Bruce
Herd Master
So Bay, do those women talk proper Texan?
Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along
- Thread starter Ridgetop
- Start date
Baymule
Herd Master
Sure!
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- #1,033
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Senile Texas Aggie: Great videos. I plan on watching them over and over. Make me lonesome for Bay!
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- #1,034
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Got the update on my dear friend. The results of her tests have come in and she is Stage 4 cancer. The first chemo they tried had terrible effects on her. The oncologist said they will put her on another course of chemo that has had good results. If she can tolerate it, she might have 2 years. If not . . . . She had some good news though. Her grandson and his wife told her that they are expecting their second child around November 1. She will get to see her (it is a girl). I wish her granddaughter would move ahead with getting married. She has been living with and engaged to a young man for several years now. I now Lois would love to see her granddaughter married. Since Mandy is in her mid 30's she should also consider having a baby if she ever plans to do so. Time is fleeting.
On to better news. DS1 and DH are working on a garden area. With luck the garden beds will be finished before the end of summer!
Actually, DH is moving dirt into the raised circular planter at the end of the "grass". This planter was made of stacking block - retaining wall block - some years ago. We lined the bottom with wire to prevent gophers and it was used first for DH's artichoke plants, then rosemary bushes. Last fall we raised the wall around it 16" and DH lined the walls with tar paper to prevent the earth from washing out through the blocks. We don't want that nasty dirt on our new artificial grass! 
Now he is filling it with good dirt and aged horse manure. I plan to plant roses in it and was able to find 2 rose bushes in pots since it is too late in the season to plant bare root. DH wants me to plant veggies in it. I might but next winter roses will go in. I might go to the other Lowes to see if I can find any more. These are Tropicana which are a very pretty pinky orange with a lovely scent. I want roses there because they will be visible from the patio and yard.
The new garden is under construction by DH and DS1 where the old tree came down on the barn and driveway side of the house. DS1 went out and got the 2” x 12”s and more wore to line them with against gophers. He is busily digging out the area and transferring it to the front planting beds. Then he will build the 2” x 12” raised beds and line them with wire. We will fill them with some of the dirt, add manure, and planter mix. That will become my regular garden and also do away with the large expanse of dog hole filled dirt that has been there for years! I told DH that I would line the walkways between the planter beds with the scraps of artificial grass left from our “lawn”.
Before anyone wonders why we are doing all this if we are moving – I have just 2 words - "CURB APPEAL". Of course, we don’t have any curbs, and our house has not much appeal since it looks like a shoebox, but since these ugly areas are seen from every angle in the house, and as soon as you step outside, we hope to make it look nice enough to sell when the time comes. The view is lovely, but with these few improvements, we can enjoy the property as well until we can move. And hopefully, no one will come in to offer a tear down price. We will also do some more inside. I still have not gotten my new countertops in the kitchen because the virus hit just as we planned to do them. They will happen.
Since we will be here for another 2 years possibly (I can’t leave my “mother while she is so sick) we will do some extra fencing for more pastures for the sheep and continue to build our flock. In the meantime, we are coming to Texas in November and will be looking around for a smaller ranch. We decided that with our ages continuing to advance no matter what we do, we will look for a place of around 20 acres. It needs to be planted in coastal hay, AG designation, have a good well, a decent house, and outbuildings. We will rent the house out, keeping the larger outbuildings for our use when we start moving. We will arrange to rent the hayfields to a producer, and that way the fields will be kept in good order. Also, the farm will retain its AG designation for taxes. DH feels comfortable that we can move more easily that way, before we sell our place here. We might even sell or rent our CA house to DS2 and his new wife.
The bright green fields here are already turning brown with the heat wave we have been having. Temp have been in the high 90’s, staying in the 80’s at night . Yesterday it was cloudy and only in the 80’s with a light breeze so it felt cooler. The end of May we will have to cut brush. The sheep have been grazing but there id too much here for them to consume without being fenced onto the exact area. DS1 will cut it and leave it lay. The sheep will finish it all off since they like the cut, dried brush as much as the green stuff. In fact, while they don't like to graze on the itch weed while it is green, they like it once it is dried out.
Weighting lambs again this weekend. Oh yes, the newborns weighed 7.7 and 8.1 lbs. respectively. After I weighed them and was replacing the 2nd one in the pen, I realized I had no way to tell them apart. I had to get the spray marking paint and put a dot of orange on one of them. Then weigh that one again. Sigh . . . .
On to better news. DS1 and DH are working on a garden area. With luck the garden beds will be finished before the end of summer!
Actually, DH is moving dirt into the raised circular planter at the end of the "grass". This planter was made of stacking block - retaining wall block - some years ago. We lined the bottom with wire to prevent gophers and it was used first for DH's artichoke plants, then rosemary bushes. Last fall we raised the wall around it 16" and DH lined the walls with tar paper to prevent the earth from washing out through the blocks. We don't want that nasty dirt on our new artificial grass! Now he is filling it with good dirt and aged horse manure. I plan to plant roses in it and was able to find 2 rose bushes in pots since it is too late in the season to plant bare root. DH wants me to plant veggies in it. I might but next winter roses will go in. I might go to the other Lowes to see if I can find any more. These are Tropicana which are a very pretty pinky orange with a lovely scent. I want roses there because they will be visible from the patio and yard.The new garden is under construction by DH and DS1 where the old tree came down on the barn and driveway side of the house. DS1 went out and got the 2” x 12”s and more wore to line them with against gophers. He is busily digging out the area and transferring it to the front planting beds. Then he will build the 2” x 12” raised beds and line them with wire. We will fill them with some of the dirt, add manure, and planter mix. That will become my regular garden and also do away with the large expanse of dog hole filled dirt that has been there for years! I told DH that I would line the walkways between the planter beds with the scraps of artificial grass left from our “lawn”.
Before anyone wonders why we are doing all this if we are moving – I have just 2 words - "CURB APPEAL". Of course, we don’t have any curbs, and our house has not much appeal since it looks like a shoebox, but since these ugly areas are seen from every angle in the house, and as soon as you step outside, we hope to make it look nice enough to sell when the time comes. The view is lovely, but with these few improvements, we can enjoy the property as well until we can move. And hopefully, no one will come in to offer a tear down price. We will also do some more inside. I still have not gotten my new countertops in the kitchen because the virus hit just as we planned to do them. They will happen.
Since we will be here for another 2 years possibly (I can’t leave my “mother while she is so sick) we will do some extra fencing for more pastures for the sheep and continue to build our flock. In the meantime, we are coming to Texas in November and will be looking around for a smaller ranch. We decided that with our ages continuing to advance no matter what we do, we will look for a place of around 20 acres. It needs to be planted in coastal hay, AG designation, have a good well, a decent house, and outbuildings. We will rent the house out, keeping the larger outbuildings for our use when we start moving. We will arrange to rent the hayfields to a producer, and that way the fields will be kept in good order. Also, the farm will retain its AG designation for taxes. DH feels comfortable that we can move more easily that way, before we sell our place here. We might even sell or rent our CA house to DS2 and his new wife.
The bright green fields here are already turning brown with the heat wave we have been having. Temp have been in the high 90’s, staying in the 80’s at night . Yesterday it was cloudy and only in the 80’s with a light breeze so it felt cooler. The end of May we will have to cut brush. The sheep have been grazing but there id too much here for them to consume without being fenced onto the exact area. DS1 will cut it and leave it lay. The sheep will finish it all off since they like the cut, dried brush as much as the green stuff. In fact, while they don't like to graze on the itch weed while it is green, they like it once it is dried out.
Weighting lambs again this weekend. Oh yes, the newborns weighed 7.7 and 8.1 lbs. respectively. After I weighed them and was replacing the 2nd one in the pen, I realized I had no way to tell them apart.
I had to get the spray marking paint and put a dot of orange on one of them. Then weigh that one again. Sigh . . . .
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
I understand "curb appeal"....we are spending our available "labor" to improve the propefty....because anything inside will take $$ and labor....and right now, we just have the labor portion available....
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- #1,036
Ridgetop
Herd Master
I agree with that! Luckily with the quarantine DH has reached the saturation point of virus news 
and has decided that he needs to work outside. The fact that the torrential rain has stopped might also have something to do with it.
For a while he kept asking me if I planned to plant a garden. First I said "no" since we planned to be gone most of the summer again. He really wanted tomatoes in, but if we are not here, why bother? Now with the quarantine, our trip has been put off until November. Pressure has been brought and I agreed I would put in a garden - once he had finished the front planter and built the raised beds where the tree came out. We finally had the stump (leaning at a drunken angle) removed last year. While it was a conversation starter, it did nothing for the looks of the property. Last year we had it ground out. We considered installing artificial grass there too, but I didn't want to spend $5000 extra on a spot between the barn, driveway, and sheep field. The area remained a barren expanse of dirt, littered with trophies found in the gully by the dogs. Eventually, we began to dump stuff there - unused feeders, buckets, etc. recycleable metal, that would be put away "later". I am guilty of this also. Mea culpa. What a mess for almost 3 years!
The garden is now going ahead full speed. DH filled the planters in front with the 50/50 dirt DS1 dug out of the tree spot. That area had been raised from driveway level by the addition of RR ties on 2 sides and a single course block planter wall on the 2 sides edging the patio and walkway. They are about to build the first 2 raised beds.
These will be 20’ long and 3’ wide. They will be 12” high and lined with hardware cloth against gophers.
but more boards can be added later to raise them to 24”. 24” will be more convenient for root veggies, and will keep the dogs from jumping in and out without requiring fencing. Maybe. I might surround the entire plot with the 3’ high ornamental wrought iron garden fencing I used to protect my patio flower beds. 
These no longer have flowers because of the drought 2 years ago. One has a fountain surrounded by river rocks which I installed over weed cloth. Attractive, and low upkeep. 
It still has the fencing around it though, so that can come down and be used for the new garden. The dogs might decide to leap over the fencing, and I will then have to reevaluate. There are multiple possibilities including putting up construction wire (for stabilizing concrete) as 5’ high fencing on t-stakes. This could then be utilized for climbing veggies. Or just putting up netting around the boxes on stakes. I will figure it out.
Now that I consider it, since these boxes will have wire over the bottoms, I think I will ask for a couple of 24” high beds. If they want to be creative DH and DS1 can even add a 2” x 8” board horizontally as a seat on the sides. Planting in the 12" beds will be okay for pole beans, and other tall vegetables. Root vegetables need taller ones so I don't have to bend as low, or kneel down. This may seem lazy, but since DH can't bend over OR kneel down with his bad knees, he won't be able to help plant, weed, or pick the low planters. With the higher planter beds, he might be able to plant or pick. This will take strain off our backs as well.
We will use the old sand from the children's sand box to loose the soil in the beet bed. Then we can dispose of the sand box too. (I wonder if DD1 would like it for her children to get some ducks? Ducks are good in a mature garden since they dispose of slugs and snails. I will check. She wanted chickens but if they get out in her lovely garden, they will pick it to bits.)
Today is May Day. I need
now. DH asked yesterday if we should buy more sheep for our flock. ???? He wants to expand. Having all White Dorper can be a plus, for instance, I can give every ewe lamb to my DGD since when they are grown and she asks which one is hers, I point and tell her “there she is”. It also makes it hard for DH to count how many sheep we actually have. 
He has not quite mastered reading the ear tags, since each sheep carries 2 tags, 1 in each ear, its flock number and scrapie number. DS1 and I refer to each by name using their flock numbers, or breeder's name for the rams. We can also identify several of them even from a distance through head and face shape or body type. When DH comes in and tells me that #___ has been marked, he will use whichever number he can read. The numbers are often not clear. I have occasionally counted more marked sheep on my chart than were on the field. DH is so cute, and truly loves all his sheepies. I just write the # down, thank him profusely, and quietly recheck the numbers later.
Having DH, who loves and supports me in all I do, including this livestock raising is God’s great gift. I am a lucky woman to have this wonderful husband and great father to our children. I am glad that they appreciate him.
Remind me that I still need to tell you the story of our honeymoon. Remember the tale of Devil Pig who almost put us off raising hogs forever? Our honeymoon story, when related to others, causes women to shudder, and strong men to marvel at DH’s power to mesmerize me! All I can say is that it is true love, and the power to laugha lot at ourselves.
Yesterday I counted our flock. We have 3 rams, plenty for the number of ewes we have. It is good to have several since that way we can keep ewe lambs from each and have 2 rams to breed those ewe lambs to. We have 2 fall ewe lambs not due to be bred yet, and 3 spring ewe lambs. That gives us 8. Next the ewes with lambs on them in the barn – 4. Bringing the total to 12. On the field with happy Lewis are 4 ewes and 2 early fall ewe lambs. So another 6 makes 18. Oh, yes, one ewe in the barn, isolated with an abscess. She has been marked but might be pregnant since she was exposed to Lewis last November/December while nursing twins. She looks pretty wide, but all my Dorpers have lovely deep bodies and massive rumens. If my count is correct, that brings us to a total of 19 sheep. WOW!
And they still haven’t grazed off the 200’ x 200’ fire clearance!
How did we reach that total, you say? Go out in your field and start counting! LOL Sheep and goats are just like Lays potato chips – You can’t have just one! However, I do feel the need to point out that 5 of them are too young to breed yet, and the others are young ewes, some nursing their first lambs and all but 2 of the others breeding for the second time. And we are building a well bred flock to the point we can start culling for those attributes we want - clean shed being one.
So now that we have acquired all this lovely special sheep equipment, we have to get plenty of use from it. At first DS1 and DH thought it would make more work putting the sheep through the sorter and chute. Now DS1 has done it by himself several times, and we all can see how useful and effort saving it is. BUT that means that we must have enough sheep numbers to continue to need it. Since DH wants me to order a few more feeders, gates, and solid chute panels, we will have to acquire even more sheep to warrant that outlay. This is a vicious circle, but it will lead to our relocation to a farm in Texas, so it is all good. We expect to start our move to Texas in about 2 years. By then we will have started our culling program and will have a good flock nucleus to transport. Sadly, I base this time estimate on “Mom’s” expected time left. The thought of our move is the only thing that makes her condition bearable. I hope that doesn't sound harsh or callous. She and I have actually been expecting this diagnosis for about a year now.
I have to call Perkins now to see if I can still plant bare root roses this late in the season. I hope so, since I am looking forward to seeing them bloom and smelling them all summer from my patio. Since we are under house arrest, we might as well enjoy aspects of it. Did so and will order now.
Soon we will sneak out and visit our grandchildren regardless of the quarantine. They have been cooped up as long as we have so should be safe. I call our doctor to find out about the antibody test to see if we can take it. We have to download several apps to have a video conference with the doctor!
I explained that we were OLD (she looked up our charts to make sure) and I told her we could not use APPS! 
I asked if the doctor could call us. She will check with him and let me know. APPS are a tool of the devil to defeat those of us in the prime of our lives!
DSIL has opened their pool and the grandchildren are swimming in it now. They will have at least 6 months use of it since the schools will not open again until August. Lois is checking with her oncologist to see if we can play bridge outside on her patio. We can wear masks if necessary. DH gave me an “outside play magnetic bridge” set for Christmas. The dummy can’t blow away so we can play outside.
and has decided that he needs to work outside. The fact that the torrential rain has stopped might also have something to do with it.For a while he kept asking me if I planned to plant a garden. First I said "no" since we planned to be gone most of the summer again. He really wanted tomatoes in, but if we are not here, why bother? Now with the quarantine, our trip has been put off until November. Pressure has been brought and I agreed I would put in a garden - once he had finished the front planter and built the raised beds where the tree came out. We finally had the stump (leaning at a drunken angle) removed last year. While it was a conversation starter, it did nothing for the looks of the property. Last year we had it ground out. We considered installing artificial grass there too, but I didn't want to spend $5000 extra on a spot between the barn, driveway, and sheep field. The area remained a barren expanse of dirt, littered with trophies found in the gully by the dogs. Eventually, we began to dump stuff there - unused feeders, buckets, etc. recycleable metal, that would be put away "later". I am guilty of this also. Mea culpa. What a mess for almost 3 years!
The garden is now going ahead full speed. DH filled the planters in front with the 50/50 dirt DS1 dug out of the tree spot. That area had been raised from driveway level by the addition of RR ties on 2 sides and a single course block planter wall on the 2 sides edging the patio and walkway. They are about to build the first 2 raised beds.
These will be 20’ long and 3’ wide. They will be 12” high and lined with hardware cloth against gophers.
but more boards can be added later to raise them to 24”. 24” will be more convenient for root veggies, and will keep the dogs from jumping in and out without requiring fencing. Maybe. I might surround the entire plot with the 3’ high ornamental wrought iron garden fencing I used to protect my patio flower beds. These no longer have flowers because of the drought 2 years ago. One has a fountain surrounded by river rocks which I installed over weed cloth. Attractive, and low upkeep. It still has the fencing around it though, so that can come down and be used for the new garden. The dogs might decide to leap over the fencing, and I will then have to reevaluate. There are multiple possibilities including putting up construction wire (for stabilizing concrete) as 5’ high fencing on t-stakes. This could then be utilized for climbing veggies. Or just putting up netting around the boxes on stakes. I will figure it out.Now that I consider it, since these boxes will have wire over the bottoms, I think I will ask for a couple of 24” high beds. If they want to be creative DH and DS1 can even add a 2” x 8” board horizontally as a seat on the sides. Planting in the 12" beds will be okay for pole beans, and other tall vegetables. Root vegetables need taller ones so I don't have to bend as low, or kneel down. This may seem lazy, but since DH can't bend over OR kneel down with his bad knees, he won't be able to help plant, weed, or pick the low planters. With the higher planter beds, he might be able to plant or pick. This will take strain off our backs as well.
We will use the old sand from the children's sand box to loose the soil in the beet bed. Then we can dispose of the sand box too. (I wonder if DD1 would like it for her children to get some ducks? Ducks are good in a mature garden since they dispose of slugs and snails. I will check. She wanted chickens but if they get out in her lovely garden, they will pick it to bits.)Today is May Day. I need
now. DH asked yesterday if we should buy more sheep for our flock. ???? He wants to expand. Having all White Dorper can be a plus, for instance, I can give every ewe lamb to my DGD since when they are grown and she asks which one is hers, I point and tell her “there she is”. It also makes it hard for DH to count how many sheep we actually have. He has not quite mastered reading the ear tags, since each sheep carries 2 tags, 1 in each ear, its flock number and scrapie number. DS1 and I refer to each by name using their flock numbers, or breeder's name for the rams. We can also identify several of them even from a distance through head and face shape or body type. When DH comes in and tells me that #___ has been marked, he will use whichever number he can read. The numbers are often not clear. I have occasionally counted more marked sheep on my chart than were on the field. DH is so cute, and truly loves all his sheepies. I just write the # down, thank him profusely, and quietly recheck the numbers later. Having DH, who loves and supports me in all I do, including this livestock raising is God’s great gift. I am a lucky woman to have this wonderful husband and great father to our children. I am glad that they appreciate him.
Remind me that I still need to tell you the story of our honeymoon. Remember the tale of Devil Pig who almost put us off raising hogs forever? Our honeymoon story, when related to others, causes women to shudder, and strong men to marvel at DH’s power to mesmerize me! All I can say is that it is true love, and the power to laugha lot at ourselves. Yesterday I counted our flock. We have 3 rams, plenty for the number of ewes we have. It is good to have several since that way we can keep ewe lambs from each and have 2 rams to breed those ewe lambs to. We have 2 fall ewe lambs not due to be bred yet, and 3 spring ewe lambs. That gives us 8. Next the ewes with lambs on them in the barn – 4. Bringing the total to 12. On the field with happy Lewis are 4 ewes and 2 early fall ewe lambs. So another 6 makes 18. Oh, yes, one ewe in the barn, isolated with an abscess. She has been marked but might be pregnant since she was exposed to Lewis last November/December while nursing twins. She looks pretty wide, but all my Dorpers have lovely deep bodies and massive rumens. If my count is correct, that brings us to a total of 19 sheep. WOW!
And they still haven’t grazed off the 200’ x 200’ fire clearance!
How did we reach that total, you say? Go out in your field and start counting! LOL Sheep and goats are just like Lays potato chips – You can’t have just one! However, I do feel the need to point out that 5 of them are too young to breed yet, and the others are young ewes, some nursing their first lambs and all but 2 of the others breeding for the second time. And we are building a well bred flock to the point we can start culling for those attributes we want - clean shed being one.
So now that we have acquired all this lovely special sheep equipment, we have to get plenty of use from it. At first DS1 and DH thought it would make more work putting the sheep through the sorter and chute. Now DS1 has done it by himself several times, and we all can see how useful and effort saving it is. BUT that means that we must have enough sheep numbers to continue to need it. Since DH wants me to order a few more feeders, gates, and solid chute panels, we will have to acquire even more sheep to warrant that outlay. This is a vicious circle, but it will lead to our relocation to a farm in Texas, so it is all good. We expect to start our move to Texas in about 2 years. By then we will have started our culling program and will have a good flock nucleus to transport. Sadly, I base this time estimate on “Mom’s” expected time left. The thought of our move is the only thing that makes her condition bearable. I hope that doesn't sound harsh or callous. She and I have actually been expecting this diagnosis for about a year now.
I have to call Perkins now to see if I can still plant bare root roses this late in the season. I hope so, since I am looking forward to seeing them bloom and smelling them all summer from my patio. Since we are under house arrest, we might as well enjoy aspects of it. Did so and will order now.
Soon we will sneak out and visit our grandchildren regardless of the quarantine. They have been cooped up as long as we have so should be safe. I call our doctor to find out about the antibody test to see if we can take it. We have to download several apps to have a video conference with the doctor!
I explained that we were OLD (she looked up our charts to make sure) and I told her we could not use APPS! I asked if the doctor could call us. She will check with him and let me know. APPS are a tool of the devil to defeat those of us in the prime of our lives! DSIL has opened their pool and the grandchildren are swimming in it now. They will have at least 6 months use of it since the schools will not open again until August. Lois is checking with her oncologist to see if we can play bridge outside on her patio. We can wear masks if necessary. DH gave me an “outside play magnetic bridge” set for Christmas. The dummy can’t blow away so we can play outside.
- Thread starter
- #1,037
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Reaction to culture results on sheep abscess!
Dr. Rene just texted me the results of the culture. It is Actinobacillus! YeeHaw! Still contagious, but not a culling problem unless she has recurrences.
Actinobacillus is the causative infection in Cruels. Treated by flushing abscess with iodine, and using LA 200. Dr. Rene has ordered me some LA 200. FYI LA200 is also better for pneumonia than Penicillin. Keeping an eye on the ewe for her other hard lumps on jaw and face. The one along her jaw seems to have lessened after draining the abcess which was in a completely different area. The other one is still a large hard ball. You can barely see them in this phots.
Does she look pregnant? She was in with Lewis at the same time as 7041 (in the next pen with her surprise twins). My ewes all have big rumens though. Lewis didn't mark either her or 7041 yet, although in the past 2 weeks he seemed to get everyone else. Changed the crayon to green but no one has marked since. Oh well, no problem if she lambs. Just messes up my breeding schedule a little. She lambed split twins with no trouble in October so no worries. I have stopped flushing her with grain just in case. 
thistlebloom
Herd Master
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I loved your description of your husband. I think it is so wonderful to hear of couples who love each other so deeply after being married for a long time. 
I have one of those too. We've been married for42 years and we are best friends.
So funny!
I have one of those too. We've been married for42 years and we are best friends.
I explained that we were OLD (she looked up our charts to make sure) and I told her we could not use APPS!
So funny!
- Thread starter
- #1,039
Ridgetop
Herd Master
I loved your description of your husband. I think it is so wonderful to hear of couples who love each other so deeply after being married for a long time.
I have one of those too. We've been married for42 years and we are best friends.
We are lucky! God is good to us.- Thread starter
- #1,040
Ridgetop
Herd Master
And the flock grows again.
GLD7088 produced split twins this morning at the crack of dawn. Well, I found them at 5:30 am when I got up to go you know where and heard the ewe talking to them. You can’t mistake the first soft calls a mother makes to her newborns. Totally unlike the raucous screams and bellows she will make later when summoning them or complaining at being separated from them.
Out I traipsed, commando, to iodine umbilicals. Like a good shepherd, only taking time to start the coffee maker. Before rushing to the aid of my flock. GLD7088 did not need my help, but since I was up – if you can call staggering around half blind just as the sun rose being “up”, I went out to iodine cords and check the newborns. A large hairy girl and a smaller wooly boy alive and healthy, attempting to suckle and annoyed that I grabbed them, turned them upside down and sloshed iodine over the still wet portions of cord.
I praised 7088, took a quick look at the rest and noted that 8111 was newly marked in green, and returned to the house to contemplate where to house them. And put on underwear, I was beginning to chafe.
So, the scale is occupying 2 of the jugs. Without the center separation panels it makes a great area to corral and hold the lambs as we weigh. 8040 is occupying one and 7041 and her twins the other. This morning I will gladden the hearts of my men, all of whom have their own project in the works, by having them move the scale and rearrange the barn. Again. Some women rearrange furniture, I rearrange my barn. Sue me.
By moving the accumulation of “stuff” that is occupying the front left corner of the barn we will clear up enough area to place the scale. There will be enough room to put up temp panels around it for another enclosure when we weigh. There is plenty of room once I haul out and dispose of, or store, the “stuff”. This stuff is not garbage. There are several 4’ hanging grain feeders, a metal footlocker belonging to DS1 that he has said he needs to move (for the past 5 years), a stack of empty 5 gallon water buckets, a pair of folding sawhorses ???, my kidding box, and a couple other small livestock items. Once I clear this area, we (they) can move the scale over into that space and it will become the permanent weighing area.
Before that all day project takes place, I will turn out 8040 onto the field. She is not contagious – no abcesses ready to drain, and the infectious agent is Actinobacillus. Actinobacillus is the organism living naturally on a sheep’s skin and in its oral and nasal areas. No way to eradicate that, so out on the field with the flock she goes. Clean out both jugs and bring in new mommy 7088 and her lambs. Then put the divider panels back into the double jug to separate the scale pen into two 5 x 10’ jugs. Job done. Almost.
Why do I need more jugs NOW you ask? Because GLD 8040 look heavily pregnant. Looking back over my old records – ALWAYS KEEP YOUR OLD CALENDARS! – I worked out that she lambed 17 days after 7088. That would put her lambing date around May 20. She looks about that large, and that would be the last lambing window for a breeding with Lewis who is the Daddy of these lambs. So, in another 2 week at the latest, I will need another jug. Oh yes, and 8111 marked last night.
The ewes have proven more prolific than I expected.
Talking blithely about lambing 3 times in 2 years sounds good, but until you experience it you don’t realize how much work wave after wave of lambing, switching pens, adjusting creeps, and weighing all these lamb can be. I LOVE IT! 
This is hard work, but not really work if you understand what I mean. Of course you do, you wouldn't be BYH members otherwise.
Master Stud Lewis has just notified me he wants a raise. He feels since he only has to be introduced to the Pen of Bliss and immediately ewes start lambing, he should have a higher salary, a better job title, and possibly a bonus per ewe. He already gets room and board, medical and vacation time. We are in discussions right now. He is threatening to unionize.
We are now up to 21 sheep of all ages. No need to buy any spring lambs to keep Snowflake company! After the losses of last year my girls are trying to make it up to me.
GLD7088 produced split twins this morning at the crack of dawn. Well, I found them at 5:30 am when I got up to go you know where and heard the ewe talking to them. You can’t mistake the first soft calls a mother makes to her newborns. Totally unlike the raucous screams and bellows she will make later when summoning them or complaining at being separated from them.
Out I traipsed, commando, to iodine umbilicals. Like a good shepherd, only taking time to start the coffee maker. Before rushing to the aid of my flock. GLD7088 did not need my help, but since I was up – if you can call staggering around half blind just as the sun rose being “up”, I went out to iodine cords and check the newborns. A large hairy girl and a smaller wooly boy alive and healthy, attempting to suckle and annoyed that I grabbed them, turned them upside down and sloshed iodine over the still wet portions of cord.
I praised 7088, took a quick look at the rest and noted that 8111 was newly marked in green, and returned to the house to contemplate where to house them. And put on underwear, I was beginning to chafe.
So, the scale is occupying 2 of the jugs. Without the center separation panels it makes a great area to corral and hold the lambs as we weigh. 8040 is occupying one and 7041 and her twins the other. This morning I will gladden the hearts of my men, all of whom have their own project in the works, by having them move the scale and rearrange the barn. Again. Some women rearrange furniture, I rearrange my barn. Sue me.
By moving the accumulation of “stuff” that is occupying the front left corner of the barn we will clear up enough area to place the scale. There will be enough room to put up temp panels around it for another enclosure when we weigh. There is plenty of room once I haul out and dispose of, or store, the “stuff”. This stuff is not garbage. There are several 4’ hanging grain feeders, a metal footlocker belonging to DS1 that he has said he needs to move (for the past 5 years), a stack of empty 5 gallon water buckets, a pair of folding sawhorses ???, my kidding box, and a couple other small livestock items. Once I clear this area, we (they) can move the scale over into that space and it will become the permanent weighing area.
Before that all day project takes place, I will turn out 8040 onto the field. She is not contagious – no abcesses ready to drain, and the infectious agent is Actinobacillus. Actinobacillus is the organism living naturally on a sheep’s skin and in its oral and nasal areas. No way to eradicate that, so out on the field with the flock she goes. Clean out both jugs and bring in new mommy 7088 and her lambs. Then put the divider panels back into the double jug to separate the scale pen into two 5 x 10’ jugs. Job done. Almost.
Why do I need more jugs NOW you ask? Because GLD 8040 look heavily pregnant. Looking back over my old records – ALWAYS KEEP YOUR OLD CALENDARS! – I worked out that she lambed 17 days after 7088. That would put her lambing date around May 20. She looks about that large, and that would be the last lambing window for a breeding with Lewis who is the Daddy of these lambs. So, in another 2 week at the latest, I will need another jug. Oh yes, and 8111 marked last night.
The ewes have proven more prolific than I expected.
Talking blithely about lambing 3 times in 2 years sounds good, but until you experience it you don’t realize how much work wave after wave of lambing, switching pens, adjusting creeps, and weighing all these lamb can be. I LOVE IT! This is hard work, but not really work if you understand what I mean. Of course you do, you wouldn't be BYH members otherwise. Master Stud Lewis has just notified me he wants a raise. He feels since he only has to be introduced to the Pen of Bliss and immediately ewes start lambing, he should have a higher salary, a better job title, and possibly a bonus per ewe. He already gets room and board, medical and vacation time. We are in discussions right now. He is threatening to unionize.
We are now up to 21 sheep of all ages. No need to buy any spring lambs to keep Snowflake company! After the losses of last year my girls are trying to make it up to me.
