all need is almost here!

Emily Damment

Charle's winter veg store in February
Credit: Charles Dowding

What to grow in winter: sowing & harvesting winter veg

Emily Damment

This webinar gives a range of stakeholders the chance to discuss and assess current policies and bes

Save Britain’s bees! A webinar to address policies & best practice

Emily Damment

More than four in 10 farmers still don’t have adequate fast and reliable broadband in order to run a

Farmers say poor rural connectivity is leaving them behind

Emily Damment

Preventative treatment is only justified in individuals that have a significant risk of disease, suc

Poll shows fewer farmers routinely giving antibiotics to newborn lambs

Emily Damment

Sheep worrying incidents have increased since the panedemic as greater numbers of walkers take to th

Survey launches to assess shocking impact of sheep worrying by dogs

Emily Damment

McDonald’s UK and PCF are inviting dairy and livestock farmers in England to attend their latest web

McDonald’s UK and The Prince’s Countryside Fund invite farmers to get...

Emily Damment

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has welcomed the Review of the Welfare of Animals at the Ti

Government ‘must commit to improving welfare of animals at slaughter’...

Emily Damment

In governmental and farming parlance, identifying your livestock doesn’t mean being able to tell whi

Smallholding for Beginners part 4: identifying (tagging) your sheep and...

Emily Damment

Most Read

What should you be thinking about when erecting your chicken coop

Chicken coops - the dos and don’ts!

Emily Damment

the most important skill of all is learning from one’s successes and failures, and knowing that the

Smallholding for beginners part 3: Which skills do I need to be successful>

Emily Damment

Charles in September with carrots from the dig bed on left, no dig on right

The benefits of the “no dig” bed system for veg growers

Emily Damment

In governmental and farming parlance, identifying your livestock doesn’t mean being able to tell whi

Smallholding for Beginners part 4: identifying (tagging) your sheep and...

Emily Damment

Don't Miss

Chicken runs...
Creit: TomasSereda/Getty

How to: create the perfect chicken run

Emily Damment

Wasp stings can potentially be fatal, and it is important for farmers to understand the risks associ

Trade body’s wasp warning for farmers

Emily Damment

2021 has caused problems for smallholders with the unseasonably damp weather causing an increase in

How to spot tomato blight and what to do about it

Emily Damment

Brits' obsession with large and extra large eggs is putting hen welfare at risk; food writers have b

Food writers targeted in a bid to alter Brits’ large egg obsession

Emily Damment

News

Campaign returns with a focus on food and farming

Agricultural tractor ploughing a field in a rolling English landscape

Farming

Emily Damment

AHDB’s £3.5m We Eat Balanced consumer campaign has returned, with a focus on food and farming, starting with the benefits of beef, pork, lamb and milk.

Hay stacks and bales at farm haylof hangar storage

Farming

Stakes are high with underinsured haystacks, warns farming expert

Emily Damment

Wasp stings can potentially be fatal, and it is important for farmers to understand the risks associ

Trade body’s wasp warning for farmers

Emily Damment

2021 has caused problems for smallholders with the unseasonably damp weather causing an increase in

How to spot tomato blight and what to do about it

Emily Damment

Charles in September with carrots from the dig bed on left, no dig on right

The benefits of the “no dig” bed system for veg growers

Emily Damment

Poultry

How to: create the perfect chicken run

Chicken runs...
Creit: TomasSereda/Getty

Emily Damment

Andy Cawthray advises on the best way to create a great chicken run, including advice on space, fencing, and semi-permanent set ups

What should you be thinking about when erecting your chicken coop

Chicken coops - the dos and don’ts!

Emily Damment

Eglu Cube MK2 Coop with the Hentronix iPhone control

Promotion

The benefits of using an automated door opener for your chicken coop

Elizabeth Hartland

Cockerels have a limited market value unless you have a particularly outstanding bloodline in a bree

How to avoid buying a clutch of cockerels or breeding more males than...

Country Smallholding

Happy customers (photo: Julian Hammer)

Julian Hammer: Honesty box for my surplus chicken eggs

Julian Hammer

Animals

Keeping livestock in winter: housing, shelter and feeding

Two sheep eating a feed block in a snowy field

Winter

Tim Tyne

With winter approaching, Tim Tyne offers advice to smallholders on shelter, feeding, bedding and grazing options for sheep and other livestock.

Selecting ewe lambs to keep is one of the most pleasurable tasks a smallholder can undertake (photo:

Sheep husbandry: Get the best from your flock

Country Smallholding

ChickenGuard

WIN a ChickenGuard Locking Combi Premium

Tess with one of the 70 pigs Alderney Free Range Pigs keeps at any one time

How Alderney Free Range Pigs have gone from strength to strength

Liz Shankland

Sarcoptic mange usually starts behind the ears, but then spreads across the body (photo: Ryhor Bruye

Dry, flaky skin in pigs: It could be sarcoptic mange

Liz Bennett

Grow & Maintain

Smallholding for beginners - part 1

Smallholding doesn't have to be a full time job... many people have jobs alongside
Pic credit: Edua

Emily Damment

Debbie Kingsley starts off this series on smallholding for complete beginners with a question: how much time does having your own smallholding require?

Trees help to provide essential shade in summer and valuable shelter from the wind, plus they slow w

The Climate Change Garden book on the importance of trees

Kim Stoddart

Seed saving can help to create plants that are perfectly adapted to the growing conditions where you

Tips for seed-saving on your smallholding

Kim Stoddart

Charles planting out winter salads and herbs in September (photo: Charles Dowding)

Organic growing on smallholdings: Eleventh hour sowings

Debbie Kingsley

Kim with apple blossom

Protecting fruit trees from climate change

Kim Stoddart