A fourth generation Cumbrian shepherdess has gone viral on social media for her unique miniature sheep.
Heidi Bell, 50, of Kirkby Stephen, has been breeding the very rare Olde English Babydoll Southdowns for the past three years and has shared her journey on Instagram.
Heidi said: “We had moved to a house with four acres and an orchard, which is quite a lot to mow, so we started looking for a small flock to keep the grass down.
“I did internet searches and the breed of sheep recommended for orchards was the miniature teddy bear Olde English Babydolls – but this was an American website – in fact, there was lots of information on American websites on the ancient English breed but no British.”
Babydoll sheep are not a miniature ‘created’ breed, but are an ancient breed of sheep that became extinct in the UK over 50 years ago and have only just been reintroduced.
The mini sheep were kept by shepherds across the UK before the Second World War, but once war broke out, more robust, bigger sheep were required to look after the land.
Due to their size, the Babydolls were shipped across to America and used for low grazing in orchards and vineyards, where they can’t reach the produce.
Heidi added: “I found there was just a handful of registered breeders in the UK, and I managed to buy four ewes from Flock of Arwen, who I think of as the genetic hub of the Babydolls in the UK.
“I became very quickly emotionally connected with this very unique breed, they love human interaction, they are easy to care for and my passion for the miniature teddy bear sheep with the infectious big smile grew, three years on we now have 44 pet sheep.”
Heidi is now one of only 10 farmers across the UK keeping accurate bloodlines of the sheep and reintroducing them to Cumbria’s landscape in the Eden Valley.
While they might be small in stature, the Babydolls are full of personality and pet-like in nature, said Heidi.
She added: “They have personalities just like dogs and cats, some of them will jump up like a dog, some think it is the best thing to nibble my ears, but they are very gentle and loving. I’ve dealt with a lot of sheep in the past, and I won’t hesitate to let people in the field, they’re just really gentle and kind.
“I call them teddy bears all the time, they will stand and cuddle for as long as you have got. Their fur is tightly compacted, it’s almost like cashmere so they’re lovely to cuddle to be honest.
“But they still do have a strong flock instinct and will behave in one group, they’re very habitual and will nap together in the sun. But they don’t blend well with other species, and they don’t need a sheepdog, you just have to shake the bucket and they all come running.”
All 44 of the sheep are named, and they’ve become quite the internet celebrities, with some of Heidi’s Instagram video’s reaching up to 1.2 million views.
Heidi said: “The great thing with reels is you can get a glimpse into their personalities, I think that’s the best thing to share. A photo is just static, so you can’t get a real feel for what they’re like. They have got these lovely smiles and you really see when they feel upset.”
She added that she had also found a strong sense of community on Instagram, particularly around lambing season when advice from other Babydoll farmers can be invaluable.
Heidi continued: “I’m a fourth generation shepherdess, but my mum left her farm at 15 so I have no historical knowledge. I’ve had to learn it all from scratch to keep them.
“A lot of it has been from Instagram, there’s been times at one in the morning where I’ve asked for help from other farmers with a lamb stuck in lambing and I have also read loads around keeping them.”
Talking about her future with the Babydolls, Heidi added: “Right now, they’ve got quite short coats as it’s summer, so I’m really looking forward to September/October time when they get a longer fleece when they get pretty!
“My aim is to now raise the profile of the breed through social media and show an insight into the personalities and characters of this amazing rare breed and spread awareness for those who don’t know about them.”
