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ANIMALS

As of May 2009 we have three horses, one cow, six goats, two dogs, six cats, 16 chickens [including two cockerels] and five ducks.

Probably less in total than most farms, but we look at our animals differently to most farms. While it could be said that we exploit the animals - their strength, their milk and eggs - we feel we do not push our charges to unnatural limits. All the stock is free-range and what we ask of them seems to us a fair exchange for their food, security and comfort.

Samson, Ruby and Solstice [part-Dales sire, dam and foal respectively] arrived in late 1999 pulling a Gypsy caravan and trolley turnout. Samson [16] is the main work horse used for carting, pulling out timber and chain-harrowing, but Solstice, now eight, is being trained up to follow in his footsteps. She is slightly stockier than her two parents, so there are hopes she may pull a light plough.

The cow is not milked at present, but complements the horses in the grazing regime. We milk four nanny goats morning and evening, which is enough for all the goat milk drinkers plus enough extra from Spring until Autumn to make cheese, some of which we store as feta for winter consumption. The chickens have a large enclosure where they are virtually free-range and they produce enough eggs in the longer days for all our needs.

The ducks are Khaki Campbells, highly trained slug-killers, which patrol the organic gardens keeping them relatively pest-free. The dogs and cats are family pets [the maximum agreed number], but their very presence around the yard tends to keep foxes and other predators away from the poultry. At the moment we don't raise any animals communally for meat, although we have recently agreed that we may have sheep on tack at times as part of our grazing regime. That said, the majority of communards will eat meat which is produced as a by-product of the milk and eggs, that is to say excess billy goats or cockerels. In general, communal meals are vegetarian.