Big Moves | Foxfire Fiber & Designs

A few scenes from a busy day full of big changes.

Weaning, Day One – We separated the lambs from the mothers this afternoon. It was high time. While I'm sure the lambs would nurse until they were yearlings (if the mothers allowed it), they are getting everything they need from the pastures now. And those mommas need a break.

Holly led the troupe across the road: one llama, 20 mothers, 33 lambs. An orderly procession until we made it to the open barn where it was all craziness, noise and chaos. We sorted ewes from lambs and then led the ewes back across the road to the birthing barn paddock. That's where they'll "dry off" .

The lambs baaahed while watching the mothers depart. And once the moms got back to the other barn (led by Holly with a grain pan) they realized, "Hey, wait a minute. We forgot the kids!" And when they saw the lambs weren't following right behind, you should have heard them.

We're in for a noisy night. The lambs have plenty of hay and water but they're wailing up a storm. They'll camp inside their new barn until they settle and then tomorrow we'll turn them out on fresh pasture. Crackerjack remains with this group now. I swear, I could see him rolling his eyes, "here we go again . . ."

Fortunately, it's been a quiet week with no new predator strikes here or at the neighbors' farms. But I'm still fairly anxious about the prospect. For peace of mind, we'll be pasturing the lambs on one of the newly mown hay fields, inside hard fence. Once the dust settles.

There was another group of departures today. Five of our remaining ten Border Leicesters left for new homes in Vermont. We were really sad to see them go: Lovey, Woody, Topanga, Colrain and Flo. Andy, my shearer, took three of them to join a handsome black ram I sold him years ago (Groucho). And two girls have gone to another farm in Vermont. Although I'll miss them, I glad to see them going to flocks where they'll be put to work, lambing each year.

My decision to part with my Leicesters is one I made over time. Raising two breeds within one flock can be challenging from a management standpoint – as their needs are very different at certain times of the year.

So maybe now you're wondering, "what about the yarn?" Our migration toward raising Cormo, Cormo crosses and more recently moorit sheep means our yarns will be crafted from a blend of finer wools raised here at the farm – in a wider range of natural colors. Our "Upland" blends yarns will retain their rustic character but with more bounce and a softer hand. And our Cormo yarns will be as soft and squishy as ever. I'm really looking forward to being able to offer a broader range of fine wool, farm yarns over the course of the next year. Stay tuned.

Even so, it was a wistful goodbye. I'm looking forward to visiting the girls with lambs at their sides next spring.