Mathew Cole prepares for winter

Winter creeps closer and the routine of feeding will soon be with us. It has been lovely not to be tied over the summer and I have been able to spend quality time with Tom and Gemma on weekends and more recently the Rugby World Cup.

Well done to the Kiwis, and even though England were rubbish I would still have loved to have been there.

Following good sales of mule ewe lambs we have now had to top up our breeding ewes. We have bought more Swaledale ewes as the sale of ewe lambs saw Scotch mules averaging £10 a head less than Swales with very little difference in the lambs. It does seem as though the money has come in one door and out the other with prices being so strong, but I suppose you have to speculate to accumulate. We will be putting a few more ewes pure this year and Neil has sourced some good quality Swale stock rams for the job.

My Whiteface Dartmoor Rams are now on; I always enjoy the inevitability of putting rams on and I suppose look forward to spring. With a long Dartmoor winter ahead we have a few bridges to cross before then however. The flock competition judges visited last week and as always the competitive side wants to do well. The ewes are looking good, so you never know. Watch this space and I will let you know how I get on, by the time you read this I will know whether I have won or not.

Farmer Focus: Matthew Cole