This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Sue Andrews has recently contributed an article for our online magazine for women sharing her life story with her husband as sheep farmers for the past 50 years – Nights in the Sheep Shed. It was hugely popular with our readers; however, if you want to read the full story, buy her book If Clouds were Sheep. I have just finished reading it, and as the daughter of a farmer, it ignited many happy memories.
This book is about how dreams can grow from small beginnings into breeding prize-winning Texel sheep in the Cotswolds. Sue manages to bathe her story in a warm light punctuated with amusing stories, and yet one knows how hard life as a farmer’s wife can be.
Sue and her husband, Aubrey, started as a young married couple in the Cotswolds, very much in love and ready to embrace a life of farming. She was a horse-mad girl strongly attracted to farming; Aubrey was the son of a farm manager without land or money. However, they were determined to make their dream, of owning and breeding their own flock of sheep, a reality. This life was not without its hiccoughs. The amusing moments are often caused by the animals, Satan the Ram and Gustav the Gander, to name but two.
As Sue and Aubrey established their lives as farmers, along came children. Once again Sue and Aubrey embrace another challenge to combine parenthood with the 24/7 work involved with a farm.
To me, this book was like stepping into the countryside, with all the joys and hardships of being a sheep farmer. Long, cold nights spent with the Ewes as they lamb, or searching hills for lost sheep. They are however, rewarded as their sheep have won prizes in the show ring.
Sue is a real story-teller giving an amusing insight into their everyday life. She manages to write a book that is both informative and entertaining. Her positive attitude shines through on every page. I thought I might not be able to enjoy a whole book on sheep farming; however, as with any good book, the pages flew by, and I was sorry when it ended. Luckily Sue has taken advantage of the lockdown, and instead of having some well-earned feet-up time, she has written another book – Jumping over Clouds.
Sue has also written another article for A&G this week, so click HERE if you want to find out more about this multi-talented lady.