January 31, 2014

Corrigan - one of our 2014 sires

Wow, 1/12 of 2014 gone already! 


What is left isn't so bad....really.

February which is a "short" month ( I am so heartened by this! ) and then we are into March.

So, only four weeks until we begin the upside of the year with visions of warmth, lush new growth and lambs. I can handle that.

Caden - bred ewe for sale

 

We are still holding our own and the flock seems well despite the prolonged brutal cold. I'm thankful they are woolly creatures with enough protection from the cold and wind to be okay during these spells. Currently we are in a warm spell, with the daytime high being 20 and nighttime being around 10. Way better than the -20 night time temps we were having. And thankfully its a dry cold which makes even the brutal -degree temps bearable.

Oddly this winter we have two occurrences that remind me of Spring. One is a healthy flock of Blue Jays. The make a noise that I have associated with Spring since I was very young and due to their presence this winter, I  am constantly within earshot of their familiar song. Warmer days are coming!

The other is more sunshine than usual for this time of year. Not so much snowfall, and so the skies are clear and bright blue which is uplifting and greatly appreciated. Combined, both things help to keep me from falling into that winter time, cabin fever, blah mood.

I am impressed each year that the ewes are able to sustain themselves, grow beautiful wool and produce lambs even through these harsh conditions, and solely on a grass/hay based diet. They are well designed to do what they do, and the Finnsheep bring personality, affection and entertainment to the mix as well.

This year's lambing season has me a bit cautious with 21 ewes bred, the most I've had in my shepherding career. Six of these will be first timers. With that many ewes due to lamb, its quite possible that someone in the flock will have sextuplets or even septuplets and I expect the usual triplets which are fairly standard.

Last year, 11 bred ewes gave me 30 live lambs, so I would expect to have ....gulp...between 50 and 60 this year! I also don't have any plans to leave the property for about three months! 

First lambs of 2014 are due on April 15, which means I usually start getting excited about two weeks before and start trying to guess how many lambs the ewe will have. I have only 8 weeks until April 1. By then, maple sugaring time will have come and gone, and there should be definite signs of warmer, greener surroundings!

And of course there will be shearing time, with this year giving me 31 Finn fleeces to remove, skirt, pick and generally enjoy! Wool is the reason for having these beasties after all. At least it was the original reason. Now I just enjoy them on every level!

So, taking this all into account, my time for weaving and spinning with any regularity will be short now. So, I'm signing off to get as much textile production done as I can over the remaining few weeks of winter. 

Regards,
Kathryn

 

January 22, 2014 There are days..........

Horse Drawn Mower Waiting for Spring

There are days in the life of a shepherd that are beyond glorious, when all is well with the world and you know that God is in control.

Then there are the other days.

Don't get me wrong, nothing catastrophic has happened, no lost livestock or any unexpected problems to deal with. The flock is well even though the temp this morning was -13, and we are well.

It is just that in the middle of these long, dark, cold, overcast weeks of winter, I find myself slowly feeling discouraged.

I like winter as a rule, as long as I know the critters are handling it well, I don't mind the twice a day feeding/ checking up on animals and chores, and surprisingly I've come to realize that without those forced outings in all weather, I'd have missed some pretty amazing sights, sounds and moments that you cannot recapture.

Often, looking outside from the warmth of the cottage, its easy to dread stepping out, but most of the time I find once I am outside that it really is quite nice and end up staying outside doing more than I had originally intended because of it.

What I've observed personally is that the doldrums of winter are relieved not by warmer temps or less snow, but simply by sunshine. My spirits are enlivened again and my energy renewed by sunshine.

I don't miss the heat of summer, in fact I dread that more than the cold because it is impossible to escape it and the bulk of the work has to be done at this time. But the sunshine is always a welcome sight coming over the treetops lighting up the day.

The good news is, January will be behind us in 9 days. February in 28 after that. Then comes March and no matter what wacky weather it holds, I know we're on the upswing and the days will get longer, the sun will shine more, and eventually the greenery will return along with bouncing lambs, freshly shorn fleeces and all the warmth I can stand!

So for now, I occupy myself with spinning, weaving, making herbal salves and creams, shoveling and staying warm along with the usual routine chores.

And daydreaming - 83 more days until lambs!

Regards,
Kathryn

 

January 16, 2014

Slow start today, second cuppa and still grey skies.

St. Johns' Wort
 



Yarrow
 

Weather has been fairly mild, though the ground has been treacherous for man and beast with all the ice, but so far, we're good.

I can do without the rain. We get enough during * mud * season, and it seems a bit premature at this time of year. I will say though, everyone seems confused as to what season it is. The birds are cavorting between the ducks' feed dishes with a great deal of song and chatter and it does seem like Spring is imminent though in reality - not so much. Yet it is a welcome respite from winter doldrums and the phrase "January thaw" does come to mind.

It is hard not to envision the coming greenery and plant life that will swell and take over come Spring. We usher in Spring with maple sugaring, something we love to do and look forward to with high anticipation.  Who knew that trees of all things would yield such delicious elixir?

It is this time of year that I start thinking about the logistics of pasture rotations and getting the ewes with newborn lambs out to the rich, lush grass that will be the mainstay of their diet for several months.

As I consider the nutritional needs of the sheep ( and dogs and cat and ducks and horses ) I find it ironic that I spend much more time finding or creating just the right combination of nutrients to ensure their well being, than I do my own! 
My how far mankind has come since the days of hunting and gathering. Now hunting and gathering has to do with which grocery store to shop and what foods I can get that will satisfy my needs quickly , inexpensively and without much clean up. Yipes!

As for the sheep, I've learned that the best case scenario for them is good quality hay and grass when they can get it.
We feed both second cut and first cut hay all winter long, offering them continuous access 24/7.

As ruminants they are well designed to derive their required nutrients from this grass based diet, right up until the last four weeks of gestation and the first four weeks of lactation.

Because Finnsheep can carry up to as many as 7 lambs at a time, it stands to reason that their organs undergo a shift and compression that compromises their ability to take in enough dry matter to sustain their energy and nutrient needs during those last few weeks. As a result, the shepherd intervenes and provides the essential food in the form of grains, the exact type varying from shepherd to shepherd. This allows for adequate intake of nourishment until lambing time.

Once the lambs are on the ground and nursing the nutritional requirement skyrockets for those first few weeks and milk production is related to the amount of energy taken in by the ewe.

I've learned that taking them off their grain too early results in decreased lactation, so those first four weeks, they receive a healthy, balanced diet designed to support lactation. By four weeks of age the lambs have a good start and are robust so that any diminished production only increases their desire to graze and eat "real" food.

Of course, minerals play a large role in their diet as well, particularly since our area is selenium deficient making it necessary to see there is adequate access to selenium supplement along with the other important nutrients.

The rams however, are not given grain during any portion of the year largely because it is associated with a higher incidence of urinary calculi, a painful and fatal blockage of the ureter.

If I feel it necessary to supplement the rams my food of choice is shredded beat pulp with molasses.
It provides the needed energy and nutrition along with roughage and they love it.

I've also learned to manage many of their health issues such as worming, with herbal supplements and this has worked out nicely. In some cases if I need to give a dose of medicine, I can disguise it in an herbal ball and it is readily taken from my hand with no knowledge of the cure within.

Easy - peasy!

One of the many observations I've made as a shepherd is that of the surrounding flora and fauna, both in cases of plants that heal as well as those that can kill if a sheep eats it.

I am delighted to find that all manner of wild, often considered invasive weeds, thrive in our immediate area because they afford the raw material to craft medicinal cures, salves, supplements and even dyes.

Still, not all those I rely upon grow locally and I do utilize purchased herbs at times. Ideally I would have an herbal garden, something I intend to create but find hard to get started.

And of course, I look forward to the first new lambs due in 89 days! But, whose counting?

 

Regards,
Kathryn

Saturday - January 4, 2014

You can now find some of our hand spun yarns and hand woven items here: on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/oldschoolhandwovens?ref=si_shop


Oh glory day! The sun is bright and shinning on the mountainside across the road, making an inspiring invitation to arise, step out and participate in the coming day!
What an awesome and promising moment in time, Thank You God!

That said, I find myself daydreaming in the early days of the new year. So much to look forward to now that we have turned the corner from old year, to impending Spring. Such promise.

These days in between Christmas and New Year found me spinning like crazy. I have alot of fiber that needs to be taken from its raw ( in the case of shorn fleeces ) or processed ( in the case of mill processed roving ) state into its spun, woven or felted state and the sooner the better. I like the tactile nature of creating things from dyed, blended and spun fiber so I don't find it a chore but rather a delight for the most part.

These are some of the most recently spun Finnsheep yarns.

They came directly "out of the bag" of roving from the mill, spun as they unwound, no choosing of colors on my part. The yarn on the left is a single - ply, the yarn in the middle is a two - ply and the yarn on the right is a two - ply bulky.

66 yards, 180 yards and 40 yards, respectively. In the meanwhile I've done something similar with the Border Cheviot I've been spinning as well as blending, so I've been productive this past week.

Soon it will be time to get back to the looms, but for now, I'll just spin and day dream!


Regards,
Kathryn

December 13, 2013

14 degrees here this morning. Dry, clear, cold. Really nice!

The first pic is the winter shelters for the ewes.

Pic #2 is one of the breeding groups. Three ewes and a ram.

Pic #3 is the main ewe flock leaving their Premier round bale feeder to come see me as I take their pic.

Pic #4 is Earls' Brother. Perhaps one of THE friendliest and trusting rams I've ever owned. He is a classic example of those sheep who seek out human interaction and affection. I love him!

 Pic #5 is of Freckles (R) and Andy (L). Both lively, curious and friendly boys. Andy is one of the flock sires this year. Hopefully Freckles will be too.

And last - the Percheron team, Paladin (R) and Dick (L).

Yesterday I dropped off some wool products in town at the whole foods store, and have begun to plan for a website where we can showcase and offer our hand made wool items.

Today I'll be immersed in weaving and spinning after feeding the critters.

 I'm waiting for some fiber to come back from the mill and getting ready to send out more. This time I'll send out more organic wool and some fiber to make wool mattress toppers and comforters. I've been wanting to do that for a long time. I also have a few more pelts to ship.

So, daylight is coming and its time to suit up for the feeding and watering chores before everyone starts calling to me.

Regards,
Kathryn