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Cattle Farming In The Peak District
Cattle Farming in the Peak District can be traced back to the Bronze Age and Iron Age from archaeological findings and the remains of primitive enclosures. The first fields were established by clearing small areas of stones where limited crops were planted such as pulses, beans and cereals. Domesticated cattle were introduced at this time which for most of the year would have grazed on open land or common ground but were brought into these fields and provided with shelter during the winter.By medieval times villages were becoming more established and smallholdings developed with strips of land stretching out around each settlement. But it was not until the 18th century that larger structured fields appeared
By the 20th century cattle farming in the Peak District was probably at its height with thousands of small farms operating, many having far less than 100 acres, but often providing a good living for not only the farmer but several farmhands as well Cattle Farming in the Peak District is diverse depending on the type of soil and the nature of the land. In the wilder and exposed Dark Peak regions to the north where the high ground is covered with peaty acid soil and bogs, store cattle are occasionally allowed freedom to roam over the hills and feed upon the tough grass and alpine pasture until they mature. In the sheltered valleys of the Dark Peak, small herds of beef cattle can be sustained in small fields with barns or buildings for shelter. However it is the limestone pasture of the White Peak which is prime grazing for both dairy and beef cattle farming in the Peak District. Apart from the odd ‘hobby farm’ and smallholding, many of the farms involved in commercial Cattle Farming in the Peak District are now vast, often comprising hundreds of acres where large herds can be seen. The era of the farmer milking a couple of dozen cows has long since gone, with milk herds now regularly containing in excess of a hundred cows. Advanced machinery and modern milking parlours have taken some of the drudgery away from the twice daily milking sessions but sadly at the expense of the farm labourer. As a whole employment in Peak District Farming has declined over the years with the introduction of intensive farming methods and the introduction and improvement of farming equipment. Cattle Farming in the Peak District is an essential mainstay to the Peak District National Park environment and with financial help sometimes available in the form of subsidies and grants, together with advice and support by the National Park Authority and various other associations and organisations, it is hoped to protect this important aspect of the areas economy for future generations.
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