Tag: rams

2013 Calendar Give-A-Way!

Sheeps & Peeps13 Comments

Are you still looking for a gift for that wanna-be-shepherd?  sheep enthusiast?  peep partisan?  lamb lover? feline fancier?  dog devotee?  May we suggest our 2013 Sheeps and Peeps Farm Calendar!  A 12 month, spiral bound, 8 1/2 X 11 inch wall calendar, printed on high-quality paper, it features scenes from a year at our fifth-generation family farm in wild and wonderful West Virginia. Each month has a photo or collage showing something that usually occurs on the farm during that time.

You can order it through our Etsy Shop or our Big Cartel Shop.

To celebrate the holiday season we are giving one away to a lucky blog reader. To enter the give-away simply comment on today’s post.. Comments will be closed on Sunday at 8 p.m. and the winner chosen by Random Number Generator. Good luck everyone!
Comments will be closed on Sunday at 8 p.m.
And the WINNER is – Isaiah Jenkins from Deer Path News!
Many thanks to all who commented!

Poseidon’s Girls

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After a marathon working weekend, we finally have all the breeding ewes’ hooves trimmed, the temporary fencing up, the dogs moved, and the breeding groups in place.  Here’s a little introduction to the first of the groups.  They spent most of the day over on top of the hill.  Only Petunia and her daughter, Poppy, even came down to the fence when we fed hay this morning. 

Here are Poseidon’s Girls
811     Petunia   Lincoln-Coopworth-Wensleydale-Border Leicester
1008   Poppy     Lincoln-Coopworth-Wensleydale-Border Leicester
1025   Nettie      Border Leicester
1119   Joannie   Romney-Coopworth-Wensleydale-Border Leicester
1140   Faith       Border Leicester
1141   Grace      Border Leicester

Lucky Ewes

Sheeps & Peeps6 Comments

Over the course of two days, sometimes through the wind and rain, we moved the breeding ewes temporary fencing in the hayfield.  They spend the day in this paddock then come in to the permanent, woven wire fencing at night.  They are very excited about all that fresh green pasture, and come running when they hear the gate opening.  If the girls look up from eating long enough they’ll also realize how lucky they are to be surrounded by all this beautiful fall foliage.  

In a few short weeks, we will move them back near the newer barn where we will get everyone ready for breeding season.  Poseidon and Aragorn say hurry it up… they are ready and waiting!

Last of the Shearing

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We sheared the rams this weekend, a whole six weeks earlier than last year.  We have been running a little behind on everything, so it was exciting to accomplish something on schedule!  Aragorn looked on as Poseidon was first at the clippers, then he and Liam had their turn.  All three of them have such beautiful fleeces.  Poseidon and Aragorn spent about fifteen hours in the ram cram before moving into a paddock with newly repaired fencing.  Our older fellow, Liam, went back in with the expectant mamas for now.  He is still a bit wobbly from his battle with deer worm, and is being spoiled with some extra tlc. 

Conspirators

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While Samson relaxed in the sun, under the goat tree, Belladonna appeared to be conspiring with Poseidon and Aragorn.  They spent about an hour chatting at the small walk-through gate.  It seemed that the rams were trying to talk Belladonna into helping them break through that gate (which is not in the best of shape due to a previous ram incident).  Luckliy Bella was distracted by the crow family when they came by to steal food from from her bowl and the breakout was averted.





Off to a New Home

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We are very grateful to the Harvey family for purchasing our registered Border Leicester yearling ram, Braveheart!  He was off to his new home in Oakland, Maryland on Saturday.  He is a real beauty with a wonderful disposition.  We are sad to see him go, but hope he will provide the family with a flock full of beautiful lambs for many years to come!

Catching Up

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Last weekend we moved the rams into the barn for an evening then set about shearing them the following morning. Such nosey boys… Liam and Aragorn are right there watching as Poseidon gets his haircut. After the 24-hour ram cram we moved the boys into the goat pen as the goats are still in their winter paddock. This has worked out great as the grass was pretty high, so on top of having a great deal to eat, the tall grass has seemed to cut down on their ram hi-jinks following the shearing. So far, no bloody heads and not much neck wrestling.
We also moved the yearling group from paddock three of the barnyard into the paddock vacated by the rams.  We must remember this moving schedule for next spring (hence recording it here) because this was the easiest (on the shepherdess/s) succession of paddocks we have ever done.  The sun has been so hot, everyone has been enjoying the shade.