Photo of the Week: North Country mules enjoy pre-lambing peace

This week’s photo was taken by arable farmer Harry Rymer in Oxfordshire.

The North Country Mules, part of a 866-strong flock, belong to the neighbouring farm and Harry has captured them looking serene and at peace in the sunshine before lambing breaks out.

Harry says 866 have been scanned and the first lambs are expected on 25 March.

The sheep are grazing off stuble turnips, forage rape, hybrid kale and clover, the first year this mix has been grown. It is new to the rotation, part of Harry’s cropping plans going ahead.

See also: Photo of the Week: Ted makes a stand at Beverley farmers protest

© Harry Rymer

Harry says: “We haven’t had any spring drilling in the rotation for a few years; however, with the new SFI scheme, [it] made sense to incorporate the winter cover with a spring barley to follow.

“We planted the cover with a Horsch Avatar directly into wheat stubble within days of the straw being cleared. Love it, and will definitely look to do more next year.

“I will be trialling broadcasting the cover crop with a drone directly into a standing wheat crop.”

Middle Farm is predominantly arable but also has a 2-acre high-tech greenhouse growing strawberries for 10 months of the year.

The farm has also diversified, converting old buildings into office space which has proven to be a success and there are six glamping units on the farm.  

With all that going on, we don’t know how Harry has time to take photos of this stunning quality.

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