Packing fleeces for shipping

Hello everyone, long time no talk!  Yes, its been a loooonnng, hot, dry summer and I apparently didn't feel like talking about it :).  Well, today I actually had to turn on the heat in my car on the way home from work and I'm looking forward to firing up the gas stove tonight!  Nothing like putting a chill in the air to make me chatty apparently lol.

It has been my intention to post the blog some time ago but well, I got distracted (whats new!).  Last spring when the fleeces were flying out the door, I decided to take some pics of my process of packing a fleece up for shipping.  When I first started doing it, mostly to the processor, I had no clue how to fit a room full of fleece into a couple of boxes.  I asked around, got some advice from some helpful processors and fellow shepherds that got me through.  I'm a visual person though so I thought it might be helpful to others to see how I do it.  I've got it down to a fine art too!  What used to take me hours now takes me a few minutes! So here we go.

Growing lambs! (lots of pics)

Lambs are growing like crazy, some are even hard to distinguish from the adult Shetlands when you are just looking out into the pasture. I'm starting to kick myself for banding everyone, there are some mighty nice looking boys out there.  Oh well, can't undo that!

This may be part of the reason why they're growing so nicely this year.  GRAIN. I read about people using chicken feeders for creep feeders so I thought I'd give it a try.

Lambing 2012

Another lambing done!  We had a couple of unfortunate losses and 1 bottle baby but overall, I'd say it was success.  As always it was tough to plan my time off so that I could be here during the bulk of the lambing so Bridget's week saw a good portion of the deliveries.  So here is her take on her week of lambing.

Naked sheep...

Oh how I do love me some naked sheep...no I'm not perverted lol. 

 

New addition to the flock & shearing!

No Donna don't get excited, Aliza didn't lamb lol.


No, the new addition to the flock won't be grazing in the pasture, nor will she be getting sheared on Sunday...or any other day.  Our new addition is all the way from Germany...drum roll please!

Heartworm

Just a heads up to all those with dogs in your lives...

Is it winter yet??

Wow, I hate to jinx myself but this winter has been a piece of cake!  Does anyone remember a winter like this before??  I can remember some with very little snow but these mild temps are just just crazy.  I still have GREEN GRASS!!  I was walking thru the barnyard last night when I looked around and it dawned on me, this is January, nearly February and there is still green grass here.  Granted its not growing nor is there any green left in the pastures but still, its nuts seeing green grass in the yard and barnyard this time of year.

Bridget being greeted by Bella and Evie

Long overdue update

(I actually typed this up last fall and meant to get some pics attached and never did.  Hate to waste it so here it is, better late than never :)

Its been a long hot summer and had a short dry fall, looks like winter is not far away. Thankfully we've received some much needed rain in the past month.  Still not back to where we need to be but better than it was.  Pastures are gone for the most part and we've already fed 50 bales of hay.  Shocking since I've not fed that much hay before January in the past 4 yrs.