Archives for lambs

Donatella’s Lamb Birthing – video

Donatella’s Lamb Birthing – video

April 13, 2011 | 12 Comments

I shot this with my iPhone (that's why the image is the size of postage stamp, sorry 'bout that) shortly after my last post. Donatella did a beautiful job of birthing her first lambs – a super-cute pair of ewe-lings!  Help us welcome our newest apples: Gala and Paula Red. Donatella and her lambs are doing well. For a friendly ewe she has turned into quite the fierce mother. She didn't want me or Holly anywhere near her lambs. I have a nice bruise on my hand to prove it. This video shows Gala's first words (she's actually having a
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Donatella’s in Labor

Donatella’s in Labor

April 13, 2011 | 6 Comments

Some action in the barn this morning. Donatella's getting ready to birth her lambs as I type this so I'll be brief. The above photos show her about an hour ago, having her first contractions. She's transitioning now to pushing mode. If you come back later I'll show you what her lamb(s) look like.  Wish her luck!
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Sunday’s Lambs

Sunday’s Lambs

April 10, 2011 | 7 Comments

We have a new set of twins! Meet Jonathan and Pink Lady. Bailey delivered them at dinnertime last night. These are Bailey's first lambs and also the very first lambs out of our black fine-wool ram, Cinder. We had hoped for a Moorit lamb (brown like momma) out of this crossing. PInk Lady has one little spot of brown on her back, but that's it. We love her pink little nose. Bailey has a beautiful udder and (so far) gets a gold star for mothering skills.   Happy Sunday to all.
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Sleepless nights

Sleepless nights

April 5, 2011 | 11 Comments

"Check out my wrinkles!" No new developments on the lamb front since the weekend. MacIntosh (above), Duchess and Pippin are mixing it up with each other in the super-sized pen we created for them. Now they can have play dates. Chanel is mellow about her little ones hanging out with the lamb from next door. But Chloe is an overprotective ewe. She doesn't want anyone getting too close to her lamb, including other sheep. It's kind of funny, since her "baby" is twice the size of Chanel's twins. I love watching all of it during barn chores. I am not
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Good News – More Ewes!

Good News – More Ewes!

April 1, 2011 | 13 Comments

An April Fool's Day snowstorm didn't slow things down any in the birthing barn. This morning Chanel birthed this pair of Cormo ewe lambs.With three new arrivals it's time to get down to the business of naming our little apples. This year I enlisted help from my Sheep Shares CSA members to name our first lamb. Pippin was chosen as the most popular name for a ewe lamb. And so we've named our first lamb, born yesterday to Chloe. The second most popular name for a girl was: Duchess .      The most popular choices for a ram lamb was
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Llama Lure

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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Poll Time – Help Us Name the Lambs!

Poll Time – Help Us Name the Lambs!

March 10, 2011 | 4 Comments

Despite the emergence buckets on the sugar maples, the landscape in western Massachusetts still reads "winter". The snow cover is measurable in feet. Just two days ago the entire woodland was spectacularly sheathed in ice.  A trip to the barn calls for hat, gloves, insulated boots and a heavy parka. So it's a little hard to fathom that within three weeks we'll be welcoming newborn lamb here at Springdelle Farm. It's the surest sign of spring's arrival. I am up to my eyeballs in fresh fleece and we have another round of shearing yet to go before the lambs make their
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Holiday Weekend

Holiday Weekend

December 26, 2010 | 7 Comments

A few scenes from Christmas day at the farm. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. We're getting hammered tonight with the first blizzard of the year. Tomorrow will be busy, plowing, shoveling, snow blowing. But for tonight, I'm just enjoying the storm as the holiday weekend winds down, crossing my fingers that we don't lose power.
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Name-Storming?

Name-Storming?

November 29, 2010 | 60 Comments

Whoa, before you get too excited please know this is a photo from a few year's back. It has been suggested that it's not too early to begin "name-storming" a list of themes for next spring's lambs – since the work is now in progress with the flock. Here's a list of themes used in most recent years: 2005: Greek Mythology 2006: Herbs & Spices 2007: U.S. cities & towns 2008: Fashion Lambs 2009: Colors 2010: Computer Fonts & Typeface  We'll start a list of ideas now and then put it to a vote.  Let the name-storming begin!
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