Lamb's : 20 so far
Towhee - chocolate shetland ram lamb
Shetland and Finn's
Lambs!
Robin & Quail Shetland ewe & ram
Chickadee, Pipit & Jay
(shetland/finn triplets)
Chickadee, Pipit & Jay(shetland/finn triplets)
We have such fun watching the lamb races in the evening when the ewes are having their dinner. The lambs all gather in one corner, someone says "ready, set, Go!" and the race is on. They leap, jump, twist, and simply enjoy life. You can't possibly feel down in the dumps living in an environment like this. :0)
Piglets are coming! We raise pigs each year. Normally only 6 but this year we are raising 8 - 7 for other people and one for our family. The concern about where food is coming from is certainly growing in our area and so the demand for fresh meat grows. I think they are adorable when they are little. Not so when they get big. I have a healthy fear of huge pigs and I do not get in that pig pen anymore than I absolutely have to. They are normally all friendly because we make of them when they are piglets but I still do not trust them. I love pork so I don't mind raising them. I'm always relieved though when it's time to take them to the butcher.
Jake & Penelope
We have started planting the gardens. I love to get in the dirt and was surprised at how warm the soil is after all the rain we've had. We put in 40 broccoli plants and 24 cabbage plants the other day. We are waiting on sweet potato plants and will plant greens and radishes tomorrow, time permitting. Our seed order from Gurneys should arrive any day. It's like Christmas for me when that box arrives!
We are shearing sheep and trying to get them all done before we get into the gardens full time. I think there are about 20 or so left out of 40. I did 6 this morning. If I could do that every morning, we'd be done quickly but some days my back complains loudly and I don't shear any. All in good time :0)
5 comments:
Hi, I just discovered your blog. We are moving to a small farm this summer and plan to raise shetland sheep. I'd love to hear your opinion of them. What do you like about shetlands? What do you dislike? They seem like they will be the best fit for us. We've gotten a lot of experience working with sheep this spring. We've been helping a friend with hers. Her sheep are big and I'm looking forward to working with smaller sheep.
Wow, it looks like you have very busy.
Finally winter is over and all the fun begins.
Great pics - Thank you
Your babies are lovely! You sure have your hands full!
Christy,
Congratulations on your move :0) I keep a small flock of Shetlands and I also raise Finn sheep. My shetlands are very skittish and moody. Not all that appealing but they do have beautiful fiber. The Finns seem to be more even tempered and my girls are very sweet and friendly. I cross the shetlands with the finns for a more docile, sweet tempered sheep with gorgeous, crimpy, fine fiber that handspinners and knitters really love. We get many different natural colors and lots of spots. :0) We also raise them for meat and the cross gives us a bigger carcass size.
Not ALL shetland sheep are skittish and flighty but they have that reputation. They were my first sheep all those years ago and I will always have a few of them around. Their little lambs are adorable and shetland fiber is a dream to spin.
Hope that helps ~ Thanks for visiting....hope you check back often.
Nita......your right - spring is such a fun time of year on the farm. I take my beach chair to the lamb pen in the evening when I have a few minutes and just watch them.....they are so curious and before long they climb all over us.
Threecollie - thanks :) I do enjoy those lambs very much. I'm always amazed at how quickly they grow.
I can only image how busy life is at your farm!
Debi
Deb - Thank you for the information. I need to do some more research. I would like to have friendly sheep. But I would also like the smaller size.
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