Sunday, July 31, 2011

For SALE and for keeps...

 Whistle and Watson's kids are still available to a good home.  We have decided to keep the adult goats and repeat the breeding.    Both kids are stunning and ready to join your herd.  They can be registered.
 I am keeping Olympia's ewe lamb, as well as her ram featured a few posts ago, for futher evaluation.  I really don't NEED to keep 4 gully lambs and one gul/kat but I still can't quite bring myself to choose between them yet.  This ewe is darker than the others, but I don't think I would call her moorit.


Friday, July 29, 2011

Shetland Rams: Sold and For Sale

 Pearl's ram lamb, Neville, and Storm are all spoken for...
Still for sale are katomget rams, HST F2 Heights Orions, and possibly willing to part with mysteriously marked half poll:



Thursday, July 28, 2011

Horn Envy?

I love the photo of Neville's horn next to Olympia's polled or half polled ram's hornless head!

Monday, July 25, 2011

A break in the weather so time for a quick update...

No AC in a house built in 1850.  Radiant heat so no hope for central air.  Window units not practical with 10 foot ceilings.  So when it hits 100...we hit the lake!  We don't own a boat but they sure do make a pretty picture! Sorry for the lack of posts...simply too hot. 
 German Shorthaired Pointer update.  This is Reilly...not Rose.  I have to double take most of the time now.  She is a beautiful dog, sweet, and smart.  She still most likely going to a family friend...just depends on which family friend is really serious.  The ones we held her for decided they are not ready.  Another is coming next week and will most likely purchase her.  If not, a third is still considering her.  Weddings, babies, and new jobs have been the reason for all the indecision.  Between the three, one of those excellent homes should work out for her.  She is a special pup and we are very attached to her so we needed to know where she is going.  She was the one that I saved during delivery and had to get breathing.  Therefore, always my sentimental favorite.  Unfortunately Rose and Lucy (our other GSP) think two puppies is too many.  Rose does much better with the male pup as the breeder of the stud dog told us she would.

 Finn the male pup we are keeping:
 Making sure no upland birds bother the sheep!
 After the chicken fiasco.  I have been locking in the sheep every night into the welded wire which they are destroying.  Time to get them up front in the south pasture and hope that fence stays hot enough to keep them safe.
 They have been let out everyday into electronet, but it has been so dry the pastures are not what they usually are.
 I have some really beautiful sheep and lambs still available for sale.  Prices are negotiable to the right homes. Please inquire!

 Quechee's lambs are too cute.  The gully in front and the gul/kat to the left.  The lamb to the back is sold and waiting for pick up.
Hope everyone is tolerating the heat.  We did get a little much needed rain today.  I hope we get more soon.  I never remember a July this hot or this dry.  Record breaking last week!  Blogger is not letting me comment anymore...must be something on my new computer locks me out.  When I have the patience to struggle through my lack of texting skills, I can sometimes leave a message from my phone.  So on that note Kelly and Kristi thanks for visiting and commenting on my last post.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Saturday Update

I rode my horse Tess today and I really need to lighten the work load here to make more time to ride my horses more often.  It is after all the reason we moved to the country.  Tess pictured in the fore ground is wonderful under saddle, despite being a diva in the pasture.  Looks like a little work would be good for all the horses and ponies...as well as me.  So I am going on a mission to get us all in shape.  Maybe I will even take her to a show this fall.

I like having less chickens.  A flock of five seems to be just about right.  The year old layers are giving us about a dozen eggs a week which is just fine for now.  The other two pullets should join in this fall.

In terms of sheep and goats.  I would like to get down to 2 goats and 20 or less sheep.  Storm below is sold and will be picked up next month.  The brown based F2 yuglet in the last post is also sold and is awaiting transportation to Cape Cod.  So I guess that brings me down to 40...so I have 50% of my flock still for sale.
 There are plenty of mature sheep as well as lambs looking for good homes, and I will be posting pictures of them throughout the summer:



Thursday, July 14, 2011

Ram Escapades...

Being a beautiful day I thought I would let the ram lambs out for a while to graze thinking I would be able to lure them or herd them back in the barn before dark...





 Well when the time came, no such luck.  They did not want to go back in the barn for any amount of grain or chasing.  So we had to catch them...one by one.   I did not put them back in the barn but out with the big boys...
 Who were completely unphased by the little ram additions to their pasture...
 All is peaceful and I love how mellow my mature rams are.  Went in to change their water today and out of 13 rams total, lambs and adult, not one even batted an eyelash in my direction.  Very respectful, calm, content, and wonderful boys one and all.  Not to worry, I keep an eye on them just in case, but grateful it has been a non issue with this particular group.  I have come to the conclusion that it is not horned or polled that is the biggest factor for me with a ram, but overall disposition.  With rams, some are unfriendly and turn nasty.  Some are overly friendly and do the same. Others like Neville is a calm cool and collected as they come.  The solution is to breed for the best temperament possible, have zero tolerance for bad ram behavior, respect their space and demand they do the same for you, never turn your back on them, and know sometimes that will even not be enough and make the hard decisions in the event that happens.  For now I am just happy I seem to have rams that fit my low conflict expectations.  I just have too many so let me know if you are in need of one.  Out of the 13, two are sold and waiting for pick up.  Many more beautiful rams to choose from however. 

Friday, July 8, 2011

Moorit Photos for e s

 F2 Heights Orion light moorit (possibly fawn) ewe lamb (Swiftriver Neville X Minwawe Marshmello)

Opal's twin ewe lamb experienced transportation trouble to TN so is again available for sale (HarvestThyme Champ X Mapleton Opal) possible half poll.
 Dessie's ewe lamb (Mapleton Zeus X Mapleton Destiny) is very dark moorit at skin.
 Group photo to show shades of moorit:
 Yearling Bella still petite for her age but very cute and has the crimpiest loviest fiber!
 Peanut and Neville's ewe lamb...replacing her mother in my flock...Peanut is for sale...so an example of what she produces:
 Dessie's most awesome HORNED ram lamb:
 Such fine, shinny, soft crimp coming in under his lamb coat.  Oh I do love the kats!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

F2's rams waiting for their tags...

Brought the lambs in for the vet to visit to give them their shots...they will get tags tomorrow.

 Peep's.  Color input anyone?  Little b but modified or not?
 Peep's other twin ram...horns are looking good.  For sale.
 Pearl's below (sold but sister and mom for sale).
 Then we come to Carmel's ram lamb.  Would you call him a white yuglet katmoget, grey, or black flecket katmoget? 
Looked around for his black and white HST twin for a photo opp and didn't that stinker get his horn caught in the panel and tear the horn shealth off.  Remember the slow growing wiggly horns I mentioned earlier on...does breaking easy indicate a possible half poll?  To add insult to injury...literally...Carmel injured her eye in the pasture, on what I have no idea!  If it is not one thing it is another on a farm.