For a long time Languedoc was a very poor region. Wine, Olives and sheep raising were the means to earn a living for the farmers around here. During the summer months big herds of sheep were driven to the summer pastures in the Cevennes. The autumn months brought them back down to their winter quarters. The old sheep trails are still visible today.
La Grange, too, had it's little herd of sheep. The mangers are still visible in the old stable (la grange - the stable).
This gave our staff, and especially Raphael, who studied animal husbandry, the idea to raise sheep on La Grange once again... And off they went to the next garden centre to buy a garden shed, which was immediately transformed into a stable. I have been wishing for a garden shed for years, but the boss always rejected it for fear of gaudyness. Makes me want to be a sheep at La Grange! But, I have to say, a bit of luxury seems to be good for our sheep.
The five ewes are doing exceptionally well under the enthusiastic care of Raphael and François. This week they had to be shorn for the first time.
The sheperd took the wool away with him but I'm thinking about building a spinning mill here at La Grange. Our own wine, our own wool, handknit socks made from sheep's wool from southern France... I never run out of ideas. And while we're at it, we could also start our own silk production. We already have some mulberry trees, after all.
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