This is Swiftriver Neville an F1 Heights Orion and the sire to many of the this years lamb crop. So he is 50% UK and 50% old New England blood (Maple Ridge). This ram makes me want to keep horns in my flock because simply he is magnificent. He is also the calmest coolest ram ever at three years old, he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. Now mind you he is the alpha ram but his presence alone seems to be enough to command the respect he needs to be in charge. He also seems to respect that I am ultimately the REAL alpha of the place and as long as I bring him good things like food, water, fresh pasture, a few scratches, and ewes in the fall, he finds no need what so ever to ruin a good thing. His microns fall of his two year old year were 26.5 SD 4.8 and CV of 18.2 SF of 25.2 and a CRV (find that an interesting number to look at as it seems that the higher it is the more crimp) of 58.9. He is for sale as I generally like to use a ram for a year or two and then have them move on. He carries moorit and spots. I am keeping his two sons pictured below for further evaluation. Ideally I would let him have a breeding group here in the fall and then let him go to a new flock. He is priced at $350 but there is a $50 discount if purchased with a ewe. He also has two HST black and white ram lambs, also priced at $350 available for sale. His musket HST son is sold and is going to Cape Cod!
The last male puppy sold and will be leaving for his new home tomorrow. The last female may also be sold to a good friend. If they decide they are not ready for a dog at this time, we might keep her ourselves. She has been here too long and we have gotten attached. If our friends take her, we will still be able to see her often.
Beautiful sheep Kara.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kelly...see my delema? The Neville sons I am keeping have oddly slow growing horns so I am retaining these two to see if by some off chance they carry polled from their moms and I could have a poll carring F2 Heights Orion ram. That would do it for me and polled I would go. Breeding only a few each year for registered Shetlands and breeding the remaining flock to a terminal cheviot or BLF ram lamb for market lambs and keep the moms in my flock for my handspinners flock. I am just too exhausted on many levels (physical and emotional) to run a bigger Shetland flock anymore. Just want to have a smaller flock that pleases me and go about my business in peace. Simplify and destress my life is the ulitimate goal. If others like my sheep too and want to buy a few of the Shetland lambs I have every year that would be great too! I think after all my years with horses I have a developed a good "eye" in general. I think as a knitter and spinner I know what I like there too. Honestly any 20 sheep that I have out there right now I would be happy with. It is not about getting rid of a certain quality...I truely like them all. It is about sheer quanity so I am letting our emotional attachments rule our decisions, maybe not the best business practice but the best for us personally. And yet some that we are very attached to we are still having to let go. This is the best and the worst year yet...best lambs meaning the worst in terms of having to say goodbye...Wow a long winded reply to simple comment. As my DH says I just threw up on my blog! That is what happens after checking the chat list...I should know better...
ReplyDeleteKelly,
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to say I am sorry of your treatment on that list...it is not pleasant and your bravery is to be commended.