Summer feels like it's evaporating as we edge toward the autumn equinox. Hay is happening, bit by bit, and the barns are now about half full of what we need to feed the flock this winter. The flock is now enjoying cool, dry grazing days.  Here's the scene at the top of the hill this afternoon, where my son Caleb and I found Caitlyn and her entourage enjoying the shade of the pines. Actually, when we arrived at the top of the hill, Caitlyn was in one of her favorite haunts on the leeward side of the shelter. She seemed
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Here are a few glimpses from this week: The lambs checking for the newspaper, the yearlings and Caitlyn drying off in front of the fans after a thunderstorm, and Belle meditating in a quiet corner of the barn late one afternoon. We’re having some decent drying weather which means we’re back in business on second cutting hay. Norm and Lisa have mown, tedded and raked the Long lot,our largest field; we should be ready to bale tomorrow. So much rides on the volume and quality of this mowing. We have many mouths to feed in the barn this winter. Yesterday
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It's been mighty busy here over the past couple of weeks as we've been scrambling to pull in hay bales in between bouts of thunderstorms. In the midst of all of it I've had the nicest visits. . .  Starting with last week when Lynne Vogel, author of Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook and Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters, stopped in to meet the lambs and see the farm. Although Lynne and I keep in touch online, it's been about six years since we've actually seen each other face to face- that was when I took her color spinning workshop at SOAR in
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While Holly and I wrapped up chores this evening I took some sheep shots with my new iPhone. I’m actually able to post to my blog from my phone – it’s mindnumbingly easy. So I’ll quick posting more often. Separating the moorits was sad. Chai, the moorit ram above was quite protective of his girls and he’s not sure he likes being with the cormo ram lambs . Not yet anyway. He has his buddy Latte for company . The moorit ewe lamb, Cognac and Bailey, are enjoying their new friends. It was funto see them all together sharing the
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Took this shot as the light was beginning to fade. The mothers followed me as I inspected their pasture. Such a lovely time Of evening. Today we separated the little ewes from the not so little ram lambs. Lots ofunhappy campers but they’ll soon adjust. More later!
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I’m thrilled to announce the arrival of a very special little ewe-lamb – my niece Lillian who arrived this week to my sister Kathy and her husband Scott. Lily’s debut was four weeks early which took all of us by surprise; she’s the cutest little lamb of all and I’ll post pictures soon. In the meantime, my April lambs are getting big, as you can see from the video below. Sorry for the shaky footage, hard to film and walk at the same time.  Enjoy!
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Say hello to our new Moorit lambs! Last Friday Holly and I drove to Foxhill Farm in Lee, MA, home to Alice Field and her flock of lovely Cormo and Merino-cross Moorits. I had spoken with Alice a month ago about adding a Moorit lamb to bring color to my flock (Moorit is not a breed, but a recessive color gene for a true brown sheep). I surprised myself by coming home with not one, but a flock of four in the back of my Toyota Highlander. I found them all irresistible, their colors amazing.  So let me introduce you.
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I'm not sure where the time went this week. Since my return from Cambridge where I gave a talk on dyeing  & color inspiration for the Common Cod Fiber Guild, we've had a stretch of glorious, sunny weather that has brought busy days. So this post is short on words but long on photos, sharing snippets from this week. We're also preparing for our Sheep Shares Ice Tea Social on Saturday. Lambs' Quarters – The lambs love their new home in the west barn and the forage on the west side of the farm. They're becoming autonomous, as I transition
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Several back-to-back days of sunshine and gentle breezes are giving us the perfect window for making hay, at last. Norm started mowing over the weekend and has been fluffing and raking ever since. The tedder (above) is throwing up an amazing amount of wake, since the grasses are long and lanky. The lack of humidity and steady breeze is drying the stalks quickly. With any luck bailing will start this afternoon. Although this is very late for first cutting, we will still have a decent amount of time for growing and mowing a second cut later this season to feed
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Crackerjack has been getting so much attention, being center stage with the lambs all spring. Some of you have asked about Caitlyn, Crackerjack's counterpart and co-guardian of the flock. She's on assignment in the upper pasture with a flock of 40 yearlings and ewes. The group has the run of a 15 acre pasture rimmed by stone walls. There's a shaded lane that runs along the fence line and serves our access road for daily trips up the hill with water. The group has a southeast facing shelter that shades them and protects from prevailing winds and many trees for
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