Lambing Season Summary

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Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

We hope that you will enjoy this slide show of lambing season.  The last ewe had twins about a week ago… at 3 a.m. … at the bottom of the hill… of course.  Here is a little summary of the season that will be known as either The Year of the Big Lamb or The Year of the Ram (we haven’t quite decided which).

Lambing Ratio  1.5172
Average Weight Per Lamb  11 lbs  8 ozs
14 singles, 14 sets of twins, 1 set of triplets
16 ewe lambs, 28 ram lambs
29 white lambs, 15 black lambs

We only had two lambs that weighed under 8 lbs.  We had four lambs that weighed over 15 lbs.  The smallest lamb weighed 6 lbs 14 ozs and the largest 16 lbs 13 ozs.  We were a little disappointed in our lambing ratio this year, but hopefully we’ll have a summer filled with big, healthy lambs growing beautiful, curly wool.

Open House

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Please join us for an afternoon of music, visiting with old friends and making new ones.
Learn about wool!  Meet the triplets ~ Merry, Pippen and Samwise!
OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, June 2nd from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Music by Aurora Celtic
Pony rides (weather permitting)
Wool, Spinning Batts, Roving for Hand-spinners
Naturally-dyed Yarn and Hand-Dyed Yarn
Photographs, Note cards, Mugs
Spinning Demonstrations
Bake Sale benefits historic Mt. Olivet Church

A Big Day

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Yesterday was a big day, in more ways than one!  Hera who had been looking very miserable for several days, delivered triplets.  She had to have a little assistance, as the black one was trying to back its way into the birth canal and was a little sideways.  Once the shepherdess got him moving, his brothers popped right out.  Yes, they are all rams.  Having been sired by Strider, they were promptly named Merry, Pippen and Samwise.  Oh, wait… just realized that you cannot see them in the photo below because they are wearing their little hobbit cloaks of invisibility…
Here’s a photo from earlier in the day.  Merry weighed in at 7 lbs 15 ozs, Pippen weighed 8 lbs and Samwise weighed 8 lbs 10  ozs.  Quite a load for one little mama to bear, but she is doing well.

To top the day off, Petunia gave birth to a big ewe lamb.  When we say big, we mean BIG… she weighed 16 lbs 13 ozs.

We’ve fallen behind on the lamb posts, but are attempting to catch up over on Flickr Lambs of 2013.  We’re beginning to see the light at the end of the lambing season tunnel.

Catching a Glimpse

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In between all the feeding, watering, fence moving, mucking out, and everyday farm chores, we are feeling so blessed to catch these glimpses of first breath, first steps, the first signs of independence.

The farm air is filled with sweet little lamb baas and mamas’ answering nickers.

Today’s a big day as we move the yearlings and attempt to bring the mamas and lambs back into the barn for shots and a health check.  All the while keeping an eye on the ewes that have yet to lamb.  Wish us luck… this first time getting everyone back to the barn can turn into a real comedy!

Moving Along

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Finally a little activity on the lambing front yesterday.  Rosey was kind enough to have big, wonderful twin rams right in the most lovely patch of sunlight.  Her first born weighed 12 lbs 8 ozs, and the second weighed 14 lbs 7 ozs. 

The second born, Little Mister 1313 was very vocal from the moment he hit the ground.

Grace, a soon to be first-time mama came racing into the barn to see what all the fuss was about.

Later in the day, Faith, Grace’s twin sister, gave birth to a black ram with beautiful wool.  He seemed small but weighed 11 lbs 1 ozs.  We’ve posted a short video, ‘Faith’s First Lamb’ that shows Faith shortly after giving birth.  It shows a little bit of the confusion that a first-time mama goes through before getting used to their new role.  We’re so proud of Faith, she is doing a great job. 

And as a grand finale to the day, we had to give a little assistance to Princess as she gave birth to a whopper of a ewe lamb, weighing 15 lbs 12 ozs.  It’s hard to tell from this photo, but she is huge.  We’ll try to share a better photo later.  This little one had a rough entry into the world, but seems to be doing great.

More tomorrow… have a great evening!