Sheep May Safely Graze

It is ages since I took an early morning walk in the Wither Hills Farm Park. I have been focusing instead on taking the dogs for longer walks. So today was the day for the Farm Park.
I set off before dawn. It was a bland sort of dawn but the sky became clear above the thin veil of light fog enhancing the town and Wairau Plain and the hills beyond. A little surreal.
There are sheep grazing on part of the park I walk through. The ones in this image are Corridales which is a hardy dual purpose breed being raised for their meat and wool. The farm currently carries around 2500 sheep, both Corridales and Merinos.
Mark, the farmer, tells me that although the Corridales are the predominant breed being run at present, he is gradually making the switch to more Merinos. These sheep are world famous for their very fine wool and are used for the likes of the famous range of "Icebreaker" clothing. Now that is truly a brand to recommend! Beautiful gear.
The landscape on the Wither Hills has changed quite dramatically over the last few weeks. This is due to the generous amounts of rain that have fallen during May. The drought has broken for sure with verdant green pastures that have had some decent amounts of growth thanks to a warm autumn.
I will return to the Wither Hills over the next few days in the hope of capturing some more images depicting this lovely part of Marlborough.