For the first time ever I kidded two goats. I had two of Dovecote School’s pygmy girl goats that were due around the same time as the lambs. I was more nervous about the 2 goats than 60 sheep! Thankfully Blossom kidded by herself, and while Pickles needed a hand, I'm pleased to say it was just like lambing a sheep!! Baby goats appear into the world with full beautiful hair and once dry look absolutely perfect!! With the 60 ewes finished I have been on the lookout for animals for the school. We have now got two female baby guinea pigs called Eccles and Rhubarb, named of course by the children! And two Ryland ewes to breed from. We are on the lookout for Ouessant sheep females, which are the world's smallest breed and originate from the tiny French island of Ushant. I currently have a ram called Jack so we just need some women for him! So on to March and what a soggy one! But thankfully it's mild, with the grass beginning to grow. Let's hope it stops raining soon. Easter sees the last 60 of my flock to lamb, so fingers crossed for not too many sleepless nights. As soon as the weather dries up we will let you know about some open weekends to see the baby animals at the school, and of course we have some lambs there too!! Happy Easter everyone. Here's hoping for a successful farming year! Where is the year going? Spring is upon us. February brought us nice frosty sunny days and the first 60 of my ewes to lamb. The weather was perfect for putting them outside. Sheep do not mind the cold as long as their tummies are full! My dog Dino was put to sleep at the age of 14yrs and 8 months due to illness, so no more barking as I drove by you on my rounds. Dogs are the most loyal faithful friends. FRANK BARNARD 4 S PR I NG I S SUE | APR I L 2 0 2 3 For the two Shapwick metal detectorists it was the stuff of dreams. Within minutes of starting their search in a ploughed field they discovered a Roman coin. Half an hour later they unearthed thousands more. And quickly the Shapwick Hoard was international news. It happened in 1998 when cousins Kevin and Martin Elliott decided to try out their new metal detectors on the family’s Northbrook Farm. Altogether they uncovered more than nine thousand silver denarii, the largest number ever found in Britain. The Elliotts were swift to disclose their find to the authorities and the hoard, valued at £265,000, was declared a Treasure by an inquest. It was ultimately purchased by the Somerset Heritage Service for display in the county’s museum in Taunton where it can be seen today. The Shapwick Roman villa Overall the coins ranged in date from 31 BC to 224 AD and experts estimated their contemporary value equated to ten years pay for a Roman legionary. When Shapwick made Global News! Some were extremely rare, including two from the reign of the emperor Didius Julianus who only ruled for a few weeks in 193 AD. Later, when archaeologists carried out excavations, they identified the site of a previously unknown courtyard villa and established that the coins had been buried in the corner of a small room. But why were they placed there in the first place? There are many theories, from keeping valuables safe during periods of unrest, through hiding ill-gotten gains, to depositing them deliberately for ritual reasons. From the Horse's Mouth TRACEY LOCKYER Dovecote School The outdoor area for our Forest school area and the climbing frame are nearly complete. These will help the students learn about the natural environment, develop problemsolving and communication skills and strengthen positive relationships. Dovecote Farm has seen new arrivals born at the farm over the last couple of months: 3 baby goats, 2 guinea pigs, and several of Tracey’s sheep and their lambs which everyone has enjoyed bottle feeding! More in a future issue of Shapwick News on other new developments at Dovecote School! MEL MORGAN
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