Former teacher builds farm raising sheep and grapes

Former teacher Gunta Niedra, who once said she would never live in the countryside, has spent about 20 years running the Mazburkas farm, where she raises sheep and grapes, LSM reported.

Niedra said she is happy that she decided to change her life and encouraged others not to be afraid of making a similar change.

She used to work as a teacher but has long focused on raising sheep and growing grapes. Visitors to the farm are greeted by Lote, a lively and friendly sheep.

“Lote is a special case for us. She is a dairy sheep that we fed with a bottle. She was the last lamb to be born. She really wanted to live, but her mother rejected her,” Niedra said.

The family brought Lote home and cared for her in a basket, changing her nappies in different sizes bought from a pharmacy in Tukums. Niedra described her as very affectionate and said she liked people and walked beside them better than a dog.

More than 20 years ago, Niedra and her husband began running a farm on property belonging to his grandmother and planted their first grapevines. Her husband continues to work as a physical education teacher at a school alongside his farm duties.

Niedra said life on the farm gives her peace. The sheep and grapevines benefit one another: the sheep eat the grass in spring, while their manure is used as fertiliser. Niedra also uses a piece of black-dyed sheep wool from the tail to deter birds when the grapes begin to ripen in September.

The grape harvest is smaller this season after severe cold affected the vines. Temperatures in the lower part of the garden briefly fell as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius during winter.

Although the damage initially seemed discouraging, Niedra said it gave her time to complete winter tasks and clean up the garden. She said the garden would “thank” her next year.

Growing large, sweet grapes requires considerable care. Niedra said the vines should not simply be allowed to grow freely along a house or shed wall. They must be pruned and limited so that more of the plant’s resources go into the grapes.