Lambing is well and truly underway. Although later than many farms in the area, a mid April lambing works with our farming system and aims to avoid the remaining harsh winter weather. However, this season has brought an unwelcome mix of snow, hail and high winds.
While the hardy breeds are mostly unaffected, the Blue Faced Leicester cross lambs certainly had a rude awakening. Looking more purple than blue I decided to bring them in and out of the freezing wet.
It was one of those challenges that farming throws at us. Four days on and the ewes and lambs are back out in the spring sun and Im able to get on with meeting my In Your Field column deadline.
The arrival of sunshine and the Easter holidays also signals one of the biggest challenges we face at Parc Farm, the unpredictability of people.
As the Great Ormes visitor numbers hit a peak, so does my message inbox with a mix of the genuinely helpful and well-meaning to the ignorant and frustrating.
Between sorting the ewe reported to be dragging barbed wire that turned out to be a bramble and explaining to a worried member of the public that there is in fact plenty of water available for the sheep to access, I received a call from a couple who had picked up a lamb.
Concerned that the nearby grazing mother wasnt taking any notice of its newborn they decided the best cause of action was to bring the lamb into the comfort of their car where they and their dog could keep it warm.
Lambing and subsequent sleep deprivation dont make for much polite chit chat in these situations.
Thankfully my annoyance was mostly aired in Welsh. Im fairly certain they didnt understand every word, but definitely got the jist.
This year, we are able to make the most of visitor numbers to The Great Orme. Following 18 lengthy months of discussions with our local planning department, our farm diversification, Caffi Cynefin, has been permitted to open for a full summer season rather than the restricted 28 days of last year.
While Easter may bring about its frustrations with day-to-day farming versus visitors, Caffi Cynefin gives us a platform to share our produce directly to market and talk to people about where and how their food is produced.
The need for better communication and an understanding about UK food production was highlighted when a visiting vegetarian enjoyed a lamb burger because they were able to follow the animals journey from the farm and its part in conserving the surrounding countryside, to the local abattoir, butcher, and back to the farm.
Caffi Cynefin also enables us to work closely with a range of local suppliers to offer a selection of premium quality foods right from our doorstep and, in turn, we are directly supporting other farmers in our area.
While Parc Farm often feels isolated from other farms physically, Caffi Cynefin is enjoying the community and support of local food producers and farmers in a new way, and is proud to be part of a close network of small businesses.
