Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Lambs are growing, Hay is being cut, School is almost out!

Amelia is an amazingly friendly ewe considering that her mother will never come near us. Last spring I broke my pinky trying to catch her for pre-lambing vaccinating and worming. Needless to say, Daisy wasn't caught last year or this year until lambing. Amelia is so soft and has a lot of fleece. She is a possible keeper.
Here is Rhett Butler. We really like his conformation and crimpy moorit fleece. We would like to show him this fall and then sell him. Of course, that is if his horns cooperate.
This is one of our first two lambs that were born this year. He is going to be light grey. This is Orville. He is out of Emmett, the yearling ram that we would like to sell.
Follow the leader...Katie is carrying Minnie Pearl to sheep candy (leaves that they can't reach). Coming along behind her is Hank Aaron, Jackie O., and Minnie's brother, Patrick Henry.



We received some much needed rain today. As you can see from our pasture, we haven't had an over abundance of the wet stuff.



My husband, Rothey, and his father put up some much needed hay this past weekend. They got a good start before the rain. As soon as more clear days come, they will cut again. We were very blessed to have enough of our own hay this year. We finished up our last bale, just in time for a new one!



School is coming to a close. Why is that important, you might ask? Well, I am a teacher at Hendersonville Christian School, and it means a nice break! Time to play with the sheep, catch up on spinning, scrapbooking, cleaning, sleeping late and trying my hand at painting roving! Yes!! It also means that my baby daughter graduates from high school on Friday, May 30th. The same day I turn 43. :( We are proud of her and her accomplishments. More on that later.



Life continually offers change, and it is difficult. Some of us struggle with change more than others. I know that we'll make it. Phil. 4:13 promises that!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Baa Baa Black Sheep, have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes, sir, MANY bags full!!! :> Shearing day arrived on Monday when Anthony came and sheared 17 of the 26 that needed their yearly haircuts. He returned on Tuesday to finish the other 9. We usually shear over the course of 2 days because we all work full time, and there are not enough hours in a day to get the job done.
Anthony is shearing Rare Find Farm Cory, our 3 year old fawn katmoget ram. He has been a wonderful addition for our flock. Cory's father is Underhill Gordon, and his mother is Windswept Rosemerta. He has a wonderful, gentle demeanor that he passes on to his lambs. He is friendly yet very respectful. When he was waiting his turn to be shorn, he just stood there while Katie held his halter, no butting or fuss.
Anthony loves Cory's fleece. It is very crimpy and lustrous and extremely soft. He is passing this softness to his lambs. We love to use him on our longest fleeced ewes which is how we are getting nice, soft, wavy, long fleeces on our lambs. Two of his sons were Champion and Reserve Champion rams at the North Carolina Mountain State Fair last September.
Wow, look at that fleece. (Yes, a bit of VM-vegetable matter.)
25 bags full to be exact!! (Our other fleece was from Peep, Lauren's first market lamb, who is 12 years old. Her fleece went with the shearer to a wool pool.) Time to start skirting fleeces. Most will go to Frankenmuth's Woolen Mill, and we will hold 6 or 7 to show in the fall. Oh, the lovely smell of raw sheep's wool as you walk into our house! I guess it's a smell only a shepherd could love!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Who to Sell?

This is Rare Find Farm Emmett. He is a 1 year old proven ram. He is registered as emsket. Emmett is a very sturdy, square standing ram. He put nice straight legs on his lambs. He has an immense fleece. Emmett is for sale in order for us to purchase a spotted moorit ram. We will also have several ram lambs and wethers for sale as well. It is also looking like we will sell 3 ewe lambs. One of the ewe lambs is a beautiful black ewe with a very soft fleece. There will also be 2 katmoget ewes for sale. They will be determined at a later time.
After a hard day at work, there is nothing like sitting in the pasture or barnyard watching sheep contentedly crunch grass or lambs at play. This weekend included a good bit of SOOTHING sheep sitting! Here are a couple of the pictures captured during this down time.
Jane Austin and Emily Bronte peer into the barn to see what they can see.
Jane enjoys her rest time after playing with the other lambs. Today was the first day that she was on her own for about 1/2 of the day. Whew! She was tired when we returned her to her pen after her lunch. She doesn't seem to mind that her life is a little different being the bottle baby!