Wark Farm

One of our coos happily munching on grass that's near perfect!

Stories from the farm November 24

Post by SaM::

Fine dining requirements from our coos have changed the way I see the world.Grass needs to be not too short. That’s quite obvious, as one of course needs a good mouthful. Grass needs to be not too long. Our coos definitely do not appreciate grass that has grown so long that it  lays down flat. Too much work to get hold of it. And grass needs to be the perfect shade of green. Bright green, or sometimes dark green. But not yellowish, please, as that means too much of the nutrition is lost already. Our coos are smart fellas!

And it’s not just fresh grass that’s subject to high standards. No, sir/madam. It extends just as much to their winter silage. Lots of wildflowers and a variety of herbs and grasses in the silage please. I vividly recall a winter a few years ago when we, exceptionally, were short on our own silage and had to buy in silage. I never saw our cows eat that little. And I could have sworn there was a slight look of disdain on their face when I’d walk into the shed and they’d glance at me, the message clear. On the day we switched back to our own silage, the cows came hurrying and shoving and pushing to get their share. It was a great sight, seeing them back to happy munching. There at that moment, I sat myself down too to watch them and to inhale the sweet smell of our own silage, inhaling the richness of our lands.

But just like us, humans, our cows don’t always get what they want. Grass too short to their liking? Well, sometimes, they’ll just need to work a bit harder at it. Grass too long to their liking? Well, sometimes that’s too bad, because we need them to clear out certain patches, so that the more fragile wildflowers will be able to come through easier next spring. And grass not green enough? Well, they’ll sometimes just have to put up with it for a short while, before getting the better stuff again. But mind you, never for long, as we want to prevent them from losing any condition. After all, we’re going into winter and we need our hardy animals to stay strong. They’re a fine herd and we intend to keep them looking like that.

So how has that changed the way I literally see the world differently now? Well, seven years ago, all grass was just grass for me. Now, in the lovely autumn light, on my morning walk, I see patches of short, patches of long and patches of just perfect grass under my wellies. The world has gained complexity and richness. And I walk on, satisfied that despite her demanding, all encompassing character, the farm with its land and its animals, is a thing of beauty.

UPDATED ORDER FORM ONLINE NOW

POSSIBILITY OF FRESH SADDLEBACK PORK MEAT CUTS: Please read order form carefully for more details on this (as we'll be butchering pigs on Friday 8 November already, we need any requests for special pork cuts in before then, otherwise the meat will disappear into sausages and pies)!!!!

We're now also taking our FESTIVE SEASON PRE-ORDERS. You will find them at the bottom of the form. WE'VE ALREADY HAD A FAIR NUMBER OF PRE-ORDERS SO order in time to get what you would like.

Our regular customers already know that it's first come, first serve for our delicious meat cuts that are not only full of flavour due to the breeds we use and their grass/herb diets, but also free of nasties such as pesticides and antibiotics. You can find all the info on the order form, including more info about the specials of the month.

Link to order:

November 2024 Order Form