The past week has been a little more cheerful with the sun managing to pop out between the clouds most days.

There has been a chill in the air accompanied by some fog and frost, so altogether a much more seasonal feel to the weather and most of the leaves have now fallen from the trees.

Work with Stowell Farm sheep has recently intensified with groups being sorted and moved to graze pasture on neighbouring farms, as well as sorting some for tupping (mating).

At the beginning of the week the two groups of sheep grazing on Manor Farm were moved onto fresh pasture, so the first job was to put some sheep fencing around the fields to be used.

A few days later Richard and I helped Kevin and Mark remove the teasers (vasectomised rams) which had been running with the two groups, to encourage the ewes to come into season properly.

The breeding season of sheep is controlled by melatonin, a hormone only produced during the hours of darkness. In man this hormone controls our sleeping rhythms.

As autumn approaches, days shorten and nights lengthen, allowing sheep to produce increasing amounts of this hormone. Therefore the ewes become sexually active from October to December.

Rams also become sexually active as daylight decreases, so at this time of year they can become quite aggressive.

After the teasers had been taken away the rams were put with the two groups. One ram was put with the group of 80 older ewes, while five rams were put with the other group of 170 ewe lambs.

Prior to turnout each ram had been fitted with a harness carrying a raddle. A raddle is a colouring agent, which is a powder mixed with a little vegetable oil located on the ram’s lower chest ,between its front legs, which is secured onto the harness.

The raddle will indicate when the ewes have been covered, leaving a coloured stain on the ewe’s back. The gestation of a ewe is 145 days, so if a ewe was covered on December 1 it will be expected to lamb on April 25.

Therefore the main Stowell flock will start to lamb from March 1, and these two smaller groups later in the spring.

Richard and I have been checking the ewes and ewe lambs here on Manor Farm every day, paying particular attention to the number of ewes showing colour from the raddles.

There is nothing better than a gentle walk through the ewes, especially when the sun is shining. The rams seem to be working well as the number of raddle marks are increasing every day.

Late one afternoon I was walking along a section of road to the dairy when a flock of large birds flew out between a gap in the hedge just in front of me. My attention was drawn to the lead bird, flying at about shoulder height. This bird appeared to be almost white, while the others were black.

As it flew closer I could see that it was a barn owl being pursued by a flock of crows. The owl passed between me and the hedge, so close that I thought it was going to land on my shoulder.

Its flight past my ear was silent and fortunately the crows flew higher, leaving it to go peacefully hunting for the field voles, wood mice and common shrews on which it lives.

During the week I started my Christmas season at Roves Farm, where I help with a range of festive activities as one of Santa’s elves!