6 Days Left

Quiet here.

Yesterday was a dreary, cold, day with "wintry mix" type weather. Freezing rain was on the menu. Everything BUT warm and sunny. Sigh.

Mud prevails, and the sheep look awful, wet and bedraggled at this point. I can't wait to shear them as soon as it warms up.

Amelia is spending more time being quiet, which is expected. I will move her into her jug over the weekend. Then I will watch her like a hawk for signs of labor. The weather forecast is for warm and sunny days, and fairly warm - 40 or so - nights. I'll have the lamb coats ready.

Grass is coming up and the girls are practically eating it as it is still pushing through the earth. I understand that though. They cannot wait to taste the succulent shoots. Its been a long winter for everyone.

This will be the year of severe flock reduction. With 20 bred ewes and the potential for 40-60 lambs, I will be interested in selling all of the lambs and 10 of the ewes. I will also be parting with a number of rams as well.

 We are back to the consideration of selling meat from the farm. Still need to work out some details though.

If you are interested in purchasing Finnsheep or freezer lamb, feel free to contact us. We are happy to answer questions.

Regards,
Kathryn

Frankie - Amelias' boy from 2013.  Offered for sale as a yearling.

 

Selling for Meat

Bridgette with Kari and Cwen

Touchy subject, yes.

Winter is banging on the door. Nighttime temps are freezing or just below. Hay needs to be stored up, shelters fortified and portable fences brought in before the snow flies. Any day now.

There is nothing like the anxiety of impending winter and more animals than you can adequately care for. On the other hand, the sense of well being that comes from knowing everything is in place and all will be cared for during these inclement months, is indescribable.

We have sheep for fiber, lambs and because I love, love, love them. I enjoy just about every aspect of having and caring for them except this one, selling for meat.

Trying to sift through 30 or more animals and select who goes to slaughter ( or the auction house, same thing ) is difficult because so many of them are fine animals it is a shame to kill them for food.

But, throughout time animals have fed humans and this is part of the food chain. While I will lose some very nice breeding stock, I have the ability, God willing, to make more in about six months.

Our options are:
1) sell to private buyer who pays less than auction prices, sells to the "ethnic" community and the animals will be kept alive until the private customer needs lamb, then it will be slaughtered.

2) Auction house - load everyone up on auction day, offload them at the auction house, go home, wait for a check.

3) combo - send select animals to custom slaughterhouse for our freezer, the rest to option 2.

All together there is a total of 26 animals ( ewe lambs, ram lambs, yearling rams, adult rams )that need to go by next week, so I want to select who will remain now, but it is proving harder than anticipated.

If you see someone interesting in our pics, contact us before next Tuesday, October 29, 2013.


Regards,
Kathryn