But for those of us who farm on a modest scale the rare and minority breeds have a tremendous advantage over their commercial cousins in terms of their manageability and flavour. Not to mention their biddable natures and characterful personalities.So when I was lucky enough to move to our beautiful holding at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds. I got the opportunity to play my part in the conservation of my favorite livestock breeds.
Florence the Ryeland Lamb - Friendly sheep that produce a beautiful fleece and meat that's lean and full of flavour |

Lucy and her twins. Ryeland ewes make great mothers
Lucy and her twins. Ryeland ewes make great mothers
Charlie the Blue Croad Langshan bantam. Rare and beautiful. |
The beautiful, friendly and bright Croad Langshan bantam is a joy to own. Its large fowl version is an excellent egg and table bird which sustained so many back yard keepers through the second world war along with the Plymouth rock. Sadly the commercial egg laying ability of the hybrid battery hens introduced by the Americans after the war along with commercial broilers like the Hubbard resulted in the decline of the Croad.The bantam version is not a true bantam but rather a scaled down version of the original breed. Although this scaling down comes at the expense of its suitability as a table bird its egg production is excellent and the size and number of the eggs that the birds produce in relation to their size and what they consume makes them excellent value egg producers.All our hens lead a low stress free range life all year round and enjoy full access to the farm yard. Their varied, natural diet is supplemented with corn, natural pellets, fresh greens and shell grit. This results in a high number of beautiful quality eggs and strong healthy chicks.
Spotty the Kune Kune - Small friendly pigs producing gorgeous piglets and succulent slow grown pork |
We produce a small number of high quality registered stock for sale each year along with quality butchered meat and fertilized eggs to order. All our livestock are kept to the highest welfare standards in a low stress, natural environment and receive the best nutrition and health care. Please email any enquiries to sue.doherty@tiscali.co.uk.
Hello Sue
ReplyDeleteWelcome to a fellow E.Yorkshire blogger! We look up to you from Seaton Ross in the flat vale of York. I am a little worried about the high quality of your plant pictures, I don't want too much competition! Still, there is a very nice rare breed chicken on my own site.
I love the design of your site, and as to feed fish, they do say 'great minds think alike.'
Roger
Hi Roger, thanks for your message. A chicken on your blog is great but chickens in your garden
Deletewould be even better! I have a few for sale if you fancy some.The breed that I keep have feathered feet and dont trash the garden. A little living sculpture will bring your garden to life and keep the bugs at bay.
Thanks Sue,
ReplyDeleteI have fantastic birds that sometimes escape from Cathi's menagerie next door. At the moment I am preparing a blog on her Australian tree ducks!
I used to have a colleague who had an amazing plantsman's garden. Every day he released his chickens to eat the slugs and snails.
(and I am sorry but I prefer to buy my eggs, most of my neighbours are enlightened like yourself and have eggs to spare)
You will no doubt be telling us about barn eggs versus free range!
Ah no,
DeleteI think anyone who has ever tried "real" free range eggs from backyard keepers or smallholders know that the eggs speak for themselves.
I love having chickens free ranging about the place and appreciate their help in the garden. But I let my lambs free range too and I'm afraid that their idea of "helping" is to eat everything in sight!
As to lambs you probably know Rhona Ashworth from Wolds village Leavening who is a former colleague who keeps sheep. She has a wonderful herbaceous plant nursery and she seems to manage to keep the lambs away!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the number of hits you have had so quickly. Fully deserved, I see you are down today, you will find Saturdays are rubbish!
PS I have a chicken friend in my cemetery garden. Its on my latest post.
I dont know Rhona but feel I should. I am currently in the process of trying to create a garden on the smallholding and there is a lot of space to fill!
DeleteI am planning to grow as much as I can from seed but will need to buy some too, so Rhonas nursey would be a good place to visit.
Thanks for the feedback on the blog, I love reading your blog for advice and inspiration.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteSue - am intrigued by the idea of a chicken/ design swap - East Yorkshire - you near any great gardens? I will send you an email.
ReplyDeleteHi Catharine,
ReplyDeleteHa ha, there are oodles of fantastic gardens where I live. Roger could list lots I'm sure ( especially the ones that he is responcible for) but here are a few links to inspire you www.burnbyhallgardens.com or www.burtonagnes.com and so many unusual ones as part of the NGS try http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/search.aspx?search=type:advanced-and serch for east yorkshire gardens.
Hello, I am looking to buy some Croad Langshans Bantams- Black. I would like hens but I will also take chicks or eggs. I have 2 males and would like to expand my flock. Can you help me with this? Thanks Vicki
ReplyDeleteHi Vicki, y breeding clutches were slow to get going this year due to incubator / fertility problems but I can let you know when I have some sexed growers or pol available. It wont be until late summer though.
ReplyDeleteA hatchery owner can, however, direct you to a breeder within your area. If you're out to raise chickens on your own, this would be the best course of action for you.chicken breeders Cahokia
ReplyDeleteI’m going to read this. I’ll be sure to come back. thanks for sharing. and also This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. this is very nice one and gives indepth information. thanks for this nice article... spicewood tx custom pool builder
ReplyDelete