White In The Dales

The last days of January bring delight of another kind of white. The sightings of snow drops dotted all around the Dales hint at the much-needed signs of new life in the midst of winter. These little hardy plants are amazing things as they hold so much promise of the brighter days to come. But their growth isn’t viable without first going thru the sometimes bitterly cold days, in fact their longevity is dependent on having time out in the cold. Snow and snowdrops are not the only pretty white delights we see around here, as February rolls around, little fluffy lambs will soon be born, and they too herald the brighter days ahead for the Dales.

Lambing season is a tough time for our gritty farmers. Like the snowdrops, these farmers are hardy and steadfast through the winter. The lambing season in the Dales starts as early as February to as late as early May and this is one of the most exhausting periods. The days are still frosty, with farmers being round the clock midwives for their ewes, ensuring each ewe gets the help she needs, and each lamb is born safely. This is an important time of the year for sheep farmers, ensuring their livestock is healthy to have the best chance of a profitable year ahead. Depending on the size of each farm is, there is so much to do. In most farming families, children willingly work alongside their parents and help with lambing. There is no reprieve until the last lamb is born. Children learn so many invaluable lessons just by watching and copying their parents how to lamb and tend their livestock through this period. I can just imagine the wisdom, skills and knowledge these children absorb by these experiences.

My favourite time of the year is about to arrive with the evidence of snowdrops and lambs, both the land and the farmers are working hard to bring forth life and beauty of the rural Dales. It is such a joy to see the newborn lambs in the fields, they look so white compared to the ewes, like they have just come out of the washing machine. It is a rather stunning and poignant sight to behold with the ancient stonewalls as a backdrop for these brand-new arrivals.

In a couple of weeks schools break for the February holidays, and despite the still harsh weather visitors will stream in, and we start to see more activity throughout the Dales again, because beauty never grows old.