In my last post, everything was mud. Not long after, we were able to get the animals out on grass, moving them through the pasture. There were a few more encounters with mud, since that is how the spring weather tends to go, but now we are dry and warm! We have been moving the …
We had a successful lambing this year. There is a grand total of 50 lambs running about on the farm now. We lost some to various causes, known and unknown, but all the ewes are doing well and the remaining lambs are thriving. They are so much fun to watch at their games, and subsequently …
In the past week we have welcomed the first seven lambs of 2021 into our barn. Three sets of twins and a single, divided as evenly as you can divide an odd number, into boys and girls. Everyone has done well, with minimal intervention needed. Some of the lambs had their legs turned back, and …
I’ve received a few questions lately regarding our reasoning for removing the cozy blanket of wool from our ewes while the seasons are at their coldest. Our biggest reason is preparation for the coming lambs. If the ewes have long wool during lambing, the lambs can have a harder time finding the teat and therefore …
We had a beautiful snowfall earlier this week, and Dan took the opportunity to take a video of our backyard and the newly renovated barn. We have installed raised beds for the cows and a manger for the sheep. Our goals with these improvements are cleanliness and waste reduction. So far, so good! The sheep …
One easy way to utilize extra milk is by making ‘Fry Cheese’. Similar to Paneer, it is a non-melting fresh cheese, delicious seasoned and fried up as a snack, or added to savory dishes. Heat the milk above 190 degrees Fahrenheit, then add your acid of choice. You can use any acid – vinegar, lemon …
I got everyone out for some exercise today, since it was gorgeous, sunny, and not too muddy. The pregnant ewes need exercise, and everyone enjoys fresh air and sunshine! The bellies are getting large, and we are looking forward to lambs in less than a month!
Most of the winter is spent languishing in the barn, for the animals, at least. The sheep have a cozy pen with as much hay as they can eat, plus minerals and water they can partake in whenever they desire. The cows are tied in stalls to reduce their tendency to lie in their warm, …
Mid-winter. The sheep are (hopefully) pregnant, and their wool has had nearly a year of growth. They are looking fluffy and round. In a few weeks we will be shearing, and despite our struggles to keep hay out of the wool, I am very exited about the fleeces. Most of them look nice, despite the …
Meet Bessie, our Jersey cow. She came from a herd dispersal auction, where the cows were being sold from a dairy farm that came on rough times. Dan thought it would be a good place to find a quality cow inexpensively. They ended up looking a lot rougher than we expected. They were almost all …