New Blog Address

Remember me....my new blog address is: http://crosswindfarm.com/blog/

New Blog Address

It's been a crazy few months with my annual Canada trip in the middle of things. One major change is my blog and website. I'm moving to a Word Press format. The link to my latest blog posting on the new site is: http://crosswindfarm.com/blog/

Shearing Time

Almost done with shearing. I've been shearing a few sheep every night after work and a few more on the weekend. The last three rams will have to wait until we get back from Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I actually do like shearing the sheep. It gives me a chance to "bond" with each sheep and to get up close and really inspect each one...not to mention all the wool when I'm done!

Here are a few pics: 

Lady Rhinebeck finally getting her thick wool blank removed.

After...she's much cooler. Her lambs (two of them) anxiously wait for her release.

Winnie. Clipped her head and neck before she moved to the stand.

The wool blank falling by the wayside. She started feeling so much better.

Winnie, slowly being striped of about 15 pounds of wool.

Mavis...the last BFL yearling ewe to be sheared. She's pretty hawky and I totally expected a wild time on the stand. It was like she was trained for a show. She didn't move a bit.

Our Bottle Boy Goes to a New Home

We know that we can't keep all the lambs, but there's always a few we get real attached to. This year it was Sir Lancelot, born February 27th. "Lance" was rejected by his mom right after delivery because she had a real difficult time and did not feel well after a long hard labor. So we set up an area for him and Lance became our bottle boy. 

 

Today our Lance went to a new home. A home with kids that want a pet and want to learn how to raise a sheep. He's a perfect fit for that type of new home. It's good to know he's going to a home where he'll be loved and given a lot of attention. We'll miss him dearly. 

As with any bottle lamb that doesn't have a mom to bond with, they bond with whoever feeds them. We bonded with Lance and he followed us around like a little puppy. He chummed around with the barn cats and lived with the other lambs and ewes when he wasn't following us around. 

Bye, bye baby!

Goats Just Want to Have Fun!

My name is Henny. I am three weeks old.

I am just smitten with the goats. They are very funny creatures. All they want to do is play. Check this out:

Their horns are already starting to show. They are very sweet. Can't wait to get my hands on the mohair (love the "mo")!

Lambs Growing Like Weeds

I think it's safe to say that we're done with lambing....well sort of. Our oldest ewe that was in with the breeding group doesn't look like she'll lamb (and that's o.k.). That means we're basically done with the BFLs, Lincolns, and Angora goats. However, we may be presented with a few more lambs in May. Ya, that's right, our 2010 ram lambs (Gusto) got through the fence and had a visit with four ewe lambs. We'll have to keep an eye on them and see who lambs in May (yikes...that's next month).

Total lambs and kids so far: 

Bluefaced Leicesters (11): five ewes and six rams

Lincoln Longwools (4): one ewe and three rams

BFL/Lincoln crossbreed (2): one ewe and one ram

Angora goats (4): three does and one buck

Rosie: Lincoln purebred ewe lamb (mom is Lady Rhinebeck)

Rainier: Lincoln purebred ram lamb (mom is Lady Rhinebeck)

Rosie and Rainier: Twin Lincoln lambs from Ladey Rhinebeck

Harmony: BFL/Lincoln crossbred ewe lamb (mom is Haley)

Hansel: BFL/Lincoln crossbred ram lamb (mom is Haley)

Evita (white) and Evette (black): Our newest BFL lambs born March 18 (mom is Evy)

Lancelot: Our orphan, bottle fed lamb (mom is Lacey and didn't want him :-( 

We Got Goats!

Saturday was the day to get the two goat does sheared and put in the barn where they would comfortably wait out the rest of their pregnancy...about two weeks (in my estimation). Before I even got bundled up to spend most of the day outside, my DH heard the high pitch cries of baby goats coming from the hut in the pasture. I was outside in no time. Our doe, Hope, delivered twin doe-lings.

By the end of the day, the second doe, Red, was in labor and delivered a set of twins about 8:00 p.m.-- a doe and a buck. Red had a tougher time in that the first kid had a leg tucked back and the other leg folded under. I did go in and find the legs and brought them forward and then worked with the doe and during her contractions and pushing helped bring the little girl into the world. Then her buck came feet first, but very easily. Both kids are fine and Red was tired. Here are a couple of video clips and pics of the goats:

Twin Angora goat does -- Harley and Henny, mom is Hope.

Twin Angora goats, a doe and buck -- Rhoda and Ranger, mom is Red. 

So much for my estimation of their due dates. Next year I won't cut it so close.