Spring at White Rose Farm

We have had a cold snap over the last few days. A cold southerly came through and dumped a load of snow on the Oxford mountains. We escaped the worst of it although we were concerned for our lambs which were born a few weeks ago. Our four ewes (we had 5 but the dog got one of them .... a 22 rifle then shot the dog!) have had 5 lambs - 4 boys and a girl. We have named the boys Fisher & Paykel, Kelvinator and Electrolux.

Larry the Lamb

You are probably thinking. 'Larry ... that's a good name for a lamb!', but this 9 month old Corriedale ram is called Burt. Larry the Lamb is the name given to a scouting activity that Bishopdale & Harewood scout troop run for the senior scouts every three years or so.

Before the event can really get under way the boys have to dig a reasonably large hole and apply some of the knots and lashings they have learnt to create a tripod.

Burt is humanely dispatched and dragged by the scouts towards the freshly dug offal pit and the tripod.

The lamb is then suspended from the tripod to allow it to be skinned.


The scouts take particular interest in the internal organs of the lamb.

Once the gutting is complete, the lamb carcass is covered with a tarpaulin while the oven is prepared.