Sheep Shares members – Strolling of the Lambs 2012 is tomorrow, Sunday, June 3, 11 – 3pm. It's pouring buckets here today. Not a great day to visit a sheep farm. In case you're wondering, (the above photo is from last year's event). Hope to see you tomorrow!
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More wild flowers have arrived. On Thursday Crimson birthed adorable twins. We've named the ram lamb Bluebell (Blue for short) and the ewe-ling Buttercup, after her grandmother, Buttercup, one of our very first Cormos from Alice Field's flock at Foxhill Farm. As you may remember, Buttercup passed away last year. Crimson is a good mother, but her milk is slow to come in. It's weird because her udder is as big as a bowling ball, but there's very little coming out of the spigots. The lambs really have to work at it and then seem to give up. I've tried hot
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Big day – our first lambs are on the ground! Java delivered a pretty pair of ewe lambs late this afternoon. Thanks, everyone for voting on a theme for naming this year's lambs. Since Wild Flowers received the most votes in our poll for naming the lambs, all lambs will be named for wild flowers this year. Aren't we lucky, we get to start with girls? Would you like to suggest names for our first lambs? Leave a comment here. And check back here to stay posted on our new arrivals..
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Note: The survey poll that was at the bottom of this post is not working. To vote, leave your choice in the comments. Thanks!Our lambs are coming soon! In this year of an earlier-than-usual spring, our lambs are arriving later than usual. We expect our first lamblings to debut near the end of April. We need to choose a theme for naming this year's lambs-to-be. Would you like to help? Last year you voted for "Apple Names" and they were so cute – Pippin, Macintosh, Braeburn. In other years we've used Greek mythology, herbs & spices, U.S. towns, fashion
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Our Monday looked like this. and this . . . as we tackle the spring rite of shearing sheep. When my flock was smaller than it is now, we couId accomplish shearing in one day. We now have too many sheep for that! So on Monday we started by shearing the biggest, wooliest sheep on the farm: the mighty rams and wethers. We had time before lunch so we de-fleeced 16 ewes as well. This group included our "grannies". This was Cocoa's 15th shearing! Next Wednesday we'll shear our bred ewes. And then on Saturday, April 7th, we'll host our
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This is Cocoa – she is my very first sheep. This her special day, her 15th birthday, which makes this our flock's 15th anniversary also. We're celebrating with a very special Knit Along – and a little birthday party at the barn this afternoon. What does a birthday party for sixty sheep, three llamas and a goat look like? How do sheep and goats like to celebrate special occasions? What can you do to celebrate with us? Join our Cocoa Birthday KAL. Today is our official Cast on – but you could start tomorrow or anytime you like, as long
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A quick update on the pupster front. Zoe's rehab process has been labor intense, as you might imagine. She and Farley are in good spirits. We are all adjusting to changes in our lives and routines. Zoe is up to three ten minute leash walks a day and I'm helping her gently do stairs so she can keep me company in my home office. Last Friday she sat in the car and watched me trim sheep hoofs in the barn. Farley is growing up. What a tank. He's working toward his Canine Good Citizen obedience title. I actually think he
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I have some sad news. Zoe has elbow dysplasia. Yesterday she had surgery at Veterinary Specialist of CT. We set out for Hartford in the morning. I rode in the back seat with her and knit while Mike drove. She napped and minded my yarn. (BTW, she loves when I knit; the soft click of needles and occasional tug at the yarn tell her exactly where I am and what I'm doing without her opening her eyes). Hartford is a long ride from Shelburne but our consult with our local canine ortho-expert, Dr. Benson (Veterinary Emergency & Speciality Hospital of South
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Following a snowless December, 2012 is off to a cold start. I don't mind the cold, nor do the sheep. Our rams and wethers are still in the paddock behind our house at the top of the hill (except for Chai and Cinder, who are down at the farm for breeding season). In most years, we've moved everyone down to the big barns by this time. This season, we're waiting for weather to force the issue. As soon as we hear snow in the forecast, it will be time to bring all sheep back to the farm for winter. In
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Our puppies reveled in their first snowfall. A dusting of 4 inches stuck to the ground here in the highlands. OMG what a surprise for two rambunctious pupsters at first light! Hard to get a picture of them standing still, but I thought you'd enjoy watching their morning play in their transformed back yard. Now I'm off to visit the sheep. Happy Friday.
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