Archives for contest

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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Winter’s Waning GiveAway

February 11, 2011 | 170 Comments

We've hit the winter doldrums. Freeze, snow, thaw, freeze, snow, thaw, repeat. Ice dams on the barn roof, glacial ice sheets in the barn yard, ginormous mountains of grimy slush everywhere. Winter has worn out its welcome but it's too early to start hunting for signs of spring. Instead I'm looking for signs of winter easing up: the angle of the sun in the sky – a little higher than it was just a week ago; a few extra minutes of daylight for evening chores. Aside from the drama of our weekly storms, there's a sameness to winter farm routine.
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Friday GiveAways & Studio Lamb

April 16, 2010 | 106 Comments

A few scenes from my morning: I've named Helena's black ewe lamb "Mistral" (one of yesterday's suggestions, thank you!). She spent her 4th night indoors, after making new friends in the barn yesterday. Following her midnight bottle feeding I brought her back to the studio with me as I did not want to return to the barn for the 2 & 4 a.m. feedings. She doesn't stay in her basket anymore, wants to sleep on the floor beside the bed with her head tucked under the bedskirt. I put a woolen blanket there for her and she has
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More lambs, More Giveaways, Another Winner

April 9, 2010 | 115 Comments

The lambs are loving their new creep pen. I thought you might like to see them having fun in their new giant play pen, complete with toys. And food. In the background a lamb is entering through a slot the creep panel from the adjacent pen where we keep the mothers. I love watching them explore for the first time. At first they're hesitant and spooked by a new place. And then they let loose and start bouncing around. Party time. The green ball is for the boys to practice head butting. Quite rammy for such a young age. See that
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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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Rainy Day – Lambing Q & A

March 29, 2010 | 11 Comments

Dreariness! Rain and wind and no new lambs today. Actually, that's not so bad since we're all pretty bushed. Our bright moments were in the barn enjoying the six little ones who arrived over the weekend. Arial and Bodoni had the right idea, napping in the straw. "Bodo" has a cough. He's had a slight chest rattle since birth. After taking his temp (which was slightly elevated) and consulting with Andy and my vet, I gave him some antibiotics. Don't worry, we'll be watching him closely. Hopefully he'll rally by morning. Since it's a quiet day, I thought I'd take
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Announcing this year’s theme (drumroll please. . .)

March 12, 2010 | 13 Comments

Memphis, Cormo cross ewe lamb from 2007 (theme: U.S. towns & cities) Tough choice. First of all, thank you to everyone who took the time to offer a suggestion. While I always enjoy hearing from the world beyond the farm, your feedback is especially welcome at this season where the work here gets more intense and my occasions for interacting with the real world more limited as my focus is on the farm.Your thoughts, questions and input are welcome and I enjoy hearing from you. I've waffled a bit in choosing this year's theme. Some of you have chimed
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Shearing Day 3 – Contest: Name the Lambs

March 3, 2010 | 119 Comments

The pregnant ewes are now all shorn. Whew! It's the group I fret over the most so I am hugely relieved that they're all now freshly coiffed and dressed in clean frocks. Without their ten pound fleeces, it's much easier to see if any ewes are over conditioned or under conditioned. The group looks just right. Carrera is the only one who looks as though she might possibly be eating pickles and ice cream on the sly. This afternoon as Andy finished shearing Galveston and while she was still seated on the board, Holly and I patted her tummy to
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More colors and a lucky winner

January 26, 2010 | 10 Comments

I love surprising friends and making people happy. So all week I've looked forward to drawing a name today – one lucky winner who will receive a Sheep Shares 2010 membership for a Farm Yarn Sampler. Since announcing this contest last week, Sheep Shares has grown and grown in numbers – to the point where I've had to press pause. I've put a hold on adding new members for the moment, until we catch up on paperwork (and make sure we still have enough yarn to go around). It doesn't mean you can't get in. After the dust settles and
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Fruit Loop

January 20, 2010 | 6 Comments

Have you ever wondered if goats prefer strawberries or clementines? The answer is: both! Gypsy is our little fruit loop, brightening our spirits on an otherwise gray morning. Thanks everybody, for your very kind words about my blog, in response to Monday's post. The contest runs through next Tuesday (which means I'll announce a winner by 7 pm EST Tues. evening). The rest of the Sheep Shares Farm Yarn memberships are going fast. By the end of the week, the contest may end being the only way to get one. Please spread the word!
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