Tag Archives: lambs

Shearing Day

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We sheared on Sunday. What a gorgeous day for shearing (but hoping that the weather doesn’t continue this way–winter shouldn’t be over yet).IMG_8551The day before we were cleaning up the area around the barn and pushed the brush pile into the corral area where it’s safer to burn. The sheep thought that there might be something worth eating…IMG_8552…or scratching on. I didn’t want them ruining a whole year of wool growth the night before being shorn so it was time to move them to the barn.IMG_8559I called the dogs in and Ginny got to help with the big group.

Sunday:IMG_8561 Farm Club members are ready for action.IMG_8563First sheep.IMG_8566Mary is ready to grab and bag the fleece.DSC_5259Wait a minute. These sheep don’t look right.DSC_5264Cute, but not the right sheep.DSC_5257We started the day with 10 sheep from another farm.  We told John (shearer) that was his warm-up.IMG_8601-waiting for shearingWe got underway with the Jacobs. Farm Club members did all the work. Visitors watched. and I changed gates and moved sheep while playing with my camera.IMG_8572Here John is shearing Dazzle…IMG_8570 Amy and lamb…while Amy holds her lamb.IMG_8588 Peggy & CarolynI think this is my favorite photo of the day. Peggy and Caroline babysit twins while their mom is being shorn.

 

Cute, Cute, Cute

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It will still be a few weeks before I have any more lambs so the first three have more than their share of photos.DSC_4942This is Delight with her twins. Dazzle and 16001This is Dazzle with her single lamb. One of the problems I have photographing Jacob sheep is the fact that they have black markings around their eyes. I find that it is hard to expose the photo properly and also be able to see the faces. I edited this lower photo to where I could see the lamb’s eyes, although they aren’t showing up here very well and the photo looks washed out compared to the top one.

Here is another example.

The original is on the left. The black is too black, but I’m not very good at lightening it up just enough to see the eyes better. I lightened the shadows on the one on the right and it looks OK when it stands alone and is not next to the first version. I also tried dodging around that right eye, but it didn’t help much. I think I need a lesson.16002-3 version 1Here is another pair of photos. Which is better? Top or bottom?16002-3 - Version 216002-3 (1)At least I have CUTE going for me. 16002-3

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Ginny 1Speaking of cute, can you tell the difference in these two photos? It’s not in editing. Try the focus…Ginny’s focus, that is.Ginny 2

Celebrate Hug a Sheep Day

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Yes, it is Hug a Sheep Day and we’ll be celebrating it here at the farm. Anyone can join us. So that those of you who have never hugged a sheep can get a feel for this I thought I’d share some sheep hugging photos.DSC_5722

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DSC_5736The photos above are all of Farm Club members. If you join Farm Club you will have plenty of sheep hugging opportunities.IMG_3512My granddaughter on a visit out here last spring.DSC_1625 This is another cute kid, the age my granddaughter is now, at Fiber Fusion.DSC_4178 Chickens deserve hugs too.Goat kids 2006 - 1 And baby goats. Now we’re getting into the archives. This is my son about 10 years ago.IMG_5667 Another sheep hug.Running with the lambs Running with sheep.Settle girls and lambs I love this photo. A couple of these girls are in college now.Kids sleeping at fairWhile I was searching photos I found this one. Doesn’t have to do with hugging sheep, but it’s two of my kids waking up in the dairy barn at the State Fair back in my dairy cow days.Steph kids1-2006 My mom drying off a newly born kid.TinaBut today will be all about hugging sheep.

Mothers & Daughters

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I was trying to get photos of ewe lambs that I want to register. The sheep had come in from the pasture so it was more difficult. In addition the lambs (who don’t look much like lambs anymore) are still sticking close to their mothers.15073 and 11086Alexandria and her lamb, above and below.11073 right rear 

15015 rt and Ginseng Ginseng and her lamb (who is sold but still here).15020 Foxy and Foxglove Foxglove and lamb, Foxy. She will be at the Lambtown Sheep Show in a couple of weeks.15020 Foxy, Foxglove Foxy and Foxglove.

Amaryllis rolling Donkey break.Hot Lips and daughterHot Lips and her lamb, Honey.

Lambs

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Still trying for that perfect lamb photo. There are either too many lambs in the background/foreground, there is not enough light (lambs love to run around at dusk),  there is a lot of clutter in the shot, or I am still not in the right place at the right time.DSC_4013“Fight, fight!”DSC_4016It’s never too young to start.

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Lambs

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I started the last post with a photo of my “lambing board” with two entries. It’s full now…IMG_3286…and there is overflow onto another board. I have 72 lambs with 3 more ewes to lamb.  Celeste lambed this morning.Celeste and 15071-15072 (1) These lambs are #71 and 72.celeste and lamb 15072 (1) DSC_3496 Most of the others are in the field.DSC_3558 DSC_3562 DSC_3572 DSC_3602 DSC_3636 PetraThat’s no lamb. That’s Puddleduck Petra coming to the barn. You can meet these lambs at our spring open house, Meet the Sheep, Saturday, April 4.

Today’s Lambs

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Lambing moved into high gear today. It’s been one ewe a day until now.12097 Ginseng and lambs The morning started with Ginseng and twins.Maggie and 15017Next was Maggie. I pulled twins but one was dead. This one has a long story that I won’t go into now because I still have to go back to the barn. Maggie and the remaining lamb are at the UCD Veterinary Hospital for the night. Maggie was low in potassium and that needs to be dripped in over a 24 hour period.

 14027 Esmerelda and lambsEsmerelda is a Jacob-BFL cross who is just a year old. She delivered 7.8 and 8.8 pound Jacob-cross lambs. That first lamb was on its feet within 5 minutes.IMG_2648 

12098 Foxglove and lambs (1)Foxglove is another Lilac ewe with lilac lambs (although it’s hard to tell when they are wet).12098 Foxglove and lambsThis is the kind of lambing I like. Put her in the barn. Go to the house. Come back to the barn and there are lambs nursing.IMG_2673 Here is the count so far. By the way the TB means that I’ve banded Tails and given BOSE. Rams and ewes are color coded (blue for boy)