Bracken has come to live at Nethergill Farm
Taking a step back in time and working in harmony with nature we intend to carry out some of the basic daily farming tasks using a native Dales pony called Bracken.
Native to the Upper Dales of the North of England, the Dales Pony was bred specifically for the Pennine lead industry as pack ponies. Owing to their sure-footedness and strength, Dales Ponies were also used for work on small hill farms such as Nethergill when they would have carried the shepherd and hay for long distances over rough terrain.
Taking a step back in time and working in harmony with nature we intend to carry out some of the basic daily farming tasks using Bracken.
The land here at Nethergill is very wet, particularly on the Moss, the 300 acres of moorland to the south of the farmhouse. In order to access these large tracts of wet ground we are going to use Bracken who will be able to walk over the land with minimal environmental impact. A tractor however is likely to churn up the ground and could do lasting damage to the soil structure. Traditional Dales ponies would have been used at Nethergill Farm and surrounding areas up until the late 50s.
Bracken will perform such tasks as harrowing and dragging timber from the woodland.
Visitors are welcome to come and see Bracken at work.
