Almost Shearing Time

Mid March brings many things. St. Patrick's Day and then my birthday and not too farm after that the first day of Spring! Along with that is shearing time here. I put my ram in with my ewes on Halloween, trick-or-treat, and should start lambing in April. I had one little brown Shetland Ewe who was getting quite large. She was to the point of waddling. I was nervous and excited to see how many she would have, but I will never know. I came home last night after dinner out for my birthday and she was dead. I don't know why, but I suspect it's because of something called "cast". Here's what Sheep 101 says about it: Cast sheep. A sheep that has rolled over onto its back is called a "cast" sheep. It may not be able to get up without assistance. This happens most commonly with short, stocky sheep with full fleeces on flat terrain. Heavily pregnant ewes are most prone. Cast sheep can become distressed and die within a short period of time if they are not rolled back into a normal position. When back on their feet, they may need supported for a few minutes to ensure they are steady. Heavily laden with lambs! That she was. So sad. I decided to shear her this morning with a pair of scissors and try to salvage her wool. I can tell you that shearing a dead ewe with lambs in her belly is not a pleasant experience. I don't write this for pity or sympathy, I write this to let you know what we go through sometimes with these living, breathing things. Soon the lambs will be popping and bring joy and new life once again to the farm. The circle of life.

Fuzzybutt

'Tis owl season here on the farm. A blessing and a curse. If any of you know me, you know I have a love/hate relationship with them. We have had a pair nest here for at least the last 3 winters. They are Great Horned Owls and I have dubbed them Harold and Maude. The first year they had one baby and I named him Fuzzybutt. Last year I think there was only one as well, but I didn't get to see it much, just the day it flew away. They are really pretty fascinating creatures. They breed in late January or early February and are often heard calling to each other regularly as early in the fall as October. They choose a mate by December and are often heard duetting before this time. The male attracts the attention of his mate by hooting emphatically while leaning over (with the tail folded back) and puffing up his white throat to look like a ball. The female hoots back when the pair meet but is more subdued in both her hoot and display. Pairs typically breed together year after year and may mate for life, although they associate with each other more loosely when their young become mostly independent. Like all owls, Great Horned Owls do not build their own nest. They often take over a nest used by some other large bird, sometimes adding feathers to line the nest but usually not much more. This year I was fortunate enough to see them mate. It was interesting to hear their chatter during their interlude. Their eggs are shaped almost like a ping pong ball. Not quite perfectly round and there are typically 2 eggs in the clutch, sometimes more. The incubation period ranges from 28 to 37 days, averaging 33 days. The female alone does all the incubation and rarely moves from the nest, while the male owl captures food to bring to her. Brooding is almost continuous until the offspring are about 2 weeks old, after which it decreases. The male feeds both the female and the young for around 2 weeks after hatching. Young owls move onto nearby branches at 6 weeks and start to fly about a week later. However, the young are usually not competent fliers until they are about 10 to 12 weeks old. The offspring have still been seen begging for food in late October (5 months after leaving the nest) and most do not separate from their parents until right before they start to reproduce for the next clutch (usually December). Birds may not breed for another year or two, and are often vagrants ("floaters") until they establish their own territories. This is Fuzzybutt in the tree at about 6 weeks old, I presume. I was able to get within touching distance of him, but he hissed at me. The next day he was gone. He had been hopping from branch to branch up until this point and then he took his maiden voyage to the trees back in our slough. He sat there all day that day and then went further West the next day. After that I never saw him.

The Zen of Goat Milking

There are days, which I wish I had more of, when I am out milking my goats in the morning and nothing else seems to matter. I get lost in thought, lost in time, lost in the rhythm of milking the goat. My mind wanders away and sometimes I get my best ideas out there. It really is a lovely feeling. I am sure you've experienced it too, maybe just during another time. Crafting comes to mind. I call it a craft coma. When you're working away at something and time just gets lost. Eerily, it happens to me in the car too. Sometimes I can be so deep in thought I arrive at my destination with no real recollection of the trip and I have just driven the car!

Morning Chores

Today was a beautiful day here in SW Montana. It was a bit on the chilly side, but very invigorating. I was having a face book discussion with some friends about milking goats and I said, "Call me crazy, but my favorite time to milk my goats is when it's cold out." Yes, one did call me crazy, but I will tell you why. Having my goats forces me to get up in the morning and go outside. For me it would be very easy to "hermit" myself away in this house all winter and not go out much. My animals and especially the goats force me out to get started with my day, every day, cold or hot, wind or rain, sun or snow....it matters not to the animals. Just imagine a frosty cold morning. Let's say it's Christmas Day and all of the world is quiet and still, with a coating of fresh snow covering the ground. My animals all look at me and watch me approach the barn, the goats vying for attention first. They want to be fed and let you know it. The sheep lay quietly waiting. One goat in the stanchion, I pull off my gloves and expose my hands to the frosty air. I plunge them into the bucket of hot water and wash the goat's udder. Then I begin milking, her body giving warmth to mine as I sit beside her. From her udder flows fresh, warm milk and on this morning it will be shared with the chickens. The ones that sleep in the rafters of the barn already have this figured out and soon they will show up for a tasty treat, walking around me and the goat with one eye cocked up. On this particular morning I decide to talk to them. Not in my language, but in theirs. I find myself sitting on my milk stool, milking my goat and clucking like a hen. If anyone were to walk into my barn just then, they'd surely suggest I be committed, but for me to talk to the animals is a life-long dream and I am living the dream. Every day is Christmas.

Goodness! Over a year has passed since I've written anything here. Amazing how time flies. We've had a fun and exciting year here on the farm. The wagon rentals are picking up, chickens have been harvested for another season and shearing of my lambs completed yesterday! Lots going on and still lots to do. Today I will join some friends and be a vendor at the Bozeman Winter Farmer's Market. It's always fun to connect after a long summer full of hard work. I feel a bit guilty for even having blogs, yes I have 2, and not posting. I must admit that facebook has cured my need to get the words out of my head. I did more blogging pre-facebook! Not sure if that's good or bad. At any rate, happy harvest to you all.

Wagon Guests

Fall has made an appearance here at Serenity Sheep Farm and Jack Frost came with it. We've had 3 mornings of frost so far. Lots of things in my garden have suffered, but I've convinced myself that it is what it is and next year is another year!
We were fortunate here to have both wagons rented for 2 nights this past week. Such fun! Newlyweds in the Winona, which we pulled over to the neighbor's yard. Their daughter and new son inlaw were gifted the stay.
The Brusett was rented for 3 nights by a man from France and his 2 children. I had a bit of a language barrier with the children, but we still shared lots of smiles and laughs. I hope they had a wonderful and memorable time here.
Both wagons were a bit chilly and required extra blankets with fall arriving.
I can now say I've had guests from all over the world!
This is what Serenity Sheep Farm Stay is all about.

Summer Fun

The lambs here are growing by leaps and bounds, literally.
The baby goats are of varying sizes and still so much fun.
The turkey poults are getting big, meat chickens are all out on free range and I can't seem to keep enough room in the fridge for all of the eggs!
Guinea keets are still in the brooder box. They will be let out when they have their feathers.
The pigs are showing some growth spurts, first width-wise and then length-wise and back again.
The wool for the CSA is currently being worked on at the mill. Soon I will be able to send it off to my customers in the form of yarn.
A few fleeces were shipped off to a wonderful customer in Oklahoma, who has introduced them to a spinning friend.
Lambs have been sold along with their moms to a young couple in a neighboring town for a starter flock.
Other lambs from last year have been delivered to Big Timber and will return for the dining pleasure of 10 lucky customers.
Kids camp tomorrow!
Life is good. So much to share here at Serenity Sheep Farm Stay.