Tag Archives: sheep

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Just Snow Photos

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A different perspective on the farm

Breeze & Gabe want to know when the FB is coming out!

Back to the barn

Is there hay in here?

The weather guys promised a big storm and for us this was a big storm. 15″ with drifting and more on the way tomorrow. Unfortunately, the “winter weather” tomorrow is suppose to be sleet and freezing rain. Got the generator gassed up for this past weekend, so we’re ready.  Then there is the “Nor-easter” that is being promised for Friday and Saturday. I do hope that before the weekend we will be able to get to the feed store (human and livestock).  One thing we know for sure before next winter, there are many things we need to do here to upgrade for inclement weather.

It is beautiful though, isn’t it?

Have a great day..either with the snow or what ever your current weather!

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Here We Go Again!

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Well here we go again, time for the next winter storm. I’ve got to spend the day battening down all the hatches..looks like this storm is going to be accompanied by wind and really low temperatures. The guy we get our straw from said that he has sold more straw this year so far than hay. I know that we have not used this much bedding in the last 10 years combined. I also need to close up the barn this time too. We’re babying our goats more this time of year than usual..don’t want to deal with colds and big bellies, of course our geriatric sheep require more protection.

The really bad part about cold weather and me..all I want to do is cook. I ran by the store on the way home from Co-op deliveries last night, to pick up a few things. These few things equated to $270.00 worth of groceries. I don’t usually go overboard this bad when they call for snow, even though our only snowplow around here, is God, but this time I did for some reason. I have now dubbed Fresh Market as the $300. store..it just kicked Sam’s Club out of that standing.

I guess I should stop Blog babbling and get to work. Need to have my chores done before hubby gets home from work. He’s got to switch vehicles and get wood this evening. Don’t know how we ran out of wood, since we heat with wood, but we are very low.

Everyone have a great Friday. My next entry will probably be pictures of snow…again!

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Rooster Antics

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You all remember Beau-cocks the stray rooster? Well let me share some of his award winning antics with you this morning. He has developed quite a little personality since he moved on to the farm.

We still haven’t gotten him any girls yet, so he still thinks that he is a sheep unless a human is around..more specifically my husband. These two “men” have developed a very strong and steadfast relationship with each other. Apparently when hubby goes to the barn Beau helps him with all of the barn chores including running interference when the border collies are given a command..he thinks because noise came out of hubby that means he has to do what he says too. As hubby said, “I’m really worried that one of the border collies might eventually notice him and that could end badly”. All I see from the kitchen window is this little “rooster man” following hubby everywhere he goes and when hubby thinks no one is looking or listening, he has little talks with Beau. They make quite a team!

He has now taken to “dog aggravation” every morning along with standing under each window of the house when he sees hubby moving around and crowing. With the “dog aggravation” he simply stands in front of the pens, flaps his wings, crows and flies up on top of the runs, tapping and pecking and then flies down and does it all over again. The dogs run in circles, bark and run in their houses and peek out. Guess you have to be there.

Yesterday, I tossed a buck of water out the kitchen window (that’s another story for another day) and before I could get the screen down, Beau was standing in the window. Needless to say, my spoiled rotten cats freaked and took off running. Poor things don’t know what dinner looks like on the claw!

As soon as the weather becomes more predictable we are going to build a small coop and get 10 or so hens. That should finally give this little guy his own place in the barnyard. Until then I will continue to enjoy hubby and Beau making the trek to the barn together each morning. I have to say, there is nothing as cute as a running chicken from behind!

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Sorry I’ve Been Gone For Awhile

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I’m sorry I keep sharing with everyone about my Mother. I know that it can become depressing after a while but she had taken a turn for the worst over the last couple of weeks and I’ve spent a lot of time with her and not much here at the farm. It is my pleasure to share with you that she is doing better. She has finally found a doctor that is very capable of reading her, reading test results and making diagnosis that are apparently correct. She seems to be on the fast track to recovery!

As you know, before this last bout with Mom’s illness, I had opened an Etsy Store. I am still very excited about that even though I have not experienced the joy of a first sale. Getting this Etsy thing right seems to be a full time job in itself but I think I’m getting there. Please, when you get a chance stop by and see what we have available. The plan, once I have everything moved over, is to eliminate our ProStores shopping cart and have our new website devoted solely to the Farm and our Etsy store devoted to all product sales. Here I thought farming was going to be about tending the livestock and gardens..ha!

Things here at the Farm have been fairly quiet. Everyone is enjoying this little heat wave (it’s suppose to be in the 60’s here today) and the sheep have made it their mission to seek out every new blade of grass and devourer it. We got a new round bale last week, so every time I look out the window there is a goat dancing around on top of it. Those girls are showing signs of being good and pregnant now..they’re not due to kid until the end of March, so my best guess is we are looking at a lot of twins (good work Antonio!). We didn’t breed the sheep this year, so their fleeces are to “dye” (hehe) for. Spring will bring a nice bounty. Even Kosmo’s fleece is much nicer than in past years. I can’t wait to have mounds of fluff to work with. We have a new processor in Virginia now and I’m definitely going to give them a try this year. The samples I’ve received have been first class.

Well it’s off to soap making! Got to get those Valentine orders out there on the shelves.

Until next time be safe.

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“January Has Come In Like A Lion…”

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That saying use to apply to March around here but for the last 5 or so years, it’s an excellent description of what our January’s have done. This one is no exception. We thought it was cold on New Years Day when the thermometer topped out at a balmy 42 degrees..well, I am here to tell you that was a heat wave! Since then our nights have been in the mid-teens and our days have struggled to reach 30 degrees and oh good Lord, the wind! The daytime sustained winds have been around 25 mph, with gust over and above. I am a huge lover of cold weather but if there’s no snow involved, it just as well be 70! This is ridiculous. I feel so sorry for all of our friends in the mid-west and up North. The prediction was for a hard Winter and I think we’re having it.

My talk about the cold is leading me to take a moment to discuss animals care in the harsh Winter months..mostly, water. Here at the farm, we are not fortunate enough to have a year round outside water source for the livestock. During good weather, we use hoses from the house but this time of year, livestock needs water too..possibly more than in the heat of Summer. What would normally take about 30 minutes in the morning and evening to do livestock feedings and waterings, is easily taking up to an hour and a half each time for us. Everyone must always remember that our animals need to have water sources that are clear and flowing for at least a little bit of every day. We are feeding diets high in roughage (hay) and grain which both absorb moisture in the gut. Feeding like this with a lack of water will take a sheep, goat and llama (speaking for my own animals) down quicker than parasites. So please, when you are doing your daily chores in this weather, remember water. Also, on this same note, don’t forget any outside pets you may have. I know that I am not telling anyone anything they don’t already know, but usually your pets water dishes are much smaller and shallow, which means they freeze much easier..just keep an eye on them too. I just hate it when a fellow farmer friend  tells me about loosing livestock in bitter cold weather. I know that the chore of water hauling is not easy, especially when you get to be our ages, but keeping our stock alive and healthy is so very important.

So, tell me, now that you know that our New Year has brought additional work for us..how about you! Any stories or other recommendations you want to share? Feel free to leave us a comment.