Spring Weather

This weekend we have been having the luxury of warm weather. No rain or clouds in sight. It is a nice change compared to the nasty storm we had this past week that brought down many trees on our farm. Not only are we enjoying this mild weather but so are the ewes and lambs.

Even the daffodils think it is spring!

Meet the Rams: Mr. Bumblebee & Lucas

In the summer, before the rams are introduced to their girls, we plan what ewes will go with which ram. Many years we just put ewes into color groups with one ram. This year the plan was different. However, fate played its part and changed our plans.

Prepping  Lucas at Black Sheep Gathering

 Meet Lucas he is a yearling ram, this being his first year breeding any ewes. Lucas is our farm's breeding and was purchased this spring by a friend who we do a lot of ram sharing and trading with. He was assigned to breed the majority of my flock in addition to our friends natural colored Romney flock. This however left Lucas' mom and half sister in a bad spot. We really didn't want to put them on Lucas because is was too close. They also were too nice to put on our white ram Chance and loose a year on our two best natural colored ewes.

So, meet Mr. Bumblebee. He is our friends ram and we used him last year on three ewes as an experiment. We had hoped his lambs might be bigger, he ended up producing mostly boys and the lambs weren't any bigger. The story behind his name is that the one ewe lamb he did sire we sold to a 4-H family in California, they named the lamb Bumblebee aka BB. Though the lambs he produced weren't a big improvement, he was in no way related to the two ewes that were too closely related to Lucas.

Checking out the girls

This was the original set up of our breeding year. That is, until fate took a twist. Two Wednesdays ago we got a text from our friend saying Lucas was hurt and asking if we could bring Mr. Bumblebee over. So we loaded up Mr. Bumblebee and his ewes and headed over. It ended up that Lucas had hurt his hock and could hardly walk, let alone breed a flock of ewes. Before his accident Lucas had only managed to successfully breed three ewes, only one was ours. So, now Mr. Bumblebee has taken over the majority of the breeding. Meanwhile, Lucas is slowly healing.

Zora playing peek-a-boo.

I made friends with one of our friend's ewes, Fudge.

Meet the Rams: Chance

Breeding season is well under way. All the ewes have been with their respective groups for about three weeks now. This year we have a lot of new rams with our girls and so I thought they should be introduced.

This is Chance our white Romney ram; he will be turning three this coming February. He is also the newest addition to the farm, having only been here for less than three months. Last June we had quite the experience bringing him home from Washington.

It was about a 2 hour and 30 min drive from our little farm here in the Willamette Valley to reach Chance at his farm. We were full of anticipation because we only had seen one picture of him and another of his fleece. Upon arrival we met Chance, toured the farm and then prepared to load. We backed our truck up to a small hill and with a little encouragement, walked him into the truck.

The first picture we saw of Chance.

As we drove down the country road leading to the freeway Chance seemed a little perplexed but not too alarmed. Once on the freeway it was a completely different story! Obviously Chance had never ridden in an open truck before. All the wind, semi trucks, and overpasses scared him. He wanted out! Barely 15 minutes on the freeway he began to climb the stock rack. At the farm we learned he was one powerful ram, all brawn and muscle. I instantly was put on watch duty when Mom saw him put him feet on the rack the first time. As I watched I saw him place his front feet on the second to top rung to the stock rack. I flipped around covered my eyes and cried, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Pull over!" I swore that he was just about to disappear over the top of that rack and become road kill.

We pulled over and put the caution lights on. I quickly got into the back with him and put him on a halter. Almost instantly he began to relax even though there were still cars and semi trucks hurdling past. Mom began making calls, first to the owners of the farm but they didn't pick up. Then to two friends who own sheep. Through their suggestions we tied his head down as low as we could using the tie down rings in the bed of the truck. Then I put a sweatshirt over his head and ears. Finally, I shoved alfalfa under his nose, to hopefully keep him content. We then proceeded, though much slower than the speed limit. Several times we stopped to adjust his sweatshirt and hay. He did become a little restless at times but we finally made it home. It was a very scary experience for both us and Chance.

Now Chance is contently out with his girls. He is with 8 ewes and has bred all of them at least once so far. We can tell because the harness he wears holds a crayon on his chest. When he mounts a ewe he will leave a mark on her rump. This allows us to have an estimate of when she will be due. We change the crayon ever 16 days or so. A ewe will come in heat about every 16 days. So if for some reason the first breeding was not successful and she is re-bred we will know.

The sheep enjoy eating the leaves off this tree that fell recently.

So far everyone in his group has been bred once and there has only been one re-mark. His lambs will be due the end of January and the start of February.

Check back soon for another ram profile.

Winter Stores

The feeling of autumn surrounds us here on the farm. The yellow school bus passes by at 7:30 every morning and the mornings and evenings are cooler than before. Even the leaves are starting to change to shades of yellow and orange. While it may still be summer for another two weeks you can still feeling hints of the approaching season. Which means we must think ahead to the winter months to come.

The ewe lambs waiting to be fed.

Three Saturdays ago I made a trip to our local hay dealer. We get our hay from a place about a two minute drive from our house. It is only open on Saturday from 8 am to noon. So trying to beat any long lines I arrived just shortly after they opened, made my purchase and inquired about some local grass hay. After unloading the alfalfa at home it was decided that I should return and buy a ton of the grass. Upon my second return with the grass we decided that the grass was such a great deal that we would like more. We made a call and ended up reserving the remaining five tons. However, we had to wait to pick up the hay until after state fair.

Enjoying some of our new grass hay.

So yesterday was the day we finally went to pick up our coveted hay. We left bright and early, got the first ton and returned to unload. Shortly after we started unloading the first ton our friend and her son arrived with their truck to help. With four people working the unloading and stacking went a lot faster. Having two trucks bringing loads of hay in made the processes move in a quick steady stream. As soon as one truck was empty it left to pick up its next load and returned just about the time the other truck was empty. We managed to bring in five tons of hay in less than four hours. We are very thankful for our friends who came to help.

The last ton.

It is such a relief to have this hay in the barn. We estimate this will last us until January right before we start lambing. We are just one step closer to being ready for winter.

Spring Days

 

   

                                                                                  

                                        

Drowning in Wool

About five years ago my flock of sheep was small in numbers consisting of two natural colored Romneys. Of course I ended up expanding I earned the Oregon Romney Breeds Association's Starter flock and was given a small flock of Dorsets. Since then the flock has continued to grow and with the growing numbers fleece production has also gone up.

The original plan was to shear in November,that never happened. Yesterday finally all thirty-three sheep that needed to be shorn got shorn. Shearing went a bit faster because we had two shearers. Wool was coming off so fast I hardly had a chance to take pictures or bag up one fleece before another needed bagging.

The only picture of shearing I got.

Our house is now filled with fleeces, and I mean wall to wall fleeces. One unfortunate fact about shearing in November in the Willamette Valley is the rain. The day before we have to bring all the sheep being shorn into the barn so that they might dry off a little. But really how much can a wet sheep dry after being outside in the rain for days upon days. Dry fleeces are easier for the shearing to shear and it also is easier for us to store. Most of our fleeces are not dry we are madly trying to dry and skirt fleeces.

Merry Christmas?

There are fleeces spread on sheets throughout the house in attempts for them to start drying as they wait in line to be skirted. Fleeces that are already dry because the sheep was in the barn for a longer time get put at the end of this line. Having fleeces lying on the floor can be fun and a big inconvenience. For instance walking across and dry fleece in bare feet is soft and squishy that is until you step on a wet spot or a piece of poky vegetable matter. But then you can't always walk where you need to go and did I mention the lanolin makes the dining room floor slippery. My mom says we need a wool house and a lot of skirting tables.

Sorting wool by color.

I am very excited for all of you to see some of the gorgeous fleeces we have this year.I want to play with some so bad!

 Also this coming year we are having a bunch of Dorset products made that include: roving both white and natural colored, white and natural colored yarn, and felt. To get a chance to play with our Moorit (brown) Dorset roving join our 2013 Dorset Roving CSA.

All CSAs for this coming year are now available.

To-Do List

Fall is creeping up on me and with it so many things that need to be done. The sheep on the other hand have no priorities with the coming of fall, at least not on their minds. For me though I have a list going.

Firewood Ready to be Stacked

#1. Finish getting ready for The Oregon State Fair

           What can I say I'm a procrastinator. Maybe that's why I have such a long list. We leave Wednesday to drop sheep off at the fairgrounds. Since the American Romney Breeders Assoc. is celebrating 100 years I'm bring a lot of sheep. Lets just say I may or may not be behind on fitting them.

Sleepy Stardust

#2. School

          There is school shopping and registration. I am sooo not ready to go back to school.

#3. Prepare for the holidays

        That means Christmas gifts for others, but also things to sell in our shop. I need to make more of our very popular sheep Christmas ornaments. Plus I'm going to try to make other things too. (I need to have a start before OFFF)

These Cute Ornaments Are Very Popular

#4. CSA
           Finishing up this years CSA is one thing. Yes, I know I got behind of the newsletter I'm planning on sending the next one out on time. Just a side note for any of our CSA members I will be shipping you shares out tomorrow.
           I also need to start planning for next years CSA. I would love to hear from my current CSA member about suggestions on how I could make the program better or even things they would enjoy being added.

Yes, We Recycle Boxes

#5. Keeping This Blog Updated
         Even if I made a new year resolution I don't know how much better I would get at keeping this blog up to date. But I try even though you might have noticed I mostly write about sheep shows and lambing season and we both know there is way more to being a sheep farmer than that.

#6. Raverly
        Another place I need to keep updated. I really need your support, you remember that member drive it looks like we will be going through September.I need you to remind me to write things post your own threads and get a conversation started.
Keep on inviting people!!! Make sure if they join to have them tell me who suggested our group. Remember whoever gets the most people to join our group will get a 15% coupon off in our Etsy store.


#7. Breeding Season
       It's almost here, as soon as State Fair is over we will be introducing our rams. That sounds like a good blog, I need to remember that.

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So as you can see I have lots to do and I just might be running out of time seeing as I am a procrastinator with way to many things to do, of course Mom helps a lot but we still fall behind.

Looks Like It's Time To Pick Blackberries

BSG- Day 3

The Black Sheep Gathering was wrapped up yesterday. It proved to be a nice day, no rain, just blue skys.

Jefferson, Champion Ram, Jr Show, with judge Mark Eidman

I spent the morning showing in the Jr show and did very well. Jefferson got first in his class (he was the only entry in yearling ram) and then got champion ram. Esther got second in her class and then recieved reserve champion ewe. Jane placed lower in her class but has lots of growth potential.

Jane Looking Cute

Esther, Reserve Champion Ewe, Jr Show, With Judge Mark Eidman

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and waiting for it to be time to pack up and leave. We had a wonderful time and are looking forward to next year!

BSG -Day 2

 We had another wonderful day at the Black Sheep Gathering. We showed our Natural Colored Dorsets as well as one yearling Romney ewe. Smokey, one of our Dorsets took 6th place in his class out of 8. I was very pleased with this considering he was being shown against long wools and fine wool sheep since there wasn't enough medium wool entries to have their own class. Bonnie took last in her class which I had expected since her fleece isn't the greatest, we are hoping it will improve with age like her mom.Ruth did pretty good in her class but her fault that caused her to be placed lower runs in her line. It's just not very lady like for a ewe to have a big chest. Here are some pictures of our day.

Smokey

Bonnie

I Feel Bad For The Outside Vendors Since The Weather Isn't Being Very Agreeable

Showing Ruth

Getting Ruth Ready

Jefferson Has Been Getting A Lot Of Attention, He Loves It



The Public Admiring Our Sheep

Black Sheep Day 1

Today was the first official day of The Black Sheep Gathering. It was a relaxed day, no shows for us so we watched other shows, looked around at the other vendors, and chatted with people who stopped to admire of farm booth. We have met lots of new people and even got to see some friendly faces from other fiber events.

A Blurry Picture Of Our Farm Booth

Tomorrow is when the showing starts. I will be showing Ruth in the natural colored Romney open show and Bonnie and Smokey will also be shown. Everyone who doesn't get shown tomorrow will be shown on Sunday in the Jr. show.


A Little Photo Display I Put Together

The sheep that have gone to shows before are adjusting into their show modes. This may sound silly but they really do act differently at shows. For example my two yearling ewes that I brought were not at all impressed with the pre-show clipping and getting caught. They would run around and around their pen trying to avoid being caught. Now that they are at the show the are calm and cool they come up to the fence, say hello to the passersby and are more then willing to be petted. Jefferson also enjoys the attention though he gets tired with the ordeal and retreats to the back of the pen.

Ruth & Esther Relaxing

For all the lambs, only one has been to a show before and a really low key one at that, they are learning the ropes. Bonnie knows a little of what to expect having gone to the Lamb and Wool Fair in May. Smokey doesn't have a clue but is more then content to snooze in his pen chewing his cud. Jane also has no clue in fact I had just pulled her off the field to sub in for another lamb. Jane was behind line of subs, the first original ewe lamb we felt wasn't in the best condition and needed some extra feed the next to lambs both were sick and couldn't go. So now little Jane has to learn to walk on a halter and show walk at this show.

I think I disturbed Jane & Bonnie's Nap

Smokey Boy

We very much appreciate all the support we get from everyone who turns out to these events as well as our online supporters. Thank You!

Jefferson Isn't Sure He Likes His Picture Being Taken