How The Free Roaming Sheep Huts Began

By George Cook


Modern practices of farming are far different from those in the nineteenth century. In those days, labor was found cheaply, and it was also easy to find. People did not use the artificial fertilizers and the sprays. When the farmers wanted to increase the soil production, they would make use of manure. However, there were challenges of using this method. It was not easy to haul a lot of manure from where the farmyard was to the far fields. This problem was overcome when the farmers decided to use sheep to handle this task. This was where the idea of using free roaming sheep huts came from.

The downlands in the valleys and the uplands would not use the same breeds of ram for fertilizing. There were the upland sheep that fertilized those farms that were found on the hills. The farmers would not allow these animals to move freely. They were put together in hurdles.

When the grassland was grazed, then these animals would be moved to a new pasture. By this time these rams would have left manure behind. The manure would then be plowed in. The land would then be ready for a crop of oats, barley, and wheat. These organic fertilizers made it possible for these crops to be grown on the light soils.

During those time the farm owners needed to have a flock of sheep. The rams also needed to be hardworking. Therefore, the shepherd was valued at that time. The downland farms were in most cases located in the valleys. This made them be really far from the fields. For this reason, shepherd needed to have a shelter to store their belongings and their gear.

The job was not so easy. It was necessary for the lambs to be moved each day. The work was therefore mostly physical. It was therefore vital for the care taker to have a place to sleep and eat especially when the season of lambing was on. Therefore, the shepherd's hut was built. It is also referred to as the sheep shelter.

This hut had the kitchen, the store room, the dining room, the sitting room, and the bedroom. There were various designs for the hut. The important thing was that it gave the shepherd durable and practical accommodation. The old cabins would have a stove in a corner. This stove would be used for cooking and warmth. There was also a window on each side so that the shepherd could easily monitor the lambs.

In addition to this, the hut had a door which was hinged and stable. The door was always located from the prevailing wind. This was vital as it helped the shepherd to hear the flock. There was also strong axles. These axles had cast iron wheels that would assist in the movement from field to field.

It has been proven that these huts can last for long. This can be seen by the many shelters that are still existent today. Most of them are just storerooms now. Alongside some firms, you are sure to see some of them. Others have even been completely abandoned. The farmers have signed them over to the museums of agriculture. Therefore, they are just used as evidence for those times that have passed.




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