A few thoughts on the future...

It has been crazy busy around here.  Ever since fall actually.  I am still trying to work it all out, but I think I am going to have two more full lambing seasons, this and next year.   Then I will only cross breed a few ewes every year for some freezer lambs until things slow down around here.  I will keep a spinner's flock of my Shetlands, but many will be available for sale over the next two years.  I have been working part time supervising student teachers for a local college, but the time may be upon me that I will need to return to a more permanent work schedule. In my field, teaching, there really aren't any jobs at this time and it doesn't look like there will be any for quite some time.  However, if I hope to ever get back "in", I will have to begin substitute teaching and hope things get better.  Things are really terrible in NY right now in terms of Education.  Schools are facing large budget gaps and quickly dwindling reserves.  One hundred school districts across the state become insolvent this year alone.  All the other schools are not far behind. The State has reduced the funding to most upstate schools, as always the "City" will be getting the lion's share.  The State also put a 2% property tax cap in effect.  We pay huge property taxes in NY so I appreciate the tax cap to some extent, but to do both at the same time is putting the public schools, rural schools in particular, in crisis.  They are all panicking, threatening huge cuts and drastic measures.  Neither will be good for students.  So it has forced my hand.  I may even run for our local school board because of the situation, which would take considerable amount of my time if I do.  If I don't and things go from bad to worse, I will need the additional time anyhow to home school or to bring in outside income to pay tuition.  Yes I tipped my hand there a bit, something only a few of you know about me.  As they mature the demands of the schedules we have faced in the past 6 months has changed dramatically.  With a couple cases of mono thrown in, which has contributed to my long stretches of silence this winter, I see we are spreading ourselves a little thin.   The time may be here that the sheep business will have to be put aside until a later date.  We are VERY attached to the sheep that are still here, so the decisions will be difficult.  Please inquire if you are interested in a starter flock in 2012 or 2013.  All rams will be for  sale this year.  Some available at anytime and a few in the fall after the last Shetland breeding season here for a while.  Adult, yearling, and ewe lambs will also be available.  I would like to keep at least one of every color and pattern, but there will be some really beautiful sheep for sale so please let me know if you are interested in any in particular.  I would really love to see some go together and to good homes.  In terms of outside lines, Olympia, Hester, Quechee, and Marshmello are not a choice...they are pets.  Choosing among the ones lambed here will be more difficult and something I am not looking forward to doing, although I know it has to be done.

February 6th and 48 degrees?!!!

 The boys were enjoying the sunshine.  You all know what happened the last time I mentioned the weather....two trees came down in a wild winter storm, so I really should bite my tongue.

 The girls got let out of their winter paddock for a while again today to stretch their legs and have a little grazing/browsing time.

 The three girls on the left are expecting their first lambs this spring: Silvermist a Zeus and Hester daughter, Cupcake a Minwawe Sprinkles and Minwawe Bahama daughter, and Can Too Sky.  All bred to Neville.  I am SO excited about these three in particular!

 Here you can see the clean up progress of the downed trees.  And below you can see how huge they were by comparing them to their neighboring trees still standing.  One thing about living in house built in 1850.  Almost all the trees, besides the ones we have planted are very mature trees.

 This mild winter has me a little concerned.  Maple syrup season may not happen at all.  I don't know if it has gotten cold enough for long enough for the sap to run and run clear.  My lilac below is starting to bud 2-3 months early!

 The sheep continue to roo.  Especially the Champ daughters.  My bulbs are beginning to sprout.  I saw a honey bee the other day.

 (Above you have three generations:  Minwawe Pearl, and Mapleton Opal and Jewel.)

It certainly has made it an easy winter, chore wise, but I worry about the impact on spring and summer.  I know mentioning it will bring snow.  I can't believe I am saying this but I sort of miss the snow.

Wild Windy Winter Weather

 We lost two very big old trees last week after a windy winter night.  One 50ish foot pine, broke off 15 feet up and fell and split a neighboring maple in two.  I will miss these two trees.  Seems odd to be sad over trees, as it could have been much worse but when they are so old and huge, it makes it especially sad for some reason.  I worry about the 60 foot cotton wood in the back 40 or the giant horse chestnut trees in the front pastures. The years that went into becoming that big.  Just glad I didn't take a dash out to the barn to check on everyone out there, like I considered doing that night.  They fell on my path to the barn.  I often stopped under those trees to check on the ram lambs and often threw their hay to them there on my way back to the house.

 Also glad the ram lambs escaped injury!

"What happen here?  We did not do that!" say the boys.

It is time to wrap up my last year's registrations, which means I have to finalize what I am naming everyone and decide on their colors and markings.  Then it will be time to get ready for the new lambing season. Hatchery and seed catalogs are coming in.  It will be maple syrup season before we know it!  Hope everyone is doing well.  If you are looking for lambs this spring, I have all the adult ewes bred to Swiftriver Neville AI:  gullies, kats, spotties, Ag, and solids!  A little something for everyone!  Yearling rams will be available as well.  I plan on selling a few adult ewes again this year to allow me to keep a few lambs.  Give me a shout if you see anything you are paticularly interested in.

Quick Photo Update...now with words!

Okay, there we go.  Happy New Year!  Sorry it has been so long.  It has been grey and drab lately, not great for photos, my camera was giving me problems, and life has been really busy.  Holidays, everything got done, with one exception...no cards this year.  I usually take pictures for our holiday card the first snow cover, which typically takes place first week in December.  Well a whole month later and as you can see still no snow.  We have had flakes here and there but nothing that stayed very long.  This day pictured was 45 degrees and sunny, usually around here is about 15 degrees in January.  Not that I am complaining.  As long as there is no snow, I am glad it is mild.  The worst is when it is cold and no snow.  I am of the mind that as long as it is cold, we might as well have some snow.  I am thinking it might be the calm before the storm and we will get more snow in a shorter time frame and I will be sorry I even mentioned snow!  In the meantime, the critters seem to be enjoying it.   I let the goats and sheep out for a little exercise and a little browsing time.

Watson found a wonderful new home to help them with their plans to have a small herd of Sannens for some family milkers.  Whistle and her doeling are doing well.  Debating on her name.  Song or Snap to go with Whistle?

Olympia and Dessie

My sheep numbers are 27...21 ewes and 6 ram lambs.  Last year I was at 20 ewes and 5 rams, so just plus two for winter, not too bad considering we had 30 lambs last spring.  Two of the ram lambs will leave after shearing.  One is spoken for, the other will be sent to market so are numbers will be even then.  Neville, Cotton Candy, and Sprinkles went to their new flock.  I miss them, but am looking forward to Neville's lambs and grand lambs from those two ewes.  Currently, I have the right number to move without a herding dog.  The past two days, I have let them out while I do chores and by the time I finish and give them fresh water and their hay, they are all back in their paddock with me and all I have to do is shut the gate.  Cotton Candy and Sprinkles while beautiful and wonderful in many ways, had a tendency to run off with all the lambs!

Cookies and Cream (Hester's and Champ's daughter)

Sprinkles' coming two year old daughter Cupcake is a carbon copy of her mom anyhow.

They were very good girls, not nibbling on my fruit trees!

The mild weather is messing with the the lambs a little, some are beginning to roo already.

Olympia's daughter Autumn

Really?  I let you out for 10 minutes and you have found some of the only remaining burdocks?  Double click on the photo and you will see what I am talking about.  Seriously, they had to work to find them!

I also kept Sprinkles' sisters Peep, Fluff and their mom Marshmello pictured above, and fawn kat daughter Cappy pictured below.

Opal and her daughter Jewel are also beginning to roo.

Finn and the new laying chicks are all growing up too!

Da Boys!

 The five ram lambs above are to be wintered over for further evaluation.  If however you are in need of a ram, let me know!  I have an heir and obviously more than one spare!  And I have more Neville heirs on their way, the entire adult ewe flock was bred to Neville this fall. 

Fiber Chistmas Shopping? Look no further!

NEW ROVING:

Along with a variety of natural colors in a variety of blends (Alpaca and Mohair).  I have some dyed roving and bats to offer for the first time in 100% Shetland.  The rainbow bats are fawn katmoget overdyes. 

The burnt orange swirl was supposed to be orange and natural brown they overdyed the brown by mistake and left the off white natural.  Not the sample I showed them but super soft roving none the less, and makes for a deep orange that is unique, with a frosted effect.  I am a little disappointed as I was looking forward to the other combination but the mill is working with me to make up for their error.   This is the first problem I have I had with this mill, unfortunately there was 12 pounds of my softest fleece in that order including Sky's lamb fleece!  It is nice roving and available for sale.  It is just not what I envisioned, so I am willing to part with it.  I am hoping I have better results with the yarn they are spinning for me. 

Finally, the natural charcoal is Slivermist lamb fleece, a grey katmoget, and modified black gulmoget Quechee (22.9 average micron) so uper soft.  If you are interested in any new roving let me know.  Also check out  the sale and fiber pages to see pictures of  other roving and yarn I have available.  Inquire about our Christmas Special!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Zeus' patterned keeper ewe lambs...

I also kept 3 of Mapleton Zeus' ewe lambs...

Minwawe Sprinkles' daughter ~ Fawn Katmoget

 HarvestThyme Quechee's twins:

Gulmoget ewe lamb modified (fawn? or mioget?)

 Fawn Gul/Kat ewe lamb

I could go on and on about what I like about these three, but I think they speak for themselves.  Could you have choosen between the three from each ram?  That puts at 9 ewe keeper ewe lambs.