Chrissy Wells of South Brockwells Farm has now added more rare and heritage breeds of sheep to the farm's flock this year and now boasts a small, pedigree flock of Badgerface, Grayfaced Dartmoor, Southdown, Ryeland, Kerry Hill, Hebridean, Herdwick and Swiss Valais.
Chrissy said: "These exotic-sounding pure breeds run alongside our commercial flock of Mules, Blue Texel, Texel and Beltex. Each breed has been selected for their particular attributes; the Beltex produce a brilliant meat lamb, the Mules are great mothers (but are also good at jumping out!) and cross well with other breeds.
"Ryelands are new to us and appear to be fairly lazy mothers at lambing, but their lambs are so gorgeous and docile for the Farm School students to handle we think it is worth it!"
She explained that different breeds are suited to different areas on the farm. The Hebridean and Herdwicks thrive on the relatively poor grass but dry conditions of the parklands, whereas the commercial breeds don't mind the lower, wetter grazing so long as the grass is good.
She went on: "Overall we are producing some fabulous lamb and offering our farm school students the opportunity to work with a wide variety of sheep with quite different conformation and temperament."