The 'blog' has been abandandoned a bit!.  Over 2015 and 2016 we have concentrated on increasing the herd numbers and feel very satisfied with the offspring produced.  We have added more cattle housing at the farm to enable us to house the majority of stock over the winter, thus giving the fields a much needed rest and respite for the cattle from the colder wet months.  We have started to introduce Poll Dorset ewes onto the farm to enable us to lamb in the Autumn  allowing us to catch the buoyant spring lamb market trade.  in November 2015, the farm once again won the Mid West Longhorn Breeders 'Large' Herd competition.  This is a competition that is held annually with a stock judge visiting the farm, seeing all the animals in situ, and judging the animals against the other herds within our area which runs from mainly Herefordshird down through Devon, Cornwal, Somerset and Dorset. 

2016 - Feeling very pleased.  We have been awarded a certificate of conformity for the Red Tractor Farm Assurance Beef and Lamb standards Scheme.   This is a scheme assuring food safety, animal welfare, hygiene and environmental protection through every part of the food chain.

2017 - A succesful calving year with calves making a good price in the winter suckled calf sales.  We have introduced another couple of new bulls to the farm, a South Devon 'Tudor' and a very handsome Charolais called 'Roger'.   Hopefully some strapping calves will be produced for the future markets.  The new farmhouse is nearly completed and Feniton Emily won the Senior Cow class again at the Mid West Longhorn Herds Competition.  This accolade we have won for the past three years. 

2018 - This year, Feniton Christine took the Senior Cow prize at the Mid West Longhorn Breeders awards.  It has been a busy year converting old cattle sheds into a new Barn Conversion used for holiday letting - accessed via  Cottages.com.  Court Barn, a three bedroomed single storey conversion has started successfully with plenty of bookings and visitors being deligted with the living space.  Suckled calves sold well in the Autumn sales, selling at Kivells Exeter Livestock market.  Two new bulls were introduced to the farm, a Pedigree Charolais named Roger and a South Devon named Tudor.  Unfortuantely, this year saw the loss of my old mare Maisie, a wonderful horse who bred me a lovely foal in 2013.

2019 - Some fabulous calves born from February to June, some great South Devon X Longhorns who are well put together with wonderfully quiet temperaments.  Definitely we will keep some of the heifers for future breeding stock.  

2020 - 2022 We have ploughed on with producing some great calves for the suckle sales, a sale where calves are purchased at weaning and taken on by other producers to rear on.  The Pandemic and a heatwave happened but life carried on as normal here at Feniton, the same as it did for all farmers.    We did a little experiment in 2022 with some of the Longhorn cows, putting them to some quality Pedigree Longhorn bulls through Artificial Insemination.  It is never as successful as allowing the cows to run naturally with a Bull but it was an opportunity to use a diverse range of semen on some of our older girls during their final productive years.  Unfortunately, only 4 were successful but hopefully some nice breeding and showing stock for the future. 

2023 - Another year, another project.  The purchase of young calves born in the Autumn to rear here on the farm   Lots of different breeds, all being hand reared on either the bucket or teat with the view to selling as store cattle or finishing them for beef in the market.  Breeds such as Ayrshire, Aberdeen Angus, South Devon, British Blue and Friesian - a lovely mix of characterful calves who are all super friendly having been hand reared and sometimes very entertaining.    Ewes lambed in two batches through October, November and December, a good crop of Dorset lambs which will be ready for the April market.  

2024 - It's wet wet wet!!!.  The ground here at Feniton is heavy clay and not ideal for keeping cattle out over the winter.  The majority of stock has had to be kept in due to the soggy ground and with calves arriving from March, the rain is a major challenge as cows once calved need turning out onto fresh grass once the calf is established.  Turning new babies out in the rain, especially if cold is a definite 'no no' so we are all praying for some lovely dry breezy warm weather to dry the ground up and make the grass grow!