10/04/2013

Hello, hello :) As promised, the “10 things you didn`t know about…” series continues.  And how it continues! Oh, my, sheep are in order :) I`ve always thought of sheep as funny, but not exactly in the good way, animals. Just see what their Wikipedia definition is: “Sheep (Ovis aries) are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals…”. Quadrupedal! I mean, what kind of a word is that… yet, its weird ring somehow fits with those curly, used-to-be-white…

08/04/2013

“I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals” Sir Winston Churchill source: Google images Howdy, fellas :) This week we decided to write a series of articles about farm animals we all think we know sooo well.  Actually, I believe, we somehow think there isn`t that much to know :) Not true, you`ll see (OK, read, to be accurate). The idea came to me when we went to visit one of the pioneer farms, a few days ago. As we were walking around the…

27/03/2013

Middle aged at best, but usually in his sixties, bearded, wearing old – not only in style but also in age – clothes, not that conversable, maybe even a bit grumpy… this is the image that comes to mind when you think of the typical farmer. Yes, yes, don`t deny it, it`s highly likely yourself is not that different from the majority in that case :) Image credits here Up until recently it was no wonder, though. Working the land, growing your own food and taking care of animals is tough work. And dirty.…

27/02/2013

We are a 90-acre family-run alpaca and mohair farm. We - shear, spin and card, knit and crochet and felt - our own animals for fiber. We milk our goats and hand-raise some kids so we can make cheeses. We also breed Muscovy ducks for eggs and meat. The ducks help the chickens keep the insect populations down to a maintainable level. We compost all our manure for use on pastures and for sale. We are working hard to improve our pastures, using Yeoman's' techniques, and sustainable practices at all…

15/02/2013

This is what sheep and goats eat during the winter, the so called “listnitsi”, made of trimmed and bundled oak branches. To prevent rotting and animals` attacks they must be stored somewhere high. While still on the pasture, the shepherd puts the oak branches on the meadow so the animals can eat off the green leaves. After that the branches are left to rot on the ground, thus fertilizing the soil. Making “listnitsi” on tree trunks is an ancient Bulgarian tradition, which is preserved to…

04/02/2013

At the most magical, east part of Rhodopa Mountain we found farm Ecoagrobio. Behind the complicated name is something very simple – one man’s dream. Living up in the mountain in a natural rhythm and surrounded by pristine beauty is what Georgi has wished for ever since he can remember. And here he is today, proud owner of a farm in the village of Chernichino. In 2007 Georgi decided to take care of an endangered species, Rhodopa short-horned ox, the oldest aboriginal breed in Europe. For a…

28/12/2012

The Wild Farm is located in the village of Gorno Pole in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria. This family-run farm is managed by Blagovesta (Betty) and Nikolay Vasilevs. The family raises some 500 heads of cattle from two local breeds –the Rhodope gray and the Rhodope shorthorn cattle (both protected breeds). They also have sheep, horses and bee hives. Betty and Nikolay apply only traditional farming practices in their farm, and they have devoted their lives to developing the Wild…