Saturday, May 29, 2010

Cinnamon and Spice and Everything Nice










This little cinnamon and cream pinto patterned doeling was a single out of Hot Cocoa born May 28 about 5:30 p.m. She is very spunky; might call her "Spice." We like to have holiday babies around here so kidding on Memorial Day weekend was oh so fitting! Milly is due also so we're constantly on the watch for her to begin labor. I'm thinking she'll go early in the morning as she seems to have shifted shape already.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Head Count

So, we're at 9 Scottish Highlands, soon to be 10. MALES: 1 herd sire, 1 brand new red bull calf, 1 steer coming of age. FEMALES: 3 young heifers (2 red, 1 white) 3 brood cows (one dark red, 2 light red).

Down from 14, we are at 11 Cashmere goats with 2 does due to deliver VERY soon. MALES: 2 bucks (one silver, one white). FEMALES: 5 doelings (1 white, 2 silver, 2 black and white) and 4 breeding does (2 white, 1 multi, 1 black).

Lastly but not leastly the 14 Shetland sheep! MALES: 2 intact rams (1 light grey katmoget, 1 white speckled), 2 wethers (1 grey katmoget, 1 fawn). FEMALES: 5 ewe lambs (mostly katmoget) and 5 breeding ewes (1 white, 2 moorit, 1 light grey, 1 fawn).

Friday, May 14, 2010

Guard Sheep







Something was awry about midnight last night. The new little wether was crying and all the sheep were at attention. He had a very full belly so wasn't hungry; and he was acting very spooked.

Shining the floodlight into the side pasture where we have the cows, they had formed a protective circle...what was going on?

Then I heard Merry Kate's daughter "talking" to a new little calf she had just delivered and cleaning it off! Come to find out this morning, it is a healthy dark red bull calf. The cows have been moved back into the pasture that has woven wire where they should stay until the fresh guy can get back and forth with them.

Alrighty then...Merry Kate and 2 goats to go (Milly and Hot Cocoa) and we'll be done with our special deliveries for the year! It should be within the week and definitely by end of the month.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Fawning Over Mr. Lonesome



This little guy is one of 2 ram lambs born to Martina. She chose not to feed him and favored the MUCH smaller one so we've been bottle feeding the fella and he is growing strong and stocky.

The smaller one was brown with black flecks and black markings but about day 5 he disappeared mid-morning...literally. We have seen a hawk swoop at a young goat once about 10 feet from us when we were arriving home. I'm fairly sure that's how he met his demise as a month prior to his birth I heard the terrible sound of something I can only describle as "squauking while being eaten alive" up over the ridgetop -- thought maybe a mountain lion, coyote or bear was eating a turkey...or maybe it was just a cat in heat -- it sounded like a baby crying or wailing?
Eve's daughter had a single...guess what...black and white katmoget ewe lamb! Plenty of those to go around this year! Will try to get some pictures this afternoon.

Shearing is set for Monday afternoon so naked sheep photos and fleece shots should be posted next week sometime.


Hot Cocoa is full of milk waiting for the little one(s) to arrive.


Milly is also in milk to the same degree and biding her time.
We still have two highland cows to give birth this year, too! They are enjoying the flush of grass which we are told is higher in sugar due to the wet winter.




The boys and I are picking about a pound of strawberries every day now; they don't seem to care whether they are ripe or not however! The garden starts are going in the ground right now and lettuce is coming ready now; which is a good thing considering the lettuce recall affecting our grocer.