Finally we can say that our first lambing season is over. That is quite an accomplishment. I feel that it was quite a success and we were truly blessed. We move to a farm, buy sheep, read everything that we can, research breeds, choose Icelandic Sheep, ask questions and take classes. In the end we tentatively call ourselves shepherds. We have relied on the sage advise of seasoned shepherds and have made it through with our ewes alive and the loss of one small ram. I think in the scheme of things that is pretty darn good. It is scary thinking about all of the things that can go wrong. Always look to your resources. Now, finishing up the season with two of our ewes. Mariah had a badger face ewe lamb and a spotted ram lamb. I have to work on getting the picture when everyone is looking at the camera. This reminds me of family photo’s when little Johnny happens to stick his tongue out or little Sally looks the other way at the exact moment that the photographer snaps the photo.
I have resorted to taking the picture of each lamb rather than a group. Smile!
I even resort to taking pictures when they don’t know I’m there. This was a sneak up photo.
Elspeth was our last ewe to lamb. She graced us with two black lambs. A ewe lamb and a ram lamb. Sorry about Esther sneaking into the photo. I guess here she is like crazy Uncle Harry who drinks too much and spoils the family photo with his hijinks.
Honestly, these two were standing still looking straight at me. I need to work on my photo skills.
Final count for Mainely Ewes Farm: 7 rams and 2 ewes. It will take many years to grow our flock at this rate. I have to have a chat with the girls about selective sexing. I know there are many old wives tales about eating certain foods and you will get girls/boys. I wonder if there is anything that will promote ewes? Probably not. We will just be happy with our healthy babies. It has been a blast. Now my nerves can settle a bit until next year.
Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm and the inadequate photographer. ;) Kelly
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6 comments:
It's always a relief when lambing season is over. Now you can enjoy watching them grow.
Photographing sheep--always a challenge! It takes me about 20 photos taken to get one decent one out of the bunch. Thank goodness for digital cameras. Congratulations on a good season!
So sweet! We live in Milo and drive by your farm all the time. So great to see that old farm back to life!
Congratulations! So glad to hear that you had a good lambing season. As far as the rams - we had that same issue last year :) Your lambs are beautiful!
Congratulations on a successful lambing season! Wow, that was a lot of rams. They are all adorable!
I like the photo with Esther's face in it. It makes it a little more dynamic to me.
Thanks for sharing the photos of lambing season. I recall fondly watching the birth of a lamb in Lyman, Maine, the first winter I moved to Maine. It was awesome and something I will never forget. Maybe that is what inspired me to design a sheep microwave heating pad. I would love to see another birth. I recall Hazel Bullard, the woman who owned the sheep farm, having to get up in the night to attend the sheep during lambing season. She owned 50 prize sheep, named each one and knew them all by name!
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