Sheep, sheep and more sheep

Due to our overwhelming schedule so many little details slipped by the wayside.
So, this blog is dedicated to the sheep.
The next few  blogs will be all PUPPIES!!



So, this is what has been happening on the sheep side of things:

 The grazing season started late due to extremely dry conditions and  therefore no grass on the pastures.
We finally did turn the ewes and their lambs out.
The ewes thought this was sheep heaven, still not a lot of grass but will have to make do with what we have.

The winter born lambs are doing really well and we are particularly happy with the Blue Faced Leicester lambs we have.
These lambs are LONG, and alert and cute as a button.

OUR BFL ram, father of some of our lambs this year.



The sheep were in a leaner condition than I like but looking at how well the lambs are doing, all I can say is that the ewes are working hard and raising some heavy weights.

Mom and suffolk x lamb

Shearing time rolled around and it took quite a bit of preparation to get things set up outside the coverall for shearing.
We had high winds and arid conditions the first day.

Roy was the chute boss for most of the day, ensuring all the sheep went in a timely and orderly fashion into the shearing chute.
The wool was gathered up and pressed into a a bag for shipping to the Canadian Wool Growers.
Two and a half days later, it was all said and done.

Yep, that's me.

We did have funny moments when some neighborhood sheep came to be shorn.

One a huge Jacob ram, with foot long horns provided some entertainment,

some other local heavy weights and of course,

 those few sheep that have dodged being sheared for the last few years.

Earnie coming to be shorn.

 The ewes heading back out to pasture after shearing.
They look pretty naked.

Their trusty sarplaninac guardian,  ever watchful. 

Mali

 Coming in after a day of grazing.