OrkneyBoreray

A blurry view through wet window & horizontal rain!
Getting a bit breezy in Orkney. I opened up 1 side of the electric fence so the sheep could fully access the part of the field most sheltered from the current SE wind, but over weekend will be able to access the best shelter from forecast W wind.

On a damp & breezy morning I see the sun, in its annual movement from north to south across the horizon, is now rising directly in the east. By mid winter it will be hidden from sight behind the hill to the south of the farm, never rising high enough to peek above the hill.

Another glorious day in Orkney with the sheep enjoying some visitors to the farm who came to meet the sheep and learn about their lives and history.

Waiting for the ferry to Scrabster taking sheep to abattoir. Hopefully last time we do this. Working hard on getting on-farm slaughter with Tiny Trailer Abattoir in 2026 for Orkney Boreray, North Ronaldsay & other sheep farms

Orkney Boreray mutton sheep enjoying the sun
Look out for news about the Orkney Boreray mutton from Taste Tradition & the butchers and restaurants they'll be supplying.
The sheep look in fantastic condition having enjoyed a wonderful life for over 2 years or more at Airy Farm in Stronsay

Border Union Show, Orkney Boreray & Real Bread - Scottish Food Guide I’d heard so much about the Border Union Show however I confess to never having been, so when I was invited to run the Cookery Theatre, set up competitions and generally support the Food Hall, it was ...

Latest #ScottishFoodGuide news scottishfoodguide.com/news/border-... #demijohn #scottishshellfish #buccleucharms #allantoninn #errington #wildhearth #mhor #hardiesmill_ethical_scotchbeef #cairnomohr #allanschilli @orkneyboreray.bsky.social #scotlandthebread #ScottishCheeseTrail #slowfood

While we're very busy at Burnside getting mutton sheep over from members of the Orkney Boreray Co-op Ltd on other isles in Orkney, and preparing for the big trip down to Dingwall early next week, we make time to give the ewes and lambs a welcome treat of Balfour willow to eat.

Boreray sheep on moor

Boreray sheep on Stronsay with rainbow

Orkney Boreray mutton from Macbeths butchers

Orkney Boreray sheep in field at Burnside

Orkney Boreray mutton is coming soon!
www.macbeths.com will have it available to buy in early Sept. You can pre-order from them
Limited quantities of this fabulous rare mutton, one of only 5 Slow Food Presidium products in whole of UK
@slowfooduk.bsky.social ‪‪@wendybarriescot.bsky.social‬

Orkney farmer plans trailer abattoir to end lengthy trips An Orkney farmer is funding her own abattoir so her sheep no longer have to leave her farm for slaughter.

Reason why I've not been posting much recently now revealed
Orkney Boreray Co-operative Ltd are working on bringing on-farm slaughter to Burnside, plus North Ronaldsay for 2026
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Thx to BBC Radio Orkney for great coverage & Rob Flett for fantastic photos/video

Some of the ewes and lambs at Burnside enjoying Orkney's sunshine.

Simmer dim
When the sun hangs suspended behind hills to the north illuminating the northern lands in a seemingly eternal twilight
But those of us in the north reaches of Britain know the #SummerSolstice merely starts the relentless cycle of drifting down to overwhelming darkness

Northwards From large freight logistic solutions to small packages by courier, send it with Northwards REQUEST A QUOTE From the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, across the Highlands and North East of Scotl...

@northwards.bsky.socialMany thanks to northwardsltd.com for getting my @edinvalefarm.bsky.social Macbeths Butchers beef order to me in perfect chilled condition - superb @PastureForLife roast beef for Sunday lunch :-)

I can only produce edible pears on the pear trees in our polycrub. So pear trees that produce fruit outside in Scotland are very precious indeed. There could even be some ancient varieties not known about, so let's hope there is a viable programme of grafting scions from these ancient pear trees

Glad to see our study making it on the cover of @jappliedecology.bsky.social. More results from this projects are on their way on the response of pollinator resources, pollinators and birds! #naturalgrazing #rewilding

1st lamb for a lovely ewe I bred who managed to nearly tear off one horn just before joining Balaclava flock Vet gave her plenty of local anaesthetic, safely removed horn & she travelled well to Westray and made an excellent recovery under Kim's experienced care
Lamb has unusual tan colouring

For those in Orkney

News from Wester House
Lambing season has finally started!
S.Kayleigh, 1st to lamb this year. The first out wasn't a straightforward birth & needed assistance, & both were yellow, indicating the birth was stressful, and it was long.
Fortunately, both lambs seem to be doing fine

Tiny Neptune is now 3 days old. She's doing really well & Lisa is attentive & patient. They've now moved from a small area with shelter & lush grazing to the lambing fields
Showing her size, Lisa & Neptune with Louise & Noah, 6 days older than Neptune. Both have father S.Atlas

No name yet - we don't know the sex! Hopefully we'll spot the lamb peeing or spot larger horn buds. Otherwise it will have to wait until the lamb gets picked up for the first time to have an identifying colour spot sprayed on the hip - the ears are too small at the moment for ear tags.

Just like that, lambing is over at Burnside. Lucy had her first lamb about 7.30 this evening, hiding behind the old hen house windbreak. All seems well.
I'm behind on posting photos.....which I will catch up on..... but all fine and tiny little Neptune is doing really well

Also seen at the 5am check this morning was Hannah with 1 of her twins. The 2nd followed very quickly - too quick to video! Here they both are a few minutes after that. Father of this pair is Atlas

Experienced ewe Friddy, age 8, had her twins not long before my 5am check this morning. All looking good. She's passed her placenta and eaten it. The darker lamb is interesting since Friddy's fleece is such a light colour and has not darkened with age. The father is George who is a darker ram.

Calling Curlews at sunrise in Orkney

‘We don’t call them woolly maggots’: how wildlife campaigners put sheep at heart of rewilding plans The Wildlife Trusts are in shock after acquiring 4,000 sheep in Rothbury estate deal as part of land restoration project

Good to see recognition in The Guardian that the right density of sheep in the right places & managed in the right way is a key factor in increasing biodiversity
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Marianna's little flock lives as part of the Burnside flock. Her ewe Kornelie had a lovely healthy lamb about an hour ago. Here the lamb, possibly a female from what I can see, is mastering the art of feeding

Photos of Leah and her lamb
She moved protectively towards the lamb when I got close enough to remove the uneaten parts of the placenta

In the soft, misty, pre-sunrise light a young ewe found snuggled in the rushes with her first lamb.
This is Leah, one of Cara's line. George is the lambs father.

Louise has recovered really well from lambing the 'chunk', and he's already at the bouncing stage. Both are now in the ewe & lamb field. Lamb (he'll be named when daughter comes up to help with lambing in a few days) is feeding well and his poo is already showing colostrum yellow.

Update from Lochend in Shapinsay
"Well Lochend Fiona would like to introduce you to her beautiful boy girl twins, she was scanned as a single!! and despite being a first timer she seems to be on the ball and doing just fine... so just like that lambing 2025 is all wrapped up."

One of each twins for 8 year old Frisky in Westray