Have I mentioned winter went on too long this year?
Don't bother telling me it is not supposed to end until the Equinox which is theoretically the 20th of March. I am not ready to use logic where it comes to weather. I am ready for bad weather to have ended yesterday or rather two weeks ago yesterday.
It's hard to get imaginative for the blog when I am not feeling imaginative. The only thing that occurred to me that I would enjoy putting photos out are of this year's lambs. I keep thinking I can get a photo of a few of them running and leaping in the air but about the time I think it'll work, it starts to rain again and the only running they or I do is for shelter.
Yes, I know sheep should be fine on open range, do not need barns. That's all true... But not ours. The first drop of rain and they head for the barns. Spoiled? You don't know the half of it.
It turns out where it comes to the sheep, I have created a monster and as with all such monster creatings, it started so innocently. Right now I feel a little like the female character in Hatari when they played the theme Elephant Walk and she had all the baby elephants following her. Well what follows me when I go outside are not the babies particularly. It now is all of the sheep.
It all began in the fall when the apple season was subnormal, and I had one old ram that I began to sympathize with as, day after day, in all kinds of weather (well most kinds), he would wait out under the apple tree hoping one would fall. If I was going out to get the mail, I would stop and shake some down but this was a bad year for apples out here and not many ever landed.
The mistake multiplied when I added to this by buying him apples. This sounds crazy even to me, but it's what I did when I could get them at say 87 cents a pound. That's not cheap given the weight of an apple, but I told myself I wouldn't do it for long. Is long up yet?
Well added to the apples, that I am still buying, was something else-- Cob. It's a mix of Corn, oats and barley with some molasses which adds to a good smell and helps the ewes and the lambs during a time when there is much demand on both. So I'd put out some... and some more... and ... Well you get the picture.
To put it out, I pour it on rocks or whatever I can find that is off the ground and they maa for it... Cute not-- as sheep maaing can be quite loud. It's more like MaaMmmmaaamaaMMMAAAA multiplied by many voices. If I go outside, well they are all after me as the fact that I have no bucket in my hand doesn't mean a thing to a sheep.
Thrilling especially when I am sitting at the computer and do not want to hear the complaint and most definitely do not want to go out with more Cob. It's raining. Who created this problem? *looking around*
Oh sigh, I love the idea of sheep. And I see no snow in your photos, lucky you! Here we have at least a foot of the stuff laying around with no end in sight. Count your blessings Rain, at least you're not looking out on blinding white in every direction ;-)
ReplyDeleteBut...they're so CUTE!!! I can see why you created the problem...part practical, part big heart.
ReplyDeleteSo, what do you do with all your stock? Sell the wool? The meat? Surely they are not "pets?"
That's the tough part of raising livestock-- the reason you do it. Actually wool is almost a zero for us as we would have to find weavers, knitters and hand spinners to receive much money for the wool. We haven't done that. The main product for the sheep and the cattle is meat. It makes lambing season a mix of emotions. We have pretty well decided that as the rams go; so will go that business and we will keep a few of the ewes to live out their lives and likewise the cattle although there we may go AI and breed just what we know we can sell. It's hard as if we couldn't sell the meat, we couldn't have the sheep we have but knowing why they are born is tough. The little ewes though are often sold to other breeders especially those who like Shetland and Jacob sheep. They are nice on small properties as they are smaller than most of the sheep. They are also very sociable and bright which is another part of why it's hard to know why we raise the lambs :(
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post, rain. I agree with Tara about your big heart. Those little critters are in your care, and they do call you "mmaaaaa..." what else could you do?
ReplyDeleteOH and snow never lasts long here. If it's here a week, we are in shock. This one was from a Wednesday to a Saturday night when the rains came. It has all been replaced by mud and more mud. If I try to go to the barns with my tennis shoes or Uggs, I am having to change shoes as soon as I get back to the house. Muck Boots are the only thing reliable.
ReplyDeleteWOW! All those beautiful lamb kids....Robin's got it MMMMMAAAAA... Your account of it is entertaining----like a Rain's version of .BABE.'
ReplyDeletePat has commented that she thinks our seasons have shifted a bit later on the calendar, which makes winter hang around longer. There may be some truth to that! Last Wed night we (60 miles north of Seattle) got 12" of snow in just two hours! We woke Thurs to between 14 & 16" of the stuff on the ground. That is about as much as we usually might get in three or four years, total.
ReplyDeletefrom Julie,
ReplyDeleteWhen you post pictures of the sheep, it makes me think of all the things I could be crocheting. The best crochet experience I ever had was the first time I worked with wool instead of synthetic yarn. The look, the feel and the wool's service can't be compared. Ummm, does this make a yarn snob? lol
Lovely blog as a pet owner I certainly can see how the "I'll shake down and apple for you turned into the "fix" you are in. I imagine it must be very difficult to raise animals that must be slaughtered but then we all want to eat. I am a knitter and love the feel of 100% wool...sorry there are not enough of us knitters to make the wool the profitable part
ReplyDeleteLike all the lamb color combinations. Had a friend who used to spin wool and think she would have loved some from these sheep.
ReplyDelete