Monthly Archives March 2011

It’s a Girl!

March 31, 2011 | 23 Comments

I guess it's true. March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Our first arrived late today, a single ewe-lamb born to Chloe, a first time mother. Mike discovered our newcomer when he went to the barn for evening chores. A hefty lamb, she was cleaned up, on her feet and nursing when I arrived. It looks like this little gal may have company before the night is over, so I'm off to get some rest, just in case I'm called to the barn again. Just wanted to quickly share our exciting news! Crackerjack (below) inspects
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Shearing Scenes

March 29, 2011 | 4 Comments

Come on, And bid us welcome to your sheep-shearing, As your good flock shall prosper. The Winter's Tale We worked all day on Friday, grateful for the mild weather and sunshine. Can you believe, we didn't finish? By 5 everyone was tired and even though there were just a dozen left, it's better not to push. Beautiful fleeces. Lots of Cocoa's daughters (black and speckled) in this group. I'm off to the barn right now to check on the mothers-to-be. No "little apples" yet, but all signs point to any time now. I wish the temperatures were more
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Count Down to Shearing Day

March 23, 2011 | 7 Comments

Keeping dry – waiting for the shearer. Our week got off to a funky start. In the northeast we celebrated spring's arrival with a touch of winter: four inches of snow that's gone slushy since the temperatures are now just above freezing. Because we plan to shear the balance of the flock on Friday, this gave me a headache. Before the snow started at 9 Monday morning, Mike and I scrambled to get four dozen sheep and two llamas under cover before their wool got soggy. The sheep were the easy part. A pan of grain was all we needed
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The Year of the Apple

March 18, 2011 | 41 Comments

Apples is by far the most popular of our suggested lamb name themes for this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you for voting. It was a lot of fun to watch. We are looking forward to a bushel of new lambs, in less than two weeks from now. I'm thinking of all the fun name possibilties: MacIntosh, Gala, Macoun, Braeburn . . . If you would like to suggest an apple variety to name one of our lambs-to-be, please leave a comment here. My days have gone from busy to busier in a hurry. Immediately after shearing, we've shipped
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Llama Lure

March 14, 2011 | 9 Comments

Before lambing season sweeps in and captures everyone's attention, I thought you might like a visit from some of our non-gestating critters. Sol llama lives with last year's lambs. Each day we work with him on the same basic lesson: people are ok. It's taking lots of patience and incentives. At first he wouldn't come near us, even though a grain pan is mighty tempting. It drove the lambs nuts that he didn't want it and they couldn't have it. They still swarm around my legs like agitated bees. But now he easily comes within arm's length and sometimes even
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Poll Time – Help Us Name the Lambs!

March 10, 2011 | 4 Comments

Despite the emergence buckets on the sugar maples, the landscape in western Massachusetts still reads "winter". The snow cover is measurable in feet. Just two days ago the entire woodland was spectacularly sheathed in ice. A trip to the barn calls for hat, gloves, insulated boots and a heavy parka. So it's a little hard to fathom that within three weeks we'll be welcoming newborn lamb here at Springdelle Farm. It's the surest sign of spring's arrival. I am up to my eyeballs in fresh fleece and we have another round of shearing yet to go before the lambs make their
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Sloppy Eaters and the Importance of Sheep Coats

March 7, 2011 | 12 Comments

I thought I'd use today's post to address two questions I've been asked recently: Q: How are Mistral & Georgia doing? A: Happy as clams. Or maybe I should say as happy as lambs. Mistral, Georgia and friends are wintering in the Open Barn. The group has quickly bonded with Sol, our new llama. Feeding is the highlight of their day. As far as I can tell, they spend the rest of their time lounging in the yard with Sol, unless the weather stinks. Then they lounge around the barn. The ewe lambs we have kept from 2010 lambing are
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Sunning

March 4, 2011 | 8 Comments

The mothers-to-be, soaking up the morning sun (they need shades!) Wishing everyone a happy Friday.
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Sheep Shares Teaberry Yarn Give-Away Winner!

March 1, 2011 | 1 Comment

Attention Sheep Shares CSA members. Susan F. is the lucky winner of our drawing for two skeins of Teaberry Yarn spun from our ram Teaberry's champion Cormo fleece! Congrats to Susan. (If you reserved skeins of this yarn for purchase we are shipping this week upon receipt of payment – either by check or via PayPal. This was a limited edition yarn run and all skeins are spoken for.) If you would like to learn more about joining Sheep Shares, we are still accepting memberships for yarn shares. Click here to learn more.
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Shearing Sheep

March 1, 2011 | 12 Comments

Yarn starts here! Our shearer, Andy Rice, arrived yesterday for the first rite of new year: the de-fleecing of the pregnant ewes, rams and wethers. I'm behind in all areas but wanted to share a few moments from the day. Crackerjack and ewes in the holding pen. He is now stationed with the mothers where he will serve as lamb nanny when lambs begin arriving in three weeks. The ewes find his presence calming, reassuring. Cognac, a moorit ewe, waits her turn in the holding pen. (BTW), The girls were all very well behaved. The boys were a mighty hand
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