Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Christmas on the Farm


It is time for me to get back to writing. I always a wonder if people even read about our farm happenings.

We had a warmer day, -17, so Garry hitched up the mares, Pip and Nan, and took everyone for Christmas for sleigh rides. Even Santa and his favourite elf showed up and took a turn with the reins.

The weather has been quite cold and it became a chore to keep the ducks warm enough until I hung a heat lamp in their building. Now when I go in to check their feed and water they are all huddled under the lamp quite happy with the heat radiating down on them. Wish I had thought of that sooner.


The sheep are all happy and cozy wearing their homemade wool coats. They also have lots of nice straw bedding to snuggle down in. I missed a photo of them still resting because when they heard me coming along they assumed I was going to give them some grain.

Time is going by quickly and before we know it there will be lambs. Around April 9th is when the first lambs are due to arrive. Well actually they won't start for over three months but we have lots to do and the time will go by quickly especially since we will all be watching the Olympics.


All of us at Wind'n'Woolly Acres (including the two goats) wish each and every one a very blessed 2010.





Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Don't throw that away....




We bought a load of used tin about 8 years ago. Almost everything in our barn-yard has been covered with it. A year or so ago our neighbour gave us two garage doors he didn't want. They have been put to good use. The building on the left is a garage from an old farm site the new owner didn't want so we moved it here and my worker boy has made use of the door, the tin, and a lot of energy to re-roof and side. The picture on the right is of the west side of the barn lean-to that now is completely closed in. This will be great when those little lambs come and we want them outside but still protected. Amazing what you can do with old building materials.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Salty Dog


Good grief, how time flies. Seems like it was July yesterday and now the calendar says October tenth.
Emma and I took a road trip in September. We went to the ocean for a few days and left the poor Worker Boy at home to take care of the animals. Emma wasn't sure she was all that keen on the salt water and even less sure of the waves that came pounding in. After being coaxed in the water (by throwing her ball in) she found that it wasn't so frightening after all and she would feel safe going in and out. I would walk along the beach hunting for agates and Emma would stare at her ball waiting for me to pay attention and throw it for her.
Now we’re back home and glad to be back to a routine again, although the sudden cold temperature, snow, and the ever present Saskatchewan wind, has made going outside more like a chore.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Val's Beauty Shop


My friend, Val, was here yesterday giving Olive, the llama, a new hair-do. Olive put up with the beauty treatment very well but finally had had enough and plunked herself down. "Well, I guess that's it. Olive apparently has had enough." the barber said as Olive slid to the floor. Well, no wonder. Poor Olive had been so patient with us and it took almost three hours. I'm sure she felt really good when she went out of the barn.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Twig and Sheep


We have had "Sheep" here all winter. He is friend's rescued sheep and he's quite a delightful fellow. The couple have started building a new home and have 80 acres of pature they want kept mowed. Garry and I drove around to see if the Highland cattle could do the job but felt the fencing wouldn't keep them in. There is, however and nice little fenced in area with lovely lush grass that was secure enough to put a few sheep in. I took Twig over too as their guardian llama even though I don't think there's much fight in the boy. On the other side Java and her little lamb are eating away at the caragana bushes. This morning when I checked on them they were all happily eating Fruit Loop cereal that Tasha was feeding them. Even Twig found he enjoyed the sugar treat. Will have to make sure they don't give him too many or I'll have to take him to the llama dentist.

Recycle with style


Had a lot of "junk" around the farm but it was all too good to throw away. A few years ago I bought this big cast iron tub at an auction thinking it would look good with flowers planted in it. It sat in the barn yard for a few years until Garry came up with a plan. The tub is filled and we have three gold fish living in it. Yes I should mow down that tall grass but to the right of it is the rock garden I have been taking apart and moving the plants to another area and behind the tub is our new "lasagna" garden which I hope will keep a lot of my perennials from winter killing. Once all the plants have been moved we will spread the dirt around and get grass growing again.

.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Sassy, baby and Twig


I was just getting a good hug from Sassy's new calf when Twig came up from behind and just about knocked me over. Sassy became concerned that something was going on with her baby and she came to investigate. Silly Twig thought it was all about him.

Sassy's first calf


Our young Highland, Sassy, had her first calf yesterday. A little heifer. So adorable. Sassy is a three year old purebred Highland bred to a black Angus bull. Only one Highland left to calve. If anyone is interested in buying a few highland cows/calf pairs I have some for sale.
We have two ducks sitting on eggs and a couple of chickens thinking it would be a good idea as well. I am trying to discourage the hens because I want them sitting on Buff Orpington or Auracana eggs and don't have enough at this time.
An inch or so of rain would be very welcome to help the pasture grow green.

Saturday, May 2, 2009




It's been a while since I "blogged" and a lot has happened. We finished lambing and they are, for the most part, doing well. Eating and growing as lambs are suppose to do.


I came home from a wool felting class to be informed by Worker Boy that half our Highland herd had calved. In one day. Sounds pretty impressive doesn't it. Well, we only have four bred Highland cows. Pictured here is Patricia with her little heifer calf. I hope the other two gals calve soon.



Monday, April 6, 2009

Finally

Well, Wide Load finally lambed this afternoon. I was surprised to see she only had two lambs. Looking at her yesterday I thought at the very least triplets. Two ewe lambs one weighing 12.5 lbs and the other 13.4 lbs. Add that up and that's a lot of lamb.

Dam (WL) is a Rambouillet and sire is a Suffolk. I had originally planned on putting the Rambouillet ewes in with a Clun Forest ram and for the life of me can't remember why the change in plan. Two really lovely lambs though and I'm, and so is mum, relieved they are born.

In a few days I will take a picture of these two with a few Clun Forest lambs and post it.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Wide Load


I sent a picture of this ewe to a friend a few days ago and she suggested I put a wide load sign on her. I can't believe she hasn't lambed yet. I didn't have a harness on the ram I put in with her group so don't actually know her due date. I think it's any second now. I've been saying that for days. The poor thing must be so uncomfortable. I'll let you know when she's lambed. Hopefully soon.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Snow?


I put seven Clun Forest ewes with their lambs outside today for the first time. This way I don't have to haul water to them and they will have more space to run around in the corral. At first the lambs didn't want to walk on the snow but finally one made a quick dash over to the shelter where there is straw and soon the others raced after their leader. After a bit of getting used to the great outdoors a couple ventured onto the snow. After a quiet opening ceremony the Winter O-lampics began. First event was snow sculpturing which requires jumping up and down on the spot and making shapes in the snow. That event didn’t last long and the cross country snow run began. I think they will make up new events each day.
This afternoon, after the ewes have all had their evening meal, I will bring them all back in to their bed room area for the night. I’m sure the lambs will be happy to snuggled up to their mums for the night.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Clun Forest lambs


The Clun Forest gals have begun lambing and it has been an exciting two days. (they are actually due to start on the 22nd of March) So far we have one single, two sets of twins and one set of triplets. All really nice lambs.
Picture of twelve hour old Cluns.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Shearing Day


It takes a while for the lambs to figure out which ewe is their mother. When these two Suffolk lambs found their's they were happy to settle down and get used to snuggling with a shorn mum.

Waiting their turn

Clun Forest yearlings.

Shearing day


Shearing began this morning at about 8 o’clock. The pregnant ewes were the first ones through and it is easy to tell now the ones that will lamb first. Worker boy has put out lots of fresh straw bedding in each of the lean-to areas for the sheep to snuggle down in tonight. They don’t seem the least bit upset to have their wool gone. Maybe it's a relief to have less weight to haul around.


Maria shearing a Clun Forest yearling.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Winter Break


It's been terribly cold here the past few days. Seems more so because we had almost a week of unusually mild weather. Then March came roaring in.
Garry put up panels at the end of the east lean-to and then we attached a bale tarp across the end and part of the side. It looks dark back there in this photo but it's actually fairly light. The ewes with lambs and our yearling ewes quite enjoy going in and out of the wind. With lots of straw bedding they look quite comfortable when I check on them in the evening.
The shearers should be here by the end of the week and it is good we have this area all ready for them. The bred ewes are on the other side of the barn where the lean-to has tin on the west side, a wall of straw bales on the South side and a gate on the north side so they are well protected. Once it gets close to lambing if the weather is still like this they will all be in the barn at night. We have thirty one more ewes to lamb of which most are purebred Clun Forest, two are purebred Suffolk and three are Rambouillet.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Spring chickens?


Our chickens are happy the weather has gotten warmer the last few days. We spread some hay on the snow so they could go out and scratch around and get some exercise. They are more content now and the egg production has improved. I have six Buff Orpington hens but none are in this picture. Went into their building and several were laying eggs and the rest were looking anxiously at the favourite nest box. Isn’t it funny how they all seem to like the same nest.

Recess


When the ewes are eating the lambs take the opportunity to run and jump around the corral. Yesterday was the first time this group really got into the game. I have such a good time watching them jump up and kick their heels in the air. The stopped the game when they saw me with the camera in hand so they could pose.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Clun Forest

It's soon going to be time for lambing. Many of the ewes are looking quite big and in three weeks will be huge I'm sure. This Clun Forest is enjoying the warmer weather.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Java's lambs


Java finally lambed on Thursday. I was beginning to wonder about her. She needed a bit of help to get these two lovely ram lambs out. I was dissappointed when the second lamb, pure black, turned out to be a ram lamb. I would love to have a ewe lamb out of Java. Well, maybe next year.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Olive and Twig


I’m still waiting for the last two ewes Houdini bred to lamb. It seems to get colder every time I go out to the barn. We're having a snow storm right now and when I got to the corral, a few minutes ago, I saw Olive (right) making herself comfortable by one of the hay feeders. I'm not sure why she and Twig (left) are resting out in the snow. I also don't know why a bunch of the yearling ewes are crammed under the shelter when the lean-to attached to the barn has clean straw bedding and wind break panels. Maybe becaise they are all wearing 100% virgin lamb's wool jackets they are feeling snug.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Un-planned lambs


Here is a Clun Forest ewe with her just born twin ewe lambs. Unfortunately she was bred by a Suffolk ram, who I call Houdini, so these lambs are not purebred. Never-the-less they are terrific little lambs and shortly after this photo was taken they were both up and searching for the source of milk. In no time they had their fill and were resting comfortable by their mum.
I have two more ewes that were bred by Houdini and hope they will both lamb today. Houdini was only out a few hours and once we realized he was in the wrong area quickly rounded him up and delivered him to the buyer.