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Seasonal news and updates from our historic working farm at the National Museum of Rural Life.
We are excited to be looking after The Breeds sheep sculpture for the Royal Highland Show’s Flock to the Show campaign!
Flock to the Show is a large-scale public art trail touring across Scotland to celebrate the return of Golden Shears to the Royal Highland Show 2023. The trail has 27 individually decorated sheep sculptures and the National Museum of Rural Life is the temporary home to The Breeds sculpture designed by Edinburgh-based artist Alasdair Couzens.
The Breeds sheep sculpture by Alasdair Couzens.
Alasdair Couzens, designer of The Breeds said:
"My sheep breeds design is inspired by old school livestock breed posters of British farm animals that I had on my wall as a child. I wanted to create a modern and fun update of these which celebrates the diversity of sheep breeds found across the UK. I hope it provides a fun way for folk to learn about the amazing variety of sheep breeds we have and pick their favourites!"
See our resident Black Face sheep and lambs in the fields. The horned Black face sheep are a hardy breed which makes them ideally suited to the rugged South Lanarkshire countryside.
Painting of Orkney and Shetland sheep, by William Shiels, c. 1835 (H.OD 97).
Visit the picture gallery in the museum which has a series of animal paintings by artist William Shiels and one which features depicts some older Scottish sheep breeds! Discover more about the animal paintings by William Shiels in the three-part blog series All Farm Creatures Great and Small.
And finally...
20 May - 21 May 2023
Join us for a weekend of all things woolly!
Find out more
Victor was born on Friday 10 March 2023. He is a Limousin/Jersey cross. Meet him and our other new arrivals up at the farm this spring.
Cammy Wilson from The Sheep Game on YouTube, recently made a film of the scanning of our Scottish Blackface, Scotch Mules and Dutch Spotted ewes. We are looking forward to welcoming new lambs this spring and working with Cammy again soon.
Our beautiful Anna the Clydesdale horse joined hundreds of the world’s best Clydesdales at the World Clydesdale Show in Aberdeen, taking part in the ‘Mare 5-9 years’ class.
It was the first time the show had taken place outside North America, with a range of competitions to showcase the breed’s versatility.
If you take a walk up to the kitchen garden you will come face-to-face with our resident scarecrow which has had a makeover.
Wester KittochsideFind out how to make the most of your visit to the National Museum of Rural Life.
Find out moreHeader image: An autumn scene with geese in the field at the National Museum of Rural Life.