As promised, here are some better shots of last Monday's cormo shearing day, courtesy of Adrian B. (thank you, Adrian!). Kodiak waits her turn in the holding pen: Andy Rice at work: Crackerjack, a concerned guardian, supervises: "Hey, careful with my sheep!" Peeling off the fleece. It's a beauty. Buttercup, post-shearing. We don't bother shaving noses which is why she still looks a little grungy (but sweet). The lanolin in the wool really attracts and holds dirt, another reason why those coats are so important. Buster was bored. It was a very long day.  Click here to see more of
Read More

Thanks to everyone who suggested names for this little guy, CVM ram lamb #1. So many cute names – and you were all thinking creatively about colors.  When choosing a name I imagine myself calling the lamb from out in the field. Will a sheep respond to this name? Will I feel silly shouting it at the top of my lungs in the pasture? Sometimes a name comes along that is just a perfect match. Which is what we thought of "Tumbleweed", suggested last week by Lori. Of all the great ideas, this one best fits this little ram. When
Read More

Monday was the big push to shear all adult cormos, including the bred ewes – and also the day of what I hope will be the last winter storm. A ripping nor'easter rolled in early Monday and pretty much socked it to us all day, dumping a good 8" of powder here in western Mass. Although we worked indoors and the sheep were all inside, it was not the ideal conditions for shearing day. The good thing about Monday was the help. Since the storm forced school cancellation, we got lucky and scored a couple of high school students for
Read More