norseofcourse's journal - spring and show update

[Latestarter]

Thanks for all that Norse. I did buy the semi boneless leg of lamb... I don't know how they come up with "semi boneless" as it had/started at the shoulder joint and had the leg bone running through it.

It was very tasty! Some might say it had a "stronger/gamier" taste than beef, but I really liked it I didn't over cook it but it was a bit dry as there wasn't any marbling to speak of, just a little fat between muscle layers. The meat was darker than beef... like well done color, even though it wasn't well done... It was actually a medium rare. I expected it so laid several slices of bacon and onion across the top and added some water below. The juices made a nice brown gravy. It did dry out further as it cooled and after refrigeration, even though covered with saran wrap, but was still just fine over rice with gravy and warmed in the microwave. I think cubed up it would have made a delightful and very flavorful stew! I have no idea what ground lamb would taste like or how I'd use it...

From what I've read, and it's just basic at this point as I'll be doing goats first, I "think" I'd like possibly a dorper/katahdin cross. Maybe one breed for the ewes and the other for a ram... Not sure. But yes, I understand there's hair and wool and hair sheds while wool (predominantly) needs shearing. Also that meat sheep are predominantly hair while wool sheep are predominantly... well... wool.

Have no fear, when the time comes, I have no problem asking for help!

 

[Mike CHS]

We use the ground sheep just like ground beef but you have to allow for the lack of fat. We defeat part of the healthy aspect when we make burgers since we add some of our sausage. Gyros are another good thing to make with them. I have a Word file with 130-140 pages of goat and sheep recipes if you need something in particular.

 

[Latestarter]

Wow, thanks Mike, maybe I could send you a PM w/my email... Would you be willing to send the file to me as an attachment?

 

[Mike CHS]

Sure - send it and expect a file in a bit - email will be from a .mil address

 

[norseofcourse]

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. It was pretty quiet here. The unseasonably warm weather has continued, along with rain on some days.

When it's been nice, I've been splitting the last of the wood from the old jumbled woodpile. It looks so nice stacked all neatly on the new (to me) wood rack. I have two pieces to go, but I have to find my other wedge, since I got the first one stuck...

The nice weather also gave me a chance to get some pictures to list one of my goat harnesses for sale. I will keep one, it will still work well for introducing Little Miss Attitude to line-driving this coming spring/summer.

 

[norseofcourse]

I've been splitting some wood. I am a novice woodsplitter. The wood knows that.

One of the last pieces I had to split was a chunk of black walnut. Dry, seasoned about two years. It was a piece that was the junction of at least two limbs. I managed to flake off a slab from one side. Figured I could split the remaining chunk in two. That's when, as stated in my last post, I got the wedge stuck.

The other day, I was able to reach my axe, and I thought I saw my other wedge. Access to some stuff is difficult, since most of the garage is filled with hay bales, and Stuff I Might Need is squeezed into a couple narrow areas. Today, with a heroic effort (because I know there are spiders there), I managed to get my other wedge.

I set the wood up and tried to drive the wedge into one end. This was tricky, as the chunk wouldn't sit up on its own, so I prop it against the edge of the concrete porch and try to hold it there with my foot. I tap the wedge in till it seems to be holding, then give a good swing with the sledgehammer. The wedge falls out. I repeat this a few times, and sometimes just for variety the log falls over, too.

Plan B - I put the wedge into the wood below the stuck wedge, figuring I could widen the split enough to get the first wedge out. The wedge drives in easily, and pretty soon I've made real progress - both wedges are now stuck.

Plan C - I study the wood, and finally decide to use the axe as a wedge, in a crack that seems promising. Luck is finally with me this time, as an odd-shaped piece of wood separates from the chunk. With a little hammering, I get the second wedge free. The first wedge is still stuck fast.

A few more trials with both wedge and axe don't make any headway, both because there are few places that don't lead directly into a knot, and because I really don't want to get the wedge stuck again. At long last I am able to get the first wedge free. The walnut was so hard that the wedge had actually bent into a curve at the end. To make it worse, this was a wedge that I had borrowed.

I told this tale to a friend of mine, and asked her if I could pound the wedge back straight. She said no, it would just be more likely to bend again in the future. She said buy the guy a new wedge, and keep the bent one - and then anytime I think about splitting a piece of wood like that again, take a good long look at that bent wedge!

 

[norseofcourse]

Winter hit with a roar today! It was 47° this morning, and through the day the temperature dropped, as the rain turned to snow, and the wind picked up. Top wind gust was about 45 mph. Right now it's about 20 degrees, heading for a low of 12.

The ponies and sheep have plenty of hay, and can get out of the weather. Does anyone else look at the hay they have stored and just feel.... content? I love that good hay smell when I open the door.

Under three months till lambing season. This will be my fourth lambing season - I can hardly believe it. It seems only the other day that I got Rose and Gracie, shy little pregnant things who were still ewe lambs themselves.

I am keeping a close eye on Brosa, since she lost her lamb last year. Not that I really think there's anything I can do to prevent something, but I'm watching her anyway. I'm sure all 4 are pregnant - I know it's way early, but I checked udders the other night, and there's udder development on all 4 (tiny on Brosa and Lukka, more on Rose and Gracie). I may do another lambing thread, but not till it's much closer.

Warm thoughts to those dealing with winter's cold....

 

[norseofcourse]

Nearly the end of January already! I know there's still plenty of winter left, but we're past the halfway point, and we're adding more daylight every day now. And I'm thankful that overall, it's been a pretty mild winter so far.

Ten weeks till my first possible lambing date. I started doing 'udder checks' a couple of weeks ago, and tonight was the third check. Rose and Gracie both have definite udder development, with Rose's being a bit larger. Lukka has a little bit of an udder. I think Brosa has a very small amount of udder development. I looked back at my notes from last year, when I started checking udders about the same time. I had not felt any udder development on Brosa at all and she lost her lamb on February 12. So I am hoping that she continues to develop her udder - it will make me less worried about her losing another lamb. Maybe her body knew that her lamb was not viable last year, so it didn't get ready?

Other than the once-weekly udder checks, and body condition score checks so I can adjust feeding if needed, there's not much to do besides get through winter. I'll do CDT shots in early March.

We're supposed to have some sun this weekend (a big contrast to the storm coming up the east coast). If it's nice enough I'll take the camera out and get some pics of the critters. Wish I could get some good pictures of the bluebird flock I see now and then. I'm sure they're looking forward to spring, too.

 

[MrsWildside]

Wonderful!! I might have to start a journal, well.. Might have to try doing one! I always start one, but never remember to write in it!
I've tried to make jam, I'm glad you were able to make at least one successful batch!

 

[norseofcourse]

Wonderful!! I might have to start a journal, well.. Might have to try doing one! I always start one, but never remember to write in it!
I've tried to make jam, I'm glad you were able to make at least one successful batch!

Thank you Journals are fun, I'll look forward to seeing yours!