2008 in Review and Looking Forward to 2009

I think a lot of people are in some kind of holding pattern at the moment, waiting to see what the future is going to bring.

The economic collapse that seems to have smothered the whole country has had a fairly significant impact on our operation as well unfortunately. Firstly the fuel crisis raised the price of all our feed plus many of the day to day running expenses, then Jen's part-time IT role was cut back, and with me farming full-time and keeping this place running, it has meant being a lot more frugal with a much smaller income for the time being. Living on savings is never a good position to be in, and there is still a fair amount of work to be done before the milk house and cheesemaking facilities are ready and we can start making cheese.

We will start milking around mid March, and that should last a good six months, but at the moment we are wondering whether, in light of the economy, it would be a smarter thing to spend another year slowly getting things organized. We still have markets for our milk (including Rogue Creamery), but it would mean me getting a part-time job locally just to make ends meet and doing a lot more of the construction of the milk facilities myself - something I'm becoming more familiar and happy with as time goes on. I've already begun to look around and see what is out there as far as a job goes. It's almost certain it won't be in IT unfortunately, but a filler role in a clerical position for a year should get us through.

Things aren't all doom and gloom, far from it. There is still a growing market for artisan cheese and the economy will definitely pick up in the future. We're not the only ones doing it tough, although we are a lot more fortunate than many in that we can grow a lot of our own food, and we have a business that we are working towards, plus we have an income, even if its just enough to get by.

It's been a tough year in some ways, but a massive learning experience as well, which we knew we had ahead of us. Next year we will be able to do a lot of things much more easily and more efficiently as well. Running a sheep farm isn't something you 'fall' into, it takes years of learning, but the desire is as strong as it was the day we arrived, probably more so now as we know we can do it.

If our projections are correct then in March we will begin milking the first of our 26 ewes that will lamb. Conservatively we are hoping for a 100% lamb rate which will ensure at least 26 lambs. If half are ewes then we will add them to the flock, cull the rams and the older 8 Dorset/Suffolk crosses we kept from the original flock. By the end of June then we should have at least 50 ewes, almost 40 of them will be of breeding age by next September. That will also enable us to sell upwards of 20 rams to the markets - or keep some ourselves and sell them locally for better prices. We will also keep at least 1 of the Lacaune rams born and one of the East Friesian's as well so we can do a ram swap with either of the two people we bought our rams from this year - I'm also becoming more partial to the Lacaune's anyway. Despite being a little more flighty than the East Friesians they seem much more hardy and in the valley here where sheep are prone to hoof rot, that extra hardiness might be a good thing. We have enough hay feed to get us through the winter months as well so next year we will be able to hay ourselves and sell a good portion of it - again this years effort was a learning experience.

So, until next year, I'd like to pass on the Season's Greetings to everyone who stops by and hope that you tune in in 2009 for more ramblings from Catesby Farms.