Woolly way to care for Christmas trees
Shropshire sheep which do not like the taste of Nordmann firs and Norway spruces have been drafted in to keep the weeds down at the Welford Christmas Tree Farm. The 12,000 firs currently growing at the site are breathing easier this year thanks to the efforts of the new flock, brought in by farm manager William Miles as an alternative to powerful chemical weedkiller.
Mr Miles said: “We are used to looking after sheep on the farm anyway, so we decided to bring in six Shropshire sheep to try to keep the grass and weeds down. “All other breeds seem to love the trees and are happy to eat them so we have to keep them away, but somehow someone discovered that Shropshire sheep don’t like them. They chomp all the grass and weeds down and eat right up to the base of the trees, but leave the trees alone.