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Tag: raising sheep

  • Rosati Cesare farm

     Sheep are returning frm a pasture to be milked

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    The day after we visited the dairy cooperative Caseificio Sociale Manciano, it was only natural to visit one of the sheep farmers who deliver milk to the dairy. Actually, the sheep’s milk from this farm is used to produce a sheep’s cheese with the additional label «Amici di cuore», meaning «heart’s friends».

    In fact, the sheep are fed a mixture of soya bean pellets, mixed with seeds of flax and olive oil all of which has been determined by researchers at the University of Pisa.

    Upon our arrival, we could see a flock of about 300 sheep grazing inside a pen, while there was a group of lambs just weaned and a group of sheep which was about to bear lambs inside a barn. Shortly after we had arrived, the son of Cesare opened a gate in the pen such that the sheep could go back to the barn and wait to be milked. However, he also had to prepare feed for them. He mixed soybean pellets, seeds of flax and olive oil in a concrete mixer, letting it mix the ingredients continuously for some time. When the mixture was ready, he emptied the contents of the concrete mixer in a wheelbarrow and brought it to the barn.

    Next, his father Cesare poured parts of the feed in a trough, while the sheep were ready to enter, pushing a door leading to the trough and bleating at the same time. When everything was ready, he opened the door, letting in 8 sheep at a time, each of which found a place in a metal structure which was attached to the trough. Having locked the structure, the sheep were free to eat, but were not able to leave. Next, two groups of 8 sheep entered other parts of the metal structure such that 24 sheep were ready to be milked at a time. Then, he mounted teat cups to 8 sheep at a time and used a milking machine to milk the sheep. Thereafter, he milked the two other groups of sheep. Finally, when all of them had been milked, he released them from the metal structure and opened another door such that the sheep could go out. Then, he opened the first door, letting another group of 8 sheep enter. He would have to repeat this procedure with all the sheep twice a day. It’s impressive that somebody is willing to do this work daily for years, then passing it on to their children.

    This farm has 30 hectares where cereals are being cultivated in order to produce feed for the sheep. Most of the sheep of the Rosati family are of the breed Comisana originating from Sicily, while the rest is a Sardinian breed. Although they are healthy, they are vaccinated against diseases by a vet. The wool of the sheep is sheared yearly in May by travelling workers who arrive at the farms to shear sheep.

    It’s been a great pleasure to meet somebody who contributes to giving us our food and who treats their animals well.

  • Sa Tiria farm and guesthouse

    satiria_w500

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    Sa Tiria is located on land where members of the same family have been cultivating fruits and vegetables besides raising sheep and pigs for more than 100 years. About 12 years ago, they decided to build a guest house together with an on-site restaurant, all of excellent quality.

    The area of Sa Tiria amounts to about 150 hectares, including the guest house, houses for the family, a garden, a barn for the sheep, a pen and a small pool for the pigs, olive forests, fields where they cultivate vegetables and fruits, meadows where the sheep can go grazing and fields for cultivating fodder for the sheep, in particular, in dry periods. The property also covers a large area of sparse trees with Mediterranean scrub.

    There is also an abandoned quarry, where granite was extracted some decades ago, at the foot of the hill behind the farm.

    The farm and guesthouse is located between the hill and the country road, while the sea is located about 1 km in the opposite direction.

    Both the interior and the exterior of the guesthouse look very attractive, while it is surrounded by an ample parking space and a rich diversity of local trees and flowers. The guesthouse is managed by the sisters Carla and Linda, while their brothers Lucio and Salvatore take care of the farm. Their parents live next to the guesthouse, but leave the daily running to their children.

    The on-site restaurant is large, high-ceilinged and airy, while a modern and functional kitchen is located in an adjoining room. An environment filled with fragrances of local dishes and where all the meals for the guests are made.

    Every morning, one of the sisters would prepare a delicious breakfast of bread, home-made jams from strawberry trees, quince and plums together with yogurt and various sheep’s cheeses and cold cuts, fruit juices, home-made pastries and of course tea and coffee. A well-assorted selection of fresh, organic fruits was always available. While not cooking, they seemed to be always busy cleaning the premises. Besides, they were knowledgeable and always willing to share information about places worth seeing, spectacular beaches and anything else which could interest their guests.

    The wholesome and ample dinners were also made from local ingredients and using local recipes. Starters were followed by various pasta dishes, while the main course could be e.g. roasted lamb or piglet accompanied by boiled vegetables, mixed salads, olives and roasted potatoes, followed by local cheeses, fruits and pastries. To drink, a bottle of wine was available together with water and a glass of myrtle was offered at the end of each meal.

    The fine rooms were located sequentially next to the restaurant, while a terrace extended along the whole building. Comfortable garden furniture was outside each room such that it was possible to relax outside the rooms in the balmy evenings or any other time of the day, sensing the scents of the abundant Mediterranean vegetation on the property.

    One evening, we followed Carla for a walk around the farm. The sheep were outside eating hay provided by one of her brothers. All or most of them were pregnant and they didn’t produce milk, but there was a room where the sheep could be milked after they had born lambs because, in general, they produce more milk than is required by their offspring.

    We also paid a visit to the pigs, which had a large pen all for themselves and a little pond where they could cool themselves on hot summer days. Like many pigs, they looked at us curiously and expectantly, waiting for a treat.

    Having stayed for four days at this welcoming place, we said goodbye to Carla and continued our journey along the south coast of Sardinia.

  • Persbråten farm

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    Driving on a narrow gravel road, passing the ski jump at Skui, we arrive at a lovely, cultural landscape where farmer Johan Persbråten has his paradise. About 500 sheep, tens of cattle, horses with foals, shepherd dogs, an elkhound, a nosy rooster and probably even more animals keep Johan and his wife with company at their organic farm.

    Contact information:

    Phone: 67 13 60 52/91 57 79 04

    e-post: joludper@online.no

    From Soil to Table visited Johan Persbråten on a balmy evening in August in order to get to know his daily work, pleasures and challenges. Following Johan out on a big field, he went before us in order to calm his animals and preparing them for another visit. Approaching slowly, we got within a few metres of his cows and oxen. Obviously, peace and quiet ruled both man and animals. The huge ox was called Caesar, while a peaceful Scottish highland bull was called Alexander. He’s named after Alexander the great, Johan said, but since he is so small, I called him Alexander. After having watched us from a distance some time. Alexander approached us within touching distance. I’m breeding animals which I sell to other farmers when they are about 1 year old. Although I have raised them according to organic farming, I don’t require that the buyer will do the same leading to that the animals may be transferred to a conventional farm.

    We were also followed by two shepherd dogs looking for sheep to herd. When they became too eager, Johan stopped them by issuing short, sharp commands which the dogs obeyed for some time before starting again.

    Walking to another enclosure, we could see a flock of sheep grazing. He’s raising both the conventional, white sheep together with Norwegian short-tailed sheep. Although he gets 10 times more paid for the wool from a white sheep, almost each time they are bearing a lamb, complications arise and Johan has to aid them. On the contrary, the short-tailed sheep manages the birth on her own, and she’s also were good at taking care of her offspring. Most of his sheep were grazing outside in the forests surrounding Johan’s meadows where they are keeping the forests open since they are eating fresh shoots. I’ll collect the sheep in September, Johan said.

    We got to see the shepherd dogs working, obeying Johan’s commands like left and right, herding the sheep according to Johan’s wishes. What characterised everything was the serenity which surrounded the landscape, the animals and the farmer. Unfortunately, the quiet was interrupted occasionally from a nearby shooting range. According to Johan, the animals are used to it, and the noise wasn’t so bad during our visit. However, depending on the direction of the wind, it can be much worse.

    Johan is selling his products to upscale supermarkets in and in the vicinity of Oslo. He’s also selling organic meat to the Øya festival to which he has been selling for 6 years.

    How does the slaughter of the animals take place? I’m using Fatland in Oslo meaning that the animals are transported a short distance only. How about using Mobilslakt, a company where the butcher comes to the animals, instead of the animals coming to the butcher? Have you thought about that? Animals, which have to stay some time at a big slaughterhouse, may stress them leading to a poorer quality of the meat, I said. Yes, I would of course prefer the butcher arriving here, but the Norwegian Food Safety Authority doesn’t accept it.

    After having returned home from the farm, I was wondering how to describe our visit in an interesting way, I googled Alexander the Great whose height was only 1.68 metres. After having sent an SMS with the above information and stating that Alexander could certainly be called Alexander the Great, Johan promptly did so.

    Johan lets his animals graze on various islands in the Oslo fjord on order to keep them open. In the summer of 2016, he released some ox calves on an island, but they didn’t want to stay. Instead, they swam ashore and locals called the police to tell what had happened. The end of the story was that Johan had to let a cow stay with the young oxen on the island.

    It’s possible to buy mutton directly from this farm since slaughtering single animals for buyers who arrive at the farm is allowed. Some years ago, I went to the farm in order to buy mutton. I selected a male lamb in the barn, next Johan brought it outside, stunned it by means of a bolt gun, then he suspended it by its hind legs and slit its throat. Afterwards, he cut up the animal expertly, dividing it up in various pieces ready to be cooked.