New from East Texas

[KodeshAcres]

Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome.
Where do you ladies get your hay from and what type? @Baymule I’m in Emory.

 

[KodeshAcres]

Welcome. I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as soon as I could. Via a couple of decades urban and suburban. I raise Painted Desert sheep.

I wasn’t born here either, been in Texas only 3 years and saying that I LOVE it is an understatement.

 

[Ridgetop]

Welcome to east Texas!
We are located in Yantis. We breed registered White Dorper sheep. We have 45 breeding ewes, 5 rams, and 16 ewe lambs right now. 4 lambs are scheduled for the freezer, and we will be selling some ewes and rams after lambing in January-February. We also have a gaited mule and a Tennessee Walking horse. We have 3 Anatolian livestock guardians for predator protection and once we are back in Texas will be picking up our 4th Anatolian from Erick Conard. We have just moved from 6 acres in the steep southern California foothills to 44 flat pasture acres in Yantis. Working on the house, barn, and additonal fencing for rotational grazing. We fed alfalfa for 35 years in California with no supplements but now in Texas the sheep are on pasture which is much lower in protein. We have to do some supplementing to make up the protein difference. We also have to watch out for parasites in this new climate. We rotate our sheep on the pastures.

Had our property about 4 years but rented the house and pasture for 2 years to get our fencing up for the sheep and dogs so we could move. We have spent the past year going moving furniture and livestock equipment. We finally got the sheep and horses shipped out in May. Our son is running the ranch and sheep flock for us while we are in southern California finishing with surgeries and doctor appointments. We will be back in Texas by the end of November for good.

@Ridgetop @Baymule @Devonviolet She is in your area. Who do you use for vet and feed store?

Hopkins County Vet is excellent large animal (and small animal) vet in Sulphur Springs. Phone # 903-885-0085. They are located at 129 Hillcrest Drive N, Sulphur Springs, TX. You will probably have to trailer in to them since they won't do a ranch call further than 15 miles. We are on the absolute border but we take our animals in since it saves the ranch call cost. They are very busy so make an appointment first. They have 4 large animal vets but do AI, etc. so are very busy but if it is an emergency you can get in within several hours. Super nice vets to talk to as well. We tke our dpgs there too.

Where do you ladies get your hay from and what type? @Baymule I’m in Emory.

We are in Yantis. A couple miles south of Sulphur Springs. We buy our hay from Cody Hunt, phone #903-348-2461. It is coastal Bermuda and Bahia. It is local grown. He has hay for sale now so give hm a call and tell him that Mary and Marv recommended him. I think he will deliver, not sure if there is a minimum for delivery or delivery charge. Terrific guy - give hm a call.

You won't be able to get alfalfa easily, and it will be expensive. Alfalfa cannot be grown south of the Red River due to Blister Beetle. The beetles get into the hay and their bodies are baled into it. The livestock can eat the beetles with the hay. The beetles are poisonous to livestock so if you buy alfalfa make sure it is imported not local.

We check out prices at the various feed stores in Sulphur Springs and decide what supplements to buy based on protein content, price, age of sheep, lactation, flushing, etc. My son found some sheep protein blocks and tubs and we are experimenting with them. We were using Martindales feed to supplement the protein content in the Bermuda and Bahia pasture and hay, but they closed their SS store so we are switching to other brands. I plan on checking out the pellet feed milled for the Northeastern Texas Farmers Co-Op, 903-885-3241, 428 N. Jackson Street, Sulphur Springs, TX. You have to join the Co-Op but you get better prices. The Co-Op has everything. If you don't have a Co-Op in Emory, give it a look.

Come visit us when we get back to Texas!

 

[Weldman]

I was born in Texas and got out soon as I could, too crowded for me.

 

[Baymule]

I moved here from Lindale and used to take sheep to auction in Emory.

 

[blessedfarmgirl]

Welcome to the forum! I'm happy to see another East Texan here! Emory is only an hour west of us. My family is also a homeschooling, homesteading family. I'm the oldest of 3 girls and manage the farm. We have Katahdin sheep that I'm breeding up to registered, registered dairy goats and chickens. We've only been farming for about 3 years, and I've learned so much from the people here. It's a great community!
There is an excellent family owned meat processor in Emory that we go to with our sheep and when we had pigs, and the hay place in Alba has a good price for alfalfa. I look on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace for grass hay usually, there's a wide variety of prices and quality depending on what you want.