Sheep of the Future |
| Posted: 2006-07-24 00:00:00 |
| When I started with Shetland sheep in 1998 my goals were relatively simple. I wanted a small, thrifty, easy to handle breed of sheep with relatively fine wool in lots of pretty natural colors. I found out about Shetlands, purchased my first three and was promptly hooked. Eight years later I am still in love with Shetlands, but my goals have become more refined. First and foremost, they must be calm, healthy, and structurally sound with good conformation and excellent mothering ability. Next comes wool, I have developed a preference for single coated and intermediate coated animals, mainly because I like to blend my wool with mohair and/or angora. Last, but certainly not least comes color. I love spots and am very partial to what is referred to as HST (head, socks, tail) or in Shetland markings parlence - yuglet, sokket and fleckett. Pictured below is Avillion Simply Irrestistable, sired by Justalitl Sir Galahad (spotted) and Avillion Meagan (solid moorit). |
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This Year on the Farm - Sheep |
| Posted: 2006-07-19 21:29:38 |
| This entry is the start of my blogging efforts. Basically it is a place for me to record farm events and reflections. So far this has been a pretty good year. Twelve shetland sheep lambed, producing 19 lambs (11 ewes, 8 rams) with no difficult births and all lambs and ewes healthy. One small lamb was born (1.5 lbs) to Windswept Kelsie. This lamb is now living well as a bottle lamb at the farm of a dear friend, where the lamb (Tidbit) will make her permanent home. Below are Tidbit and her new mom taking a "power nap." |
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2006 Angora Goats |
| Posted: 0000-00-00 00:00:00 |
| This has turned out to be an unusual year. The colored angora goats kidded on schedule with no difficulties. The white goats kidded much later because the buck I used with them turned out to be too young to settle them, and they were instead bred by the colored buck. The kids however, are beautiful. I also consider myself particularly blessed because of the birth of a blue doe kid. All the kids were born healthy too. This has also been a year of transitions. My two oldest and original angora goats are no longer with me. Pumpkin had to be put down due to severe arthritis; Cornsilk is now retired on the farm of a good friend. |
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