A Week on the Estate: Reds Relocate, Festival Friends & Tawny Trio

Our young cattle live outdoors full-time, all-year round, whatever the weather. They graze permanent pasture from March or April to late September then arable cover crops from October to December. When winter starts to bite, the cows return to Keal Yard ready for the calving season to begin again. The rest of the herd remain outdoors, grazing standing hay and making the most of natural shelter.

Up to last winter, we supplemented the young cattle’s winter diet with haylage in cold snaps. From December 2021, we grazed them on standing hay rather than feeding them cut hay. Not only did this allow us to avoid the environmental costs of cutting, wrapping, moving and storing summer hay, but it also had a positive, regenerative impact on our land.

This approach boosts biodiversity, attracting all manner of life ranging from bugs and butterflies to mice and owls. The soil also benefits from this approach, with diverse microfauna, improved water retention and deeper, well-nourished plant roots. If we look after the land, the land will look after us.

For everything you ever wanted to know about this charismatic heritage breed, you can read ‘Lincoln Reds – Past, Present & Future’ HERE. You can also find a guide to regenerative winter grazing in ‘Lincoln Red – a Breed for All Seasons’ HERE.

Speaking of biodiversity, there’s more good news from our owl boxes. Last week, another three healthy tawny owl chicks were ringed under BTO licence. It’s heartening to see regenerative agriculture paying dividends.

The Lincolnshire Wolds Outdoor Festival runs until 5^th June and has been a real boon for the Estate, showcasing our fine produce, history and wildlife-rich countryside. We’ve also thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of you and hearing your stories. Our tour guide, Pete, tells some fascinating tales but he hears lots of your stories in return. We’re building both a sustainable rural enterprise and a community, so we value the friends we make through the tours.

The remaining tours are filling up quickly, but some spaces are still available in both morning and afternoon slots towards the end of the festival and half-term week (30^th May to 5^th June in Lincolnshire). If you want to tire out your kids and bag them a free lunch into the bargain, it could be just the ticket. Click HERE to check availability and book.

You may find these FAQs helpful:

– Adults need to book individually even if they’re part of a group. Children don’t – just let us know how many you’d like to bring.

– We’re sorry but we can’t host your pooch on these tours as we’ll be passing livestock and visiting facilities where we produce food and drink.

– Dress for country walking in British weather.

We’ll see you out there.

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