Close-Ups & Advice?

Photos taken May 14, 2010

The white ewe in front is my beloved Lyneth. She is a full 2 years old and was put to a ram last fall for spring lambs. However, after much waiting, it is now obvious that she did not take. By my calculations she was exposed to the ram for at least 2 cycles, and it very easily could have even been 3 cycles. The other two ewes with this ram both conceived, including Lyneth's twin that is standing behind her: Nhu.

Nhu is built very doe-like. Lyneth is built like a propane tank. I suspect her weight was the reason she did not conceive. Does anyone have any helpful advice about how to increase her chances for this fall? Obviously, I won't be giving her any grain. :) I guess I'm not really sure how to put a pasture/hay fed sheep on a diet?

I am excited to use Sian for breeding again this fall. She took this past year off because I didn't have time to rotate sheep through breeding pens. Sian is now 4 years old and she gave me a lovely, soft, black fleece again this spring. She is the dam of Jchen from last spring.

Sian is also dam to this little ewe, Leil (Jchen's twin). I don't suspect Sian of polled genetics, but Leil does seem to have depressions in her head without nubs...so maybe Bombarde passed on his polled to her. I HOPE so. Leil is just a lovely ewe. And without her coat on, she looks very much like her grand dam, Rachel...my first Shetland ewe. I think Rachel is a good example of a Classic Shetland.I am leaning toward putting Leil with LRO Ash as he has the barest noggin in my flock. This would also give me a chance at solid and/or moorit color. Their conformations seem well suited, and I think their fleeces will complement each other too. I guess I must be a little excited for next springs lambs! :)

Melt & Rise

Work has kept me so busy lately that most mornings Clancy feeds the sheep. But I took a bitty-bit of time last week to snap a couple of photos of the girls through the fence-just to prove I still have them. This is not my favorite time of year to take photos. Everything is melty mud, ice and poop. Blech.

So far I cannot find any bags on the four girls I put to rams last fall. Hopefully that means they didn't take the first few days I put them in the breeding pens. I was worried I'd have lambs in just a couple of weeks. Mid-April is now the most likely lambing cycle. Hope, hope, hope, anyway. I still have a lot to do before lambs show up: shearing, trimming, shots, fleece samples... I'm just waiting for a day when Clancy and I can be home at the same time.

Concerning shearing: I still have to set a date with Byron Johnson. He has been shearing my sheep for the last 3 years and he has always done an excellent job. I'm so lucky he only lives 20 miles away. I do hope to order sheep coats to go on the girls the minute they are clear of their fleeces. I am just so tired of picking hay out of fleece. No matter how careful I am with feeding, sheep jump on each other, rub agains trees, and eat over each other. Even though I will miss seeing my pretty sheep out on pasture, I think this is the year that I am ready to make that trade off.

All but two of the rams are already experiencing the rise. Arvada and Courante have bare necks. I would love to get out there and see what I could roo off before I schedule shearing. We'll see if there is time for that, or not.

Lastly, a snap-shot of Darla Gay for her "soon-to-be" new owner. I have found a very special home for Darla...one that I feel so happy about her going to. Of all my lambs, Darla is the quietest little sweetheart. She is near without jumping (Leil!) or pawing (Nhu!). She trusts completely and loves to snuggle. I think she will be a little love with her new family too. More about that later. :)

Silvy & Qdy for A.M.

Silvy on the run!

Silvy & Qdy

Qdy cute

Wide & square.
Little tails
(dirty backsides!)

Roux for A.M.

Boston Lake Roux

ShelteringPines Bombarde x Boston Lake Rai Min

2009 Musket twin

Aberrant horned half-poll?


Stout & square

October Micron Reports

Click on a photo for its larger version.

I was excited to get my micron reports in the mail yesterday. Here are the results for the seven sheep I had tested. Each sample was scissored from midside, just behind the last rib.

I wasn't too surprised with any of them. While I don't think in terms of microns and numbers, the reports did not change the standing I had already given each sheep according to my own assessment of fleece characteristics. It feels validating to know the numbers support my personal preferences.

Bombarde had a higher micron than I expected. I thought long and hard about how that could be and suddenly I had an epiphany: Last spring's micron report was from a rather large lock sample that was dangling off his rump. This was likely snagged by Unicorn's horn in some tussle. I suspect that this sample was not the full spectrum of fiber I would have obtained had I scissored off the same lock. Perhaps some of the courser fiber remained anchored while the finer fiber ripped out? Probably. Although it is evident from both reports that Bombarde is very consistent. Maybe this is just the difference in his third fleece and his fourth fleece? I shudder to think of how naive I was of the whole micron sampling process back then. Whatever the reason, I appologize if the initial report was misleading. I understand now how carefully samples need to be collected and how they are difficult to compare unless they are collected in the same manner.

Arvada

4-2-08

Black Kat

Ash

4-30-09

Modified Moorit

Bombarde

3-22-06

Musket Kat

Courante

spring 09

Black Kat

January

4-29-09

Moorit Kat

Jchen

5-1-09

Black Kat

Roux

4-26-09

Musket

Holding Out...

...for Breeding Season to begin.

S'more Courante

This is the time of year when I want to throw the girls in with their designated boyfriends and just get it all over with. But no...later March or Earliest April is NOT the best time for lambs to hit the ground at my farm. I'm still working at my seasonal job...the world is still cold and frozen or cold and mud...and the grass won't show up for another month. I tried it once, and it wasn't worth it.

So I hold out a little longer. Sometime after Thanksgiving I'll match everyone up. After that I keep an eye out for "evidence" in the pens. Guesses and suspicions get scribbled in my sheep date-book. And I long for that run of three tolerable warm days after the first of the year to tear down the breeding groups and put the rams into some sort of squeeze pen. I don't want them to kill each other with space to fight, or freeze to death from lack of room to bed down properly.

Why do I do all this work? By January I've forgotten. Sometimes the only reason I keep going is because it would be a crime to let these sheep starve in the dead of winter. Keep it all going until spring when I can sensibly sell out.

Nature has her tricks, though. About the time I start crying at the slightest provocation during the daylight because I've been sleep-deprived from doing 2am barn checks since the beginning of April, there comes a perfect lamb. And if it's not perfect, the next one might be. One whole year...to create this promise of hope that carries enough momentum to perpetuate my love of being a shepherd.

Ram Lambs
early October

As it happens, my ram situation is still in flux and might change dramatically before Thanksgiving. My original published breeding plans have been thrown out the window. I'll need the next few weeks to come up with new ones. But time to reflect and consider is something I have.

Indulgence

Here they come!

I took the camera straight out to the sheep pastures this evening when I got home from work and the driving kids to their sleepovers. The sun was actually shining and I didn't want to miss my chance to take some pictures. Here they are running to see me.

I've missed the girls. Chores have been done in the pouring rain or well after sunset lately. A sliver of new moon was lovely the other night...but that isn't exactly enough light to assess the flock or photograph by.

LRO January

So I indulged myself with a little sheepy time this evening.

My main objective was to get some nice fleece photos of the girls. Silvy, Leil, and Qdy tried to nibble the zipper pulls off my jacket and the pocket flaps off my backside. Very hard to steady the camera with little sheep yanking on one's clothing. They are very persistent animals!

Then Leil likes to run up behind me and bump me as high up on my back as she can whenever I'm walking away from her. It's a game with her...like she's seeing how high she can fling herself through the air and she's using me as her measuring stick! It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't feel good either. I admit she's got me, though. I have half-turned a couple of times and caught her in the act and it's truly hilarious. Surely she could get some votes on America's Funniest Videos.

Jchen: Notice

Note: Please be aware that I have sent Jchen's fleece in for a micron report. I will hold him until that info comes back. If it is as good as I hope, I will post his numbers and he will be available for a limited time before I send him to the processor. Thank you.

Boston Lake Jchen is still available for sale. I would love to see this fine young ram go to a breeding home. If anyone has even the slightest interest in this boy, please contact me. I am willing to be flexible with arrangements. My contact info is at the bottom of this site.

Fleece sample from last rib taken 10/09.
Micron info on sire, Sheltering Pines Bombarde. This sample was gathered Spring '09 from Bombarde's RUMP. I know the numbers are difficult to compare to last rib numbers in other flocks. But this is the info I have to offer. And I think these are nice numbers from a rump sample. Anything in front of that sample will be finer.

Micron info on dam, Boston Lake Sian. This sample was also gathered Spring '09 from behind Sian's HIP. Again, it is not exactly comparable to last rib microns, but it is what I have at this time for info. Sian is a glossy black, with iset showing up on her rump not until three years of age. Her sire and dam were uniform, crimpy, soft, and well conformed with tiny tails and good lambing history of twins.

Jchen carries moorit and spots. He is wide and straight in the hind quarters, with a tiny tail. Jchen is also well behaved and reserved with people.

Fleece Samples

My new sheep are out of isolation now and have joined the ram and ewe flocks. Surprisingly, there wasn't much tussle in the ram pen when I added Courante and Ash. Distracted with a new plot of clover, there wasn't much fuss in the ewe pen either when we added January and her companion Qdy. I'm thankful for small mercies. :)

With Clancy's help, I caught some of the rams today and took fleece samples from their last ribs. I am pleased with the handle and style of these fleeces. I will send them off for micron testing as soon as I can.

S'more Courante.

I know it's a lambs fleece...but ooh-la-la! This boy is NICE. I feel so lucky to have him. And he's polled! Yippeeee!

Little Red Oak Ash

I wanted Ash for his bare little head. I had no idea how beautiful his fleece was going to be.

Boston Lake Jchen

Jchen is for sale. He is soft and gorgeous. His conformation is just spectacular, with a long loin and wide straight hindquarters. He carries moorit and spots under his black katmoget. Jchen is exactly the type of lamb I'm trying to produce-except he has full wide-spread horns. I'd hate to send him to the freezer. I am willing to consider offers for this lamb to go to a breeding home.

White Pine Arvada

Consistent and soft from head to tail.

Boston Lake Roux

Decided to sample this boy on a whim. This photo shows a sample from his shoulder, last rib, and rump. Roux is way softer than I expected. I'm going to micron him and if the result is terrific, I may have to rethink his trip to the freezer. My main interest in him would be retaining a Bomby son that is obviously carrying polled.

Little Red Oak January

Well, she isn't a ram. But since we were moving her to the ewe pen I decided to get a sample. Her fleece is not exactly my favorite type, but everything else about her is superb. And she should be carrying some influential polled genes. I think the rams I have should help her throw lambs with my favored fleece type and carry my breeding program forward. She is turning out to be a little dear, and I love having a moorit kat ewe for once!

Oh, Danny Boy!

Dan & Bence

I think his grandsire, Sheltering Pines Darius, and his sire, Windswept Unicorn had something to do with the horns on this boy. And I suspect there are some major spots under all that white.

His little face just cracks me up! I hope he performs well for his new family.

Must Sell...

...all my extra rams.

I did not anticipate how incredibly busy my work and the boys' school activities were going to become this fall. I need to lighten my load. I need to sell most of my ram flock. On and off I had been thinking of this, but I was waiting to see Courante in person before I made any decision. With Courante and Ash being as promising as they are, I feel I can part with many of the others.

All the '09 ram lambs are for sale except for Dan-reserved white lamb. Three are available as butcher lambs: musket Roux, grey Rigg, and white Bence. These lambs are grass fed, and have not had de-wormer or CD&T shots yet. $50 each, delivered to Headwaters Meats in Bagley, MN. Headwaters does an excellent job of processing.

Katmoget Jchen is the best lamb I've ever produced and I would like to see him go to a breeding home. He is excellent in every way. A full-horned Sheltering Pines Bombarde son out of a non-fading black ewe named Boston Lake Sian. I do not have space to winter him over here. Nor do I have any need of a horned ram. Please inquire if you need an excellent single-coated ram. He will go for butcher if there is no other demand for him.

And now for the hard part: I am ready to sell Sheltering Pines Bombarde. I have four of his daughters and they will serve me well. I'd like 4 more but I do not have the room or the energy to keep more than 2 rams this winter.

Bombarde is simply an exceptional, half-polled ram. He should be given the opportunity to sire as many offspring as possible in other folks' flocks. I will only allow this gentleman to go to an excellent home.

And what about White Pine Arvada? Well...I haven't quite decided yet. I want to capture his genetics, yet I want to move out the horned rams. Stay tuned for his story.

As always, my contact information is at the bottom of this page. I'd be happy to send fleece samples and extra photos on request. Thank you.

I Love You...

...for sentimental reasons...

Remember that Nat King Cole song? It fits my view of these two lambs.

Darla Gay and Qdy are both Unicorn offspring, out of a mother/daughter pair of ewes; Dolce and Delyth. Dolce and Delyth live with Karen Byron now. With these two keeper lambs, I was finally reconciled to letting go of the parents.

But in a way, Darla and Qdy don't have a long-term future here in my flock. I doubt theyhave polled potential. I should have offered them for sale. But my son was only willing to give up his Delyth if he could keep her white Qdy. So Qdy stayed. And try as I might, I couldn't let go of Darla. I named her after my alter ego. And she truly LOVES me. So how could I let her go?

The best I can hope for is that these girls will give me keeper half-polled ewe lambs someday, and then I can move them on. But that just sounds too hard to contemplate right now. Too hard. My hard-hearted, bottom-line, sensible shepherd instinct knows this isn't the way to run an efficient farming operation. The mushy cuddle-bug little girl in me doesn't care. These two girls are precious. I'm holding on to them for sentimental reasons. At least for now.

Guess What I Found?

I can't even describe how busy we've been around here lately. All good...I can honestly say boredom has not been an issue. Exhaustion has been, though. There hasn't been much time to relax.

Last Sunday Clancy carved out a bit of time to mow some of the rougher areas beyond the pastures and yard. We are fortunate to be able to borrow equipment like a Bobcat and attachments from my dad when we need them. Access to large equipment saves us lots of time and backbreaking labor.

The boys were at Grandma's that day and I found myself with the time to walk out and view Clancy's progress and visit the ewes. Just a few minutes after I took some photos, Clancy finished up and turned off the machine. Then he called out to me, "Guess what I found?" Living on a very old farmstead, one never knows what will turn up when the ground is worked.

As it happened, Clancy had discovered a cement foundation for a small building. A very old small building...probably an old barn...one that we had never known about. We already have four old foundations on our place, and now we have a fifth. It is so fascinating to think of how many people and buildings used to reside in this remote spot.

Clancy came over to the fence line where I was spending some time with the ewes. Within minutes all the girls had abandoned me to get their pets from the Unwilling Shepherd.

Nhu was the first to indulge herself with Clancy-time. Her little sister Vianne looks on.

Then Sian and her grey ewe lamb Leil took their turn. Sian has always been partial to Clancy. She seldom seeks my attention, but she always comes right up to Clancy. According to Clancy, with all of her naughtiness, Leil has earned the nickname of Stinkerbell!!!!. The minute the fencer is turned off Leil has to chew on the electronet or shove her head right through it to eat clover on the otherside. She has her own adgenda in life, that is for sure!

Finally the white Shetlands came forward...Darla, Lyneth, Niav, Nhu, Silvy, and Qdy. It is so nice to have friendly sheep!

Summer's End

I have a whole Saturday at home today. It seems ages since I've had a bit of free time. Today I'm going to rotate pastures, pull the quills out of Greta's nose. She got a porcupine all by herself sometime in the early morning. Then I'm going to get all the dogs groomed and also keep some laundry hanging on the line today. This past week has been full of sunshine!

Here are a few recent photos: I'm not angry in the first one, with my furrowed brow...just concentrating on pulling some VM out of Silvy's chest wool. See how stretched out she is with the scratches? Niav is pawing my back hoping for more attention. AnnaBelle and her daughter Lyneth are patiently waiting for their turns at the lovin'.

Dan was making a face a while back when I was near the fence line. He was actually sniffing the air...some ewe must have been in heat that day. This was when he was still with his dam in the ewe pen. He has since been moved to the ram pen with the big boys. He's such a masculine little ram! Friends at church with a couple of ewes are excited to use him this fall. He doesn't know how lucky he is yet. :)

And last, but not least, is old Rachel. She is such a good fine ewe. Because she was the first girl I ever brought home, she had the most evidence of the mineral deficiencies that the farm forage here provided. That problem has been successfully dealt with using a special mineral and Sel-Plex 2000. But I have gotten a little gun shy about breeding Rachel because of all the problems she had. And now she's about 10 years old. All the other ewes recovered so well I have hopes Rach did too. And yet I don't know if I should breed her again. I would love another keeper lamb out of her: her daughter Sian is one of my best ewes. But I am not sure what to do. Every time I see her out in the pasture I think and think. Perhaps if I just put it out of my mind, the right solution will present itself. Patience.