Livestock

The small holding was started in 1985 as, at the time, a logical progression from my professional study of animal bones from archaeological sites. I hoped the live animals would facilitate my understanding of livestock farming in the past. The farm animals now help the public to understand how dependent our ancestors were on the products of their livestock: traction, dairy products, leather, horn, bone, wool, fertiliser, hair, meat.

Many of the animals are extremely friendly, halter trained and happy to be hand fed by the public. However farm animals are not pets and surplus males are eaten.

Louisa

SHOW RESULTS 2022

Northumberland County Show

The Manx Loaghtans did well in the Rare Breed Sheep classes, against Wensleydale, White Faced Woodland and GreyFaced Dartmoor sheep.
Pictured is the Manx Loaghtan shearling, who was 2nd to a super Wensleydale in the Ram Any Age class.

Cumberland Show
Ist Cow class Katy, 2nd Senior heifer class Aurelia, 3rd Bull class Foxglove

Ryedale Show

 

Wensleydale Show

 

Meat

There is a growing interest in the health benefits of grass-fed, rather than cereal-fed, beef. Further details can be found on www.dexterbeefonline.co.uk.

Dexter Cattle

The Zanfara herd was started in 1986 and now averages 10 head. All homebred animals are horned, this is necessary for the historical use of the animals. The Dexter breed is the closest modern equivalent in size to archaeological specimens from the late Iron Age to early Post-Medieval periods. A pair of oxen were kept, who had been broken to the yoke, sadly we no longer have these.

Both the short legged and non short legged types are kept and all three colour variants: black, red and dark dun.

2022 Bull Hire Rates

£35 per female
All bulls fully registered with Dexter Cattle Society. Full pedigree details on request 

Delivery and collection at cost, to be paid for at the time.

 

Manx Loaghtan Sheep

8th August (Sun) Tow Law, Co. Durham
Manx Loaghtan breeders’ group workshop looking at my flock, the breeding of 4 horn sheep and the skeletal anatomy of 4 horn skulls.
If there’s enough interest from other sheep breeders, smallholders and zooarchaeologists, another workshop could be held on 7th August (Sat)

This breed is part of the Northern Short Tailed group, which was the standard type of sheep kept in northern England into the early Post Medieval period, and in Scotland until the eighteenth century. This variant survived on the Isle of Man. The term Loaghtan describes the bracken brown colour of the wool. The Zanfara flock was established in 1985 and now averages 40 ewes. The breeding emphasis is on the four horned character and the associated polled variant. Occasional skulls of multi horned sheep are found on archaeological sites from the Roman period onwards. It is unlikely that any historical flock was predominantly four horned. For public display the four horned sheep, particularly the rams, are eye catching.

Wool from the flock has been made into our period costumes and is used for demonstrations of textile crafts, especially drop spindle spinning. Fleece is available annually. Stock are normally available for sale and rams may be hired.

Fleeces For Sale 2022

This is loose fleece in a variety of shades of brown. Roughly £5/kg plus P&P (will need to keep total weight of parcels down for cheaper postage). Please use contact form for enquiries for larger or smaller amounts.
Hand clipped fleeces from older sheep, suitable for hand spinning, will be available from June.
Lots of older, poorer quality, fleeces suitable for garden mulching and lining hanging baskets

Zanfara Manx Loaghtan and Hebridean wethers joined the Flexigraze conservation scheme in 2009, grazing on Lindisfarne. Meat from a few of these special, slow-grown, wethers is now available from Flexigraze.

Download the Flexigraze flyer (.pdf format)

Sheep For Sale

 

Hebridean Sheep

This breed is another of the Northern Short Tailed group, but with a black or charcoal grey fleece. The Zanfara flock was started to retain the four horn and polled characters in the breed. Normally only six ewes are kept, with a further six in the associated Aardskaap flock.

The Mules

Frances the mule has been part of Rent a Peasant for 20 years in 2020. She was about 20 years old from her teeth in 2000, so she is now a very old lady. We have an annual outing to Follow the Donkey in Frosterley in December. We are also regular visitors at Christmas and Palm Sunday to Brandon Methodist church. Frances met the current Bishop of Durham there in his inauguration year. We visited Tanfield Heritage railway, where Frances was fascinated to watch the steam engines coming out of their shed in the morning. We also attended Lambhill donkey show, when mules were invited, where Frances won the novice class (we had not shown together previously) and the working class.

 

 

Poultry

 As a result of the continuing licencing for the short term movement of cattle and sheep, Rent a Peasant can offer the Mule together with Poultry as an optional live animal attraction. From March to October, chicks are hatched in the incubator on a monthly basis, so we usually have some small chicks with cute factor in a basket and growing chicks keen to explore the world of free range. Our own free range eggs and a bird to pluck complete the cycle of the poultry yard. Baby chicks are suitable for indoor venues not feasible for larger stock.