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.

Add caption

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

Summer Days

Tomorrow I will have had a full week of recuperation after Linn County Fair. I had a wonderful time at the Fair and did very well. I'll give you a summary.

Sleepy Summer Days

In the 4-H/ FFA breed show I am always competing against myself. Most kids just have market lambs and if they do have a breeding flock its often just ewes to produce market lambs. On rare occasions I do meet another Romney. So as always I was showing against myself, this also means I get a lot of champions and reserves because there is no one else in the Romneys. After all the breed classes there is a big class where all the champion ewes come together and compete for supreme ewe.

Well I didn't have high hopes because it is very hard to win over meat sheep with a wool sheep. The judge was giving her reason about the ewe she chose, who turned out to be a very nice Hampshire. Then the judge often pulls all the reserve champion placing ewes and picks her reserve supreme. But this time sheep didn't she picked another ewe from the champions. You will never guess who she picked....OK I'm sure you guessed...yes she picked one of my wool ewes. She picked Zora my fall ewe lamb who was one of the triplets if you remember from back in November. I was very excited, how could I not be she beat meat sheep and also sheep that were older than her.

Zora, Reserve Supreme Champion Ewe!!!!

That same evening we had showmanship. Showmanship is a competition almost completely judged on the person showing the animal. You do your best to present yourself and your animal in the show ring. As always I brought in one of my wool ewes for showmanship. It makes me stand out among all the meat sheep, but the real reason is that we have more practice showing together so she understand what I'm asking of her and usually is much easier to show off. Ruth got the honor of being my showmanship sheep this year. She was very cooperative and did very well. Together we got Reserve Champion Showman for FFA Advanced sheep.

Reserve Champion FFA Advance Sheep Showman

It also turned out I was going into master showmanship because the boy who got champion was doing the master showmanship with a pig because he also got champion pig showman. Master showmanship is where all the top showman come together and have to show all species of animals. I didn't place with any high award in master showmanship but it was a good experience. Everyone said I did really well,seeing as I have never showed half the animals out there before.

Items I had entered in the static area included 3 fleeces, Calla's Fleece got champion, Ruth's Fleece got reserve, and Annabeth's fleece got a blue, all will be available this fall in our Etsy store. I also entered some photographs, one of which got reserve champion. My socks got champion and my shawl got reserve. Overall it was a very good fair.

Now we have a break before our next big show,the Oregon State Fair.

Jessie Enjoying Her Breakfast

We are having lots of warm summer days and the grass is starting to burn off. Before the fair we brought home the ewes from the neighbors and before we know it it will be breeding season again. We hope you are all having a wonderful summer and are looking forward to seeing some of you at the state fair and later in September at OFFF.

Big Foot Keeping Hydrated

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

Preparations

So how many of you are ready to enjoy summer? Well ,we are!! I just got off school last Friday and  already am jumping into the swing of the show. 

The house and barn are currently a buzz of activity. Why? This weekend is our first big event; The Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene,Oregon. We will be taking 6 sheep up to be shown, and we will also have a farm booth selling our fiber products. I'm really excited to be able to have a farm booth right next to my sheep like we do a OFFF (Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival).

 So as is expected we are busy. I have redesigned our business cards and yarn labels for a fresh new look. 

New Yarn Labels in the Making

In the kitchen I have set up a table where I'm trying to figure out just how I want to display things. We have some new colors dyed and we are hoping to be able to prepare some of our little sheep Christmas ornaments too.

Practice Set Up

In the barn the sheep going to the show are being prepared for show getting special wool-cuts to show off their gorgeous fleeces. They are also getting practiced with so they we will be able to behave themselves in the show ring.

Freshly Dyed Yarn

I hope many of you will be able to come and visit with us and our sheep.

Scio Lamb & Wool Fair

Last weekend we were very busy with our towns annual fair. The Lamb and Wool Fair was first held in 1935 and was known as the Fat Lamb Show. The purpose was to promote the sheep and wool business of our part of the Willamette Valley.

Pen of Three- Zora, Amaya, and Dawn (the triplets)

For us, the Scio Lamb and wool fair kicks off show season . On Sunday there is a lamb show and it is great practice for the lambs as well as a warm up for me so I can get back into the grove of showing again. In the past years we have had a booth, Saturday selling our products but this year we felt like taking a break.

Rule #1 Of sheep shows, I get biscuits and gravy the morning of the show.

Rule #2 Of sheep shows, I get some sort of ice cream after the show.

Zora, Amaya, Dawn, and Bonnie; who all don't want to be shown

Our First big show will be the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, OR, June 22-24 . We will have a farm booth as well as be showing our sheep. So if you are planning on going you should stop by to visit with us and our sheep.