Smallholding: sheep, pigs, chicks and dreams
The origin of Postlip's success is sheep. In the 15th century, Alexander Broadway was the first of his family recorded at Postlip. Sheep made the Broadway's rich, built their house and estate, and gave them both rank and power. In return, they raised a lamb to the top of the eastern gable of the Hall to mark the year when 'It is the sheep that hath builded all'.
Very early in the cohousing community's time, Jan started to rear orphaned lambs, and they were often pathetic little balls of fluff in front the wood burning stove in the kitchen. These were the nucleus of the Postlip flock.
Lambs, as is the way of it, became sheep and then wool, which set Jan on a long learning curve of shearing, spinning, developing natural dyes, and knitting. Knitting everything from jumpers, coveted by artists, to great wall-hangings.
This led her to the Guild of Gloucestershire Craftsmen and to this day she is still producing work for exhibitions and over the years has been a key contributor to the Guild shop at the Wilson Museum in Cheltenham.
We currently keep 18 chickens and the plentiful supply of eggs they offer keep the community well fed. The children love collecting them almost as much as raiding the raspberry patch. Our sheep flock is being looked after in Winchcombe at the moment, and pigs are occasional guests depending on capacity.
Very early in the cohousing community's time, Jan started to rear orphaned lambs, and they were often pathetic little balls of fluff in front the wood burning stove in the kitchen. These were the nucleus of the Postlip flock.
Lambs, as is the way of it, became sheep and then wool, which set Jan on a long learning curve of shearing, spinning, developing natural dyes, and knitting. Knitting everything from jumpers, coveted by artists, to great wall-hangings.
This led her to the Guild of Gloucestershire Craftsmen and to this day she is still producing work for exhibitions and over the years has been a key contributor to the Guild shop at the Wilson Museum in Cheltenham.
We currently keep 18 chickens and the plentiful supply of eggs they offer keep the community well fed. The children love collecting them almost as much as raiding the raspberry patch. Our sheep flock is being looked after in Winchcombe at the moment, and pigs are occasional guests depending on capacity.