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February 2018

And We’re Off…

Although it’s been absolutely freezing the past few day, the sky is blue and I’ve felt sun on my face so I’m feeling optimistic that Spring is on its way. Our first lamb arrived today; a strong, healthy girl so it’s a great start!

Exhibition at Abbot Hall

An exhibition by artist Patricia MacKinnon-Day called Tracing the Landscape: Cumbrian Farm Women opens at Abbot Hall in Kendal on 2nd March and runs until 9th June. I am one of the farming women featured in the exhibition! You can find out more here.

It’s been a busy moth but progress on our barn redevelopment has been slow. The house is being more and more consumed by soap and wool so I really can’t wait to have a separate building for business. At the moment, next to my bed is a whiteboard with our marketing strategy scribbled all over it and at the end of the bed is a big box full of sheepskins we just got back from the tannery. We need our home back!

Business Growth

I’ve been going to some great workshops run by the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce. Not knowing anything about business when I joined John on the farm and decided to diversify, these funded courses and one-to-one support have been invaluable. It’s vital we have a sustainable business that can survive without farm subsidies, should be loose them when we leave the EU. We’re working hard on building up the diversified side of the business and so far so good. We have four stockists for our soap and this year we will have a stand at Woolfest for our wool brand Shear Delight.

 

The Soap Dairy

I have been developing new seasonal soaps. Spring ones have been made and will be on sale very soon. I love them, especially the daisies and pine soap. This has been named From the Top of Bell Wood. Bell Wood is our favourite field on the farm. To get to it, you have a steep walk up Bell Wood. It’s worth the effort as the views from the field are glorious.

 

 

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