A Herdwick Brand for Herdwick Farmers,
launched at 165th Grasmere Show
We had a fun and busy weekend at the end of August; the rain cleared and the sun shone, late summer and the Lakes at its best, and a perfect opportunity to launch the new Herdwick brand quality mark. A chance to get out into the Lakes with our Herdy stall at both shows, we love meeting up with you all when we are out and about; thanks for coming to say hello!
Saturday saw us meeting up with old friends at the Patterdale Show: a traditional shepherd’s meet from the valleys of Matterdale & St John’s in the Vale, where you see sheep-farming traditions and hear the Cumbrian dialect. The show is now in its 101st year and still keeps to the original Lakeland format: Sheep dog trials, Terrier Show, Sheep Show, Fell Race, sheep shearing displays, hound trails, shows of sticks and crooks, and crafts.
We sponsor the Prize Herdwick Tup at the Patterdale Show, and Robby & Peter Bland—from Knott Houses Farm, Grasmere—won this year.
The launch of the Herdwick Brand Quality Mark
Grasmere Sports Day
The sun came out on Sunday and off we went to the Grasmere Show, in its 165th year of showcasing Cumbrian traditions of Cumberland wrestling, fell running, and hound trails, as well as local produce, food and drink.
Our Herdy tent was right next to the Farmers Network, where prize Herdwicks were on show, and being sheared with people enjoying watching and understanding more about these amazing creatures.
This was the day we and the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association officially launched the Herdwick brand endorsement mark. It’s a quality mark, or logo we’ve created—free of charge—for the sheep and the farmers, which endorses genuine Cumbrian Herdwick. The HSBA will now be guardians of the brand and its use, and wherever you see it you are assured of a high quality product, be it meat or wool. It’s our latest Herdyfund initiative. Learn About The Herdyfund
We’re proud to be using Herdwick wool in some of our existing product range, and it will also form a key part of our new product development. We’re about to launch a range of accessories, which are all about natural materials, artisan skills, and “Made in England”.
We’ve spent two years developing a unique blended fabric, which makes good use of Herdwick Wool. The goal is that it becomes commercially viable and can be used well, not just in small numbers of bespoke items, but will work as a commercial proposition. The fabric will bring farmers, Herdy, and the wool industry together to develop a viable product.
We’re hoping the Herdwick Quality Brand Mark will help the farmers raise the profile of their hard work in rearing and caring for the Herdwick sheep, and enable them to earn a sustainable income from the by-products: meat and wool.
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