Archives for fiber farm

Morning Chores!

April 8, 2010 | 12 Comments

It's not every day that starts with a lamb looking up your nightie. Holly was here early for morning chores. I'm suppose to get a little more rest this way. But when I can hear the sounds of morning chores over the baby monitor – feeding sheep and cleaning pens – it's hard to stay in bed even though I could use the rest. I went over in my nightie just to say hi and see if anything was cooking. But then I started seeing all the little tasks we could get done really quickly if we did them together.
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Tipping point

April 7, 2010 | 9 Comments

We crossed the half way mark today with two sets of twins arriving within an hour of each other bringing the lamb count to 22 (11 ewes and 11 rams). I'm so grateful for Holly being here to help. While she worked with Pheonix and her twin ewe lambs, I assisted Stella and her ewe and ram lamb (above). This is Stella's first time. We had to help with delivering the ewe lambs who was huge – 12 lbs! From the looks of things at the moment, I'll have a busy night in the barn. Ursa is pawing the straw
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A Safe Berth

April 6, 2010 | 13 Comments

Spied this in the barn yesterday. Cassandra and one of her triplets in a moment of perfect contentment. (But I do need to get a coat back on that momma.) Quiet night – no new arrivals. Please spread the word about this week's big giveaway and I'll announce a winner on Friday. copyright 2010. Barbara Parry. All rights reserved. Feel free to share a link to this website. Please do not take content or images from this website without my explicit written permission. Thank you.
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On the lamb front

April 5, 2010 | 25 Comments

Just a quick post to bring you up to date. Cassandra delivered triplets Saturday – our second set back to back. Harrington, Herculana, and Helvetica are doing quite well. They join Verbena's trio, Georgia, Garamond and Gigi, pictured above. We now officially have a triplet ward set up in the southeast corner of the barn. We have to feed the triplet moms differently than the rest, so it's actually easier if there's a couple of sets of three. They are cutest group in the barn at the moment. Yesterday Pansy delivered a ram and a ewe lamb (Jazz and Lucida)
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Easter Visit

April 4, 2010 | 14 Comments

Sending wishes for a happy Easter & happy spring. Hand-crafted bunny by Elizabeth Radysh. copyright 2010. Barbara Parry. All rights reserved. Feel free to share a link to this website. Please do not take content or images from this website without my explicit written permission. Thank you.
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This Week’s Winner – New Giveaway!

April 2, 2010 | 161 Comments

Meet Verbena's little ewe-ling. That's what we're calling her for the moment, since she's only hours old and I haven't chosen a "font" themed name for her or for two brothers just yet. We're up to the letter "G". Let's see . . . . Garamond, Georgia, Gloucester. Or maybe we should move on to "H"?? I've drawn a winner from the commenters on last week's giveaway. SusanSW is the lucky recipient of a Sheep Shares spring yarn share and a copy of Gail Callahan's Dyeing book! Thank you, Susan, and everyone who commented last week. Today kicks
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Cormo Triplets

April 2, 2010 | 10 Comments

A very early start to my day. Verbena delivered healthy triplets just before dawn, a pair of rams and a ewe. They arrived hungry, talking and were quickly on their feet. Verbena is one of my all-stars, taking everything in stride. Thank you for your concern for Galveston. Her eyes looked brighter this morning and she picked at the hay I offered on my way out of the barn. I know I have a contest winner to announce a little later today, after I've had a little rest. Please check back in a bit. copyright 2010. Barbara Parry. All
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Ups and Downs

April 1, 2010 | 19 Comments

I'll start with the good news. Last night Comet delivered the adorable twins pictured above. "Euphemia"(left) and "Franklin" arrived after dinner. Their debut is special because they are the first offspring from our new moorit ram, Chai. And while I had been hoping for a brown lamb, I'm pleased with this healthy pair. The only wrinkle in their arrival was Comet's udder – almost no colostrum. So we borrowed from the ewes in neighboring pens until Comet's milk comes in. Holly (such a trooper) held hot compresses on Comet's udder for an hour last night, to help stimulate milk flow.
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Bouncing Lambs

April 1, 2010 | 14 Comments

Hitting some bumps today. Posting this from the tailgate of my Highlander with Galveston as we wait for Doc Majors to arrive at the clinic in Chesterfield, New Hampshire. This is not looking like her day.I will keep you posted on the outcome. Keep your fingers crossed for her. In the meantime I filmed the lambs this morning as they cavorted in the mixing pen with their mothers.
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Lamb Birthing Video

March 31, 2010 | 19 Comments

I happened to have my camcorder handy yesterday for the arrival of Calypso's second lamb. She had dropped the first lamb by the time I got to the barn. The title of this post says it all. If you're squeamish about such things (or if you have little ones reading along with you), you might skip the video and come back tomorrow. It was a very calm birth with an experienced ewe. I stopped filming to help the lamb toward the end (didn't want him to inhale fluid) but then it resumes with the lambs in the pen with their
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