Sarah Meehan, age 11, Co Donegal

Dear Editor: Hello, I am Sarah.

I live on a farm and I am going to tell you about Maxxie, my sheep. Maxxie was born at Christmas, last year. I was watching TV when I heard something bleat. I was so worried, because our sheep aren’t supposed to lamb until March or April. I walked into the kitchen and saw Daddy holding two lambs.

Turns out, he had bought them off a man called William Maxwell for granny as a Christmas present. They moved in under the table in the tea room. It was a boy and a girl. We called the boy Will and the girl Maxxie.

A few days later, Will fell sick. Sadly, he did not make it and passed away. I taught Maxxie to walk on a lead. Whenever we left the door open, she would come into the house.

Once mummy was sitting on the couch and she heard footsteps in the kitchen and thought it was a dog. Then, all of a sudden, Maxxie popped up behind her. Maxxie also got a bit rough with my brother, but was just trying to play.

Then she had to live in the field beside granny’s house. Then it got a bit muddy and granny was worried the other sheep in the field would knock her down.

Maxxie got a boyfriend named Stephen and moved back home. Then her boyfriend got taken away and then she got pneumonia and had to go into the shed.

Thankfully, she is home now and has a friend named Milly.

Always available to help on-farm

Stephen Gallagher, age 11, Co Donegal

Dear Editor: There are so many types of doses to do with farming animals. Doses for fluke and doses for worms and so many others.

Me and my grandad have sheep and it’s my job to feed them in the evening. I enjoy doing that job. My grandad feeds the ones in the field that we have on the mountain. I also feed my neighbour’s sheep. I used to help feed his dog. So as you can see, I love farming.

Talk on healthy eating

Saoirse Deegan, Holy Family National School, Co Tipperary

Dear Editor: Last Thursday, as part of our Wellbeing Week, we had a talk with Janine Kennedy on healthy eating. Janine asked us to list our everyday food and our sometimes food.

We talked about food from other countries, how we like to have Chinese, Indian and Thai food and food from the local chippers.

Janine brought spices such as nutmeg, cumin, star anise, saffron and cinnamon which we all got to smell. She explained that by adding different spices to foods, we can create our own healthier takeaways.

At the end of the class, Janine gave us homemade cookies with no additives in them. I think it was really interesting to learn how to make your own takeaway and I will try to add these spices when I am cooking.