Alfalfa~ you should be dog meat! But....

     Alfalfa, you should be dog meat. But, understanding person that I am, you are forgiven and may live to see another lambing year.  
      The last week in May , I was feeding the sheep when I saw an opportunity to catch an 8 week old lamb for a sale that night. Of course, it was a sudden poorly thought out move. You NEVER know what a day will bring. That's my motto.On a farm, you need to think out EVERY MOVE and possible repercussions! So, work slow.That lamb howled and bleated and BAAAAA 'd at excruciating decibles. His daddy, the farm ram, stopped eating his hay and charged straight for my chest wall while I was still on my knees. CRASH !!!!*&%$#@   Right into the old chest freezer used as a grain storage bin.So, I spent the next 3 weeks hobbling around, spasming every time I yawned, coughed or sneezed and slept on the couch for the next 5 weeks because I couldn't lie flat. As he started to back up for another charge, I yelled horrible explicatives .Then  he grew bored and came over for a chin scratching and pet on the head. Just havin' fun, he said,Well, that was the beginning of my summer.My spring planting was started but interfered with it's maintenance. It seems like every year at this time, something comes up.
     The sheep were sheered that evening.That sure looked nice! (:>

Seedlings

These are my cabbages and brussel sprouts for the coming year.I don't eat many of these but my farm animals will .You are looking at $40.00 + worth of seedlings that I would have had to pay for if I did not start these myself.I have plenty more seedlings under lights elsewhere in my basement , especially for  tomatoes ~ Heirloom tomatoes. I can save & re-plant their seeds at the end of the season for next year .Heirloom corn is not so lucky, Tough and tasteless,it looses popularity to the more exciting hybrid crowd .I prefer starter plants because they mark their area so nicely before weeds get a good start.

  You will not see a picture here, but instead~ the pre-dawn cry of a newborn baby lamb for his mother. In the dark wee hours, just prior to the dawn light,little Billy Boy was forced out of his mother's womb,from sleep, into a chilly stall.He lay on the hay bed, head bobbing for control and rested back to sleep.His mama was curious about him and licked his little face clean of birth secretions.It helped him to breathe more freely. She licked his face, then his neck ,then the rest of his white wooley torso.He was tossed about and began to gain control of his legs. Then he was standing, an ataxic stance, but standing! He sniffed at the air and found his mothers udder.Colostrum spilled forth , giving him the immunity he would need for immediate survival.Soon, the wonderful tasting sheep's milk filled his little mouth. His tail wagged at a racing speed, back & forth. His mother was pleased and checked his butt and cleaned him.She found her hay dinner pile. She was hungry now and  nibbled and chewed at the good smelling hay .Then she gave that half smile that sheep always do.

.Little Billy Boy was born on my 40th Wedding Anniversary, on March 25th, 2012. Therefore I shall keep him as a remembrance.
   My sheep always have their lambs just before dawn.Therefore, it's like Christmas or Easter~~ you wake up and there is your surprise!!
 

LITTLE KATIE

BEAUTIFUL MOMMY & HER 2 BABIES   VERY NEWBORN MARCH 10TH.2012 KATIE & JOHNNIE CAKE

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My beautiful baby lambs! How can I stop kissing them? I love, LOVE lamb meat~~  but not from my farm. I cannot butcher my sheep family.Tonight I stopped in the driveway to check on my sheep & baby lambs. All greeted me at the doorway and nuzzled up to my face for a kiss g'night. Take a close look at the mouths of these babes. That's what's referred to as a "Sheepish grin". All sheep have a half smile on their faces at all times.

  My first babes this year were born on March 10th. to my first ewe,Sweetpea.Katie & Johnniecake.  Yesterday, on my 40th wedding anniversary was 1  little boy born to the second ewe,Bella.. I haven't named him yet.She did a fine job this year and is turning out to be a fine mama. Last year she had a 'premie' and didn't quite seem to know what to do. She wasn't quite a year old and her little babe died.Well, this year she is proving herself to be a fine mama! Tails are banded on on first 2. Tomorrow I band the testes on the first & the tail on the new babe.

   I can't believe how quickly these lambs grow! Cheviots are SO hearty & strong!! Mothers are very dedicated and their wool is carpet wool strength. I never had an illness. I am so glad these were my choice to start with. Very cold weather hearty.

Sawdust Chickens

That's my Ed up there, building our first chicken coop in 2005. It has since become our nursery coop to allow small chickens grow to size before they join adult chickens and turkeys in the bigger coop on the other side of the farm.

The chicken peeps that were born on Dec 26-28 (see Jan 7th post) have been booted out to the nursery coop.I have to admit, I miss hearing their chatter at the bottom of the cellar stairs while I'm cooking in my kitchen, They have all their feathers now and I'm taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to allow them to adjust to the outdoors.

Their instincts never cease to amaze me! Never in the presence of an adult chicken , the protective mothering instinct immediately kicked in when this little black Barred Rock baby hen saw me walk through the door of the coop. She immediately ran over to the smaller chicks ,who are a cross between Bandy and Aracauna, and spread her wings over them to shield them from the big lady with the big boots. 

I love this coop.It has served me well.Young turkeys will reside  here in June, then  in August white Cornish Rock chickens will play in the sawdust. I prefer wood chips when I can get them.I think I'll take a walk out there now to open the door and allow sunlight to enter through the screen.door.

Door to door chicken delivery

       A few days ago I was doing laundry.The door to the porch was behind me and I heard a ruckus. An Arakauna  laying hen was throwing a hissy fit under the corn shucker .She was tossing junk across the porch  with the fervor of a Polish cleaning woman ,raucous groanings and cacklings with the letting out of periodic ear piecing squawks ! Dried up flower pots with dead stems went rolling across the slate floor.Fishing poles,the cattle prod,rolls of chicken wire and muddy sneakers all went flying! My God, what's got into her? Finally she tossed her tail feathers in a flounce as a queen would arrange her hooped skirts upon a throne and there she sat, on the cold slate porch floor and layed a beautiful aqua blue egg.

     Now I am quick to recognize a gift horse and decided to capitalize on this .I noticed that her rooster fellow and a following of curious pretty hens all watched with a question mark over their hawk~like heads.Therfore, I decided any chicken wanting to play Fuller Brush man and make a house delivery deserves my gratitude.Therefore , I swept the porch & got rid of the junk (taking the hint) and placed a few little boxes of hay beneath the corn shucker. HAH! Just as I thought, other hens decided to lay their eggs there also.Right outside my kitchen door!  Helloo~oooo breakfast !