We’re now a few weeks into living and working our new farm. Huge changes continue.
- We separated the ewes and the lambs again. This time, it’s so that we can breed the adults for January and February lambs and breed the ewe lambs to have babies in May, when their bodies will be more mature and prepared. This does mean that we will have some Border Leicester/Bluefaced Leicester crosses
- The house desperately needed a new roof, so we found a roofer and got the job done. The lambs baa’ed at the poor roofers all day long.
- We got chickens! We are very excited to have eight lovely Rhode Island Reds and a very handsome rooster of a breed that I can’t recall the name of. He looks similar to a Welsummer and we appreciate his gentle (so far!) personality.
- The land here has been transformed by our mowing efforts. We bought a house with overgrown fields and small shrubs starting to come on. Now, the fields are moving away from goldenrod and ragweed and back to clover, orchardgrass and forbs.
- Matt made a first cutting of hay – 30 bales isn’t a bad haul! The hay is crummy, but hopefully we can add some fertilizer
- I am in love with the beautiful Border Leicesters who came to the farm. They’re so bright and healthy. Mary sheared three of them and we now have some lovely wool to play with. I am mixed on offering the white for sale as fleece or making some batts.
- We shipped four ram lambs to meet our fresh lamb orders. Two Cormo/BFL crosses dressed out at and above my goal weight- hooray! The other two were a little scrawny, but I know that they didn’t get everything they could have with the move and other factors in play.
- Every day, I step outside and breathe in fresh air. I look at the sheep, and I realize that I don’t have to make any compromises in my efforts to meet their needs. If I need to change something or move them, I can do what I need to without hesitation. We can finally invest in the sheep as deeply as we need to without thinking about mobility. Our land is sunny and breezy. Our home is quiet and peaceful. I have abundant gratitude for everything we’ve been given. I hope that Pete would be pleased with what we’ve done.
