| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| TabithaLenox |
Posted - Apr 30 2008 : 07:19:47 AM
We're going to the Md Sheep & Wool Festival this weekend to buy wool and yarn but also to look at different breeds of sheep. My goal is to have a larger farm where I can raise sheep for wool!
I would love to hear from anyone who has sheep or knows about them and find out what breeds you love best! I have horses and mules but am a complete sheep newbie!
Kim
" Life's A Garden- Dig It! " Joe Dirt |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Jami |
Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 1:29:11 PM
Don't tell my border collie that...she's been herding, driving and gathering my sheep for years and the sheep know to come to me when she provides her encouragement. I wouldn't have sheep without her.
Jami in WA
Okay, so now I have a blog. http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| therealshari |
Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 1:08:17 PM
Oh, and to y'all who've not taken time to read my blog... sheep are not dumb. They are very smart, exceptionally curious, and can be quite affectionate if you're patient.
One thing I've learned is that to the phrase "drive sheep" is a misnomer. You don't drive them. They don't follow you.
You create a path of least resistance with a really good reward at their destination, and then... don't get in the way. Don't let them see you. Just let them get from point A to point B without any options.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
| Jami |
Posted - Jun 20 2008 : 06:41:45 AM
I agree to share the successes and learn from the mistakes and you're qualified as a good shepherd. Sheep are the only animal I've raised that have kept me humble because there is always a new challenge to conquer and learn from--the minute you think you know something they show you that you know little! Definitely the most educational species I've ever raised! Sheep are an addiction of sorts in my book...I love to talk about them, love to hear about them and be immersed in taking care of them. Then every year I think about selling the whole flock.  They aren't for the faint-hearted.
Jami in WA
Okay, so now I have a blog. http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| therealshari |
Posted - Jun 19 2008 : 6:19:26 PM
Wooly1s,
Thanks so much for your kind words. Like I've said, I'm the "animal girl" of the Four Country Gals, and my background really is more in rabbits and chickens. I hung out with a lot of FFA sheep folks, 4-H sheep folks, and dairy folks, so got a pretty good "edumacation".
Cindy is "horsey". Bev is a retired cop who's trying really hard to get "country". So, you can imagine how much fun we really have around here.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
| wooly1s |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 5:50:37 PM
Enjoyed your blog, and especially your candor. Lambing is such an exciting time, and easy to romanticize, but sometimes the reality falls far short of storybooks. So sorry to hear of your losses. Rejoice with you on your successes! You are a shepherd in my book - taking the good with the bad - not giving up, and being willing to ask for help when it is needed, and learn for the future - what more could a shepherd do?
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.com
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.blogspot.com |
| therealshari |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 1:23:10 PM
I just posted the story of this year's shearing on my "Shari's Gone Country" blog. When you click on one of the pictures, you can get to my Gallery, where there are tons of photos.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
| wooly1s |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 10:24:09 AM
Pester away! I love to talk sheep...you wouldn't be pestering at all...in fact you would be indulging me!
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.com
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.blogspot.com |
| Buttercup |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 10:06:03 AM
Thank you so much for the link!! I am off to read and look!!! If I have any questions, can I pester you?!?
Thanks Again!!
Hugz!
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
| wooly1s |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 09:49:50 AM
Hello, Buttercup!
I would love to bend your ears (or eyes ) about Icelandic sheep, but don't want to worry the whole list with my rambling!
So instead, I will give you a link to our breed association's information page: http://www.isbona.com/icelandicsheep.html
And you can read as much as you'd like!
Suffice it to say, after working in ag research as a teen with "white woolies" I vowed NEVERto own sheep...and then I met my first Icelandic...gone are the goats, the horses are for sale...all to make room for my ever-increasing flock!
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.com
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.blogspot.com |
| Buttercup |
Posted - Jun 18 2008 : 09:23:26 AM
LOL!!! What a fun and informative post!!! Thank you all so much!!!
For Tracy: I love how babydolls look but am wondering about the fiber, do you really get request for it and how much do you get when you shear and how many times a year do you shear? And I LOVED all your stories!! Thank You!!
Karen, would love to hear more about Icelandics!!
Renee, Both I and my mother have thought about Alpacas. Do you do well using them for fiber? Or is it mostly for breeding? It seems most people I have spoken to about Alpacas were very possitive on breeding and selling but knew little about fiber and fiber production when it came to Alpacas. I would love to have a few and would like to hear more if you have a chance!
Thank you all so much!
And as always,
Hugz!
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
| Jami |
Posted - Jun 16 2008 : 11:55:05 AM
We raise Texel and Coopworth sheep on our farm and crosses of both. Texels are a "down" or meat breed but have decent wool too and the Coopworths are a "maternal" breed with very lovely fleeces. Texels are very docile sheep and easy to work with. The cross makes an excellent meat lamb as well as mothers and are quite marketable in the commercial lamb market. We have 50 ewes. It's fun to hear that so many have sheep. Common ground.
Enjoy this beautiful day.
Jami in WA
Okay, so now I have a blog. http://woolyinwashington.wordpress.com/ |
| therealshari |
Posted - Jun 16 2008 : 09:45:03 AM
I can guarantee there was a lot of "button-busting" this year as we presented our sheep for shearing. First we had the "round up" at our place. Only had to convince a couple of girls that the trailer was a good place to be. With our neighbor's help, we were able to leave the lambs (60 days old) home and take just the ewes.
Then, we were even able to "be of great assistance" with catching and moving ewes back to the trailer. I was even quick enough to grab the fleeces and throw them into bags (with ID cards even) before Flip could choose his next sheep.
We were even able to be in the right places to drive the neighbor's sheep from his big pen to the holding pen (with the lambs), and then to drive the ewes back to the pen after shearing without their lambs.
Like we say... we're learning when folks are willing to teach us.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
| wooly1s |
Posted - Jun 15 2008 : 9:32:21 PM
How strange to find "she" was and actual s/he!
Our breeds, Soay and Icelandic, have horns on both the ewes and rams...We love the really W-I-D-E hornson our girls...I wish I knew how to post a picture, but you can see one of our wide ones on our website...scroll down to the bottom of the page of this link and have a look at Crystal.:)http://promisedlandfamilyfarm.com/sheep_for_sale.html
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.com
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.blogspot.com |
| AlpacaRenee |
Posted - Jun 15 2008 : 9:30:40 PM
Hi everyone,
I have a fiber farm...sheep, angora goats and alpacas. I have to tell you for the amount of fiber, and for the ease handling the animals for routine maintenance (trimming feet, shearing, shots, etc) alpacas are the easiest of the 3. And I'm not just saying that because I sell them. Right now, like everything else, the market is soft. I bought my first foundation herd about 5 years ago and prices now are less than half of what they were. A person can pick up a fiber gelding alpaca for around $500. I sell my sheep for $225/lambs up to $400 adults. So for the quality of fiber, the quantity of fiber shorn each year, ease of care, etc., I would recommend you consider alpacas...plus a bonus is, you can transport them in the back of a minivan or suburban without making a big mess. An interesting note about camelids: they are "communal poopers"...they poop in a pile. So when you put them in the back of a car, usually they won't poop in the car unless you have a really long trip. Just get them out at a rest stop, sprinkle some poop on the ground, then they go and you load them again and off you go.
As for sheep, I have Romneys...not the finest fleece, but really bright, and the sheep are really healthy and hardy. But sheep are big "fence testers." Alpacas are not (thankfully, because lots of my fences are really suspect! :O)
Thanks for all your wisdom and input!
Renee
Finney's Fiber Farm Alpacas...where being dense is a GOOD thing! |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Jun 15 2008 : 7:09:35 PM
Karin-- would a "knitting Machine" be an option for you? Have any of you "Sheep-ladies" ever used one?
It's a shame you had to give up knitting. I'm still learing, but it's a "WINTER" project for me, so I don't do it often, though I would like to learn more stitches. If I could just learn to read the DIRECTIONS!!!! ~~~ Hugs ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| electricdunce |
Posted - Jun 15 2008 : 11:20:24 AM
It was really fun to read all your posts. I love sheep, I love wool, can't knit any more after three carpal tunnel surgeries and arthritic complications, but I admire all the flocks I see in people's fields and at the local ag fairs. They are such wonderful shapes (I can still draw and paint) such personalities, if I can find the picture of my friend Michael's sheep I'll post it and maybe you can tell me what kind they are....it sounds like a major adventure to shear those babies, but I loved reading about it! Karin
Farmgirl Sister #153
"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com |
| therealshari |
Posted - Jun 15 2008 : 10:41:32 AM
"Chiquita" who became "Bruce" was a PolyPay. Considering it butted Cindy into the water trough, and loved to butt the rest of us as often as possible, I was sure it was a ram... but my city girl roomies had been told it was a ewe.
Of the four of us, I'm the one with the most animal experience as I raised rabbits commercially for several years, spent my childhood summers on farms, and lived in a rural area where most of my friends had farms.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleece? We do, and you can too! Check our our new "Fleece For Sale" page. |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Jun 14 2008 : 9:27:24 PM
ooooo! So you had a Hermaphrodite sheep? How WIERD!!!!! I know it happens but.... Did you know what breed "Bruce" was?
In many breeds, ewes DO have horns, but they are much more dainty and feminine than the rams. And the girls certainly don't have the voice of a "Drag Queen!" (LOL) Too funny Shari!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| therealshari |
Posted - Jun 14 2008 : 3:00:31 PM
We fell into the sheep business a couple years ago.
First came the "bummers". Our first one even slept in Mom's bed the first week. By the third one, it was "in the house for a week", and then out to the back yard.
We suffered the loss of the first little guy, and then got another new sheep... We were told it was a ewe. More on that later.
Last year, our mentor sold her little neighboring farm, and suddenly, we owned four more ewes. We'd already bought a nice ram.
The shearer paid us a visit, and I gotta' tell you... that was a learning experience.
Now, this one sheep that was supposed to be a ewe (we'd even named her "Chiquita"), well, she had horns. That should have been the first clue that something wasn't right. I tried to tell my roomie's that ewe's didn't have horns, but...
Well, Flip, the shearer, took one look at "Chiquita" and said... that's no ewe. When "she" let out a really deep "Blahhhhhh", Flip was sure. No, wait he's got her upside down and sure enough, she looks like a ewe.
But, we had sent her to be bred and nothing happened. That should have been our second clue.
Flip proceeded to shear "her", and once done he looked at her butt and said... she's got a little of both. You need to call her "Bruce"!
Anyhow, Flip felt sorry for us and said he'd take it in lieu of cash for the shearing. You can imagine my roomie's when I called each to check with them. I said, "It won't make lambs and it can't give us lambs, should we make the trade?"
Quick answer was tell her/it good-bye for us!
This year, things are MUCH better. We have 10 little lambs from our own ewes and ram. Shearing went much better, no surprises.
Oh, and for breeds, we raise black Merinos crossed with Suffolk. Our ewe's are purebred Merino and our ram is a big (350#) black Merino x Suffolk. We've added one little PolyPay ewe lamb that was provided as a replacement for a botched lambing.
Merinos are known for their multiple lambs. Beulah, the matriarch, had quads and is raising three after losing one (not fully developed).
Our sheep are penned year around, fed alfalfa, have shelter as they wish, and seem to be very happy.
Shari Thomas
Got lambs? Got fleecs? We do, and you can,too!
Fleece For Sale! |
| TabithaLenox |
Posted - May 18 2008 : 07:34:42 AM
No, didn't come home with any sheep but we looked at as many breeds as we could. It seemed like there were less breeders there this year and not as big a variety of breeds. I loved the Icelandics! They were very friendly and I liked their size. I also loved the Karakuls....very interesting breed. There was also a Scottish breed that I liked with longer hair...can't recall the name offhand. Right now our fencing is setup for horses not sheep so it's going to be a little while before we buy so for now, I'm learning as much as I can!
Wooly1s....the fringe benefits you listed are exactly why I want to have them too!
Kim
Farmgirl #184
http://www.tabithalenox.blogspot.com |
| wooly1s |
Posted - May 17 2008 : 08:05:36 AM
Hi! Sorry to just jump in on you, but this is one of my favorite subjects! I swore never to have sheep after having worked with what I call the "white woolies" in Ag research as a teen...and now am a barn slave to a whole flock of them. I even sold all of my colored Angora goats to get them!
I am smitten with the Icelandics. They are not quite as "flocky" as some other breeds (i.e. they are capable of independent thought and spread out over a pasture rather than clump) can be raised on grass and hay alone, and produce two clips of fiber a year, milk and meat. They can be horned or polled and come in 17 different colors and patterns. One of my favorites looks like a Holstein cow, and I have another that looks like a Border Collie with horns!
They lamb easily, twin and triplet, and the tails don't need docking (call me squeamish..it's hard enough to ear tag...I don't want to snip tails too!) They are also very hardy, and tend to be parasite resistant.
This year I hired a shearer, which was like seeing poetry in motion! When I had my "introductory" flock and my Angoras, I sheared by hand with scissors in the goat stanchion. I found scissors worked well with the Angoras, because they are so thin-skinned, and loose-skinned, but there is quite a bit or fiber on the Icelandics...I would have still been working my way through the flock when it was time to begin again! Their fiber has two elements - tog and thel - which are both wool. They can be separated, or worked together, so you can get three different kinds of fiber from one animal.
Yes, it is definately cheaper to buy the fleece than keep the animal, but the fringe benefits are hard to put a value on...frisky lambs, fertilizer, and fume-free lawn maintenance...not to mention adoring eyes and that "baa, baa, baa-ing" from the hillsides!
So, I too am wondering...did you bring home any sheep? Have you been converted to shepherdess?
wooly1s
www.promisedlandfamilyfarm.com |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - May 16 2008 : 12:19:25 AM
I'm STILL shearing sheep! I can only do one or two a day. The next morning I'm so stiff I can hardly move! The last one I sheared left a cramp in my butt for TWO DAYS!!! It was so bad I couldn't even sleep at night!
She's one of my smallest ewes, about 20" or so at the shoulder, maybe even smaller. (I haven't measured her). I tie them to the fence with a halter, though that one hasn't much in the way of "external" ears (that's why we call her "NUBS'") so the halter kept slipping off.
Ok, I'll explain-- when she was a newborn lamb, my guardian dog-- who was just a puppy at that time-- just "LOVED" the skin right off those ears. As they were healing up, she got an infection in both of them and they sort of shriveled up and fell off! On one side she's got this little flappy peice, but on the other side its just two little pieces that stick straight out. She's quite something to see. She can hear just fine, as long as the wool around her "Nubs" isn't too long.
I don't know what it is about my dog and ears. My ram seems to have less and less of one on the left side of his head after each breeding season. I've also noticed that at least two of the other ewes are each also missing the tip of one ear. (probably the ones that like to steal the dog's DINNER every night!). I never can catch the dog snapping at them, so I'm not sure how to make him stop. Actually, I don't think he's chewed any ears in awhile. They all look pretty much the same.
Hey, how did the sheep Festival go? Did you bring any home? ~~Tracy |
| windypines |
Posted - May 05 2008 : 1:04:12 PM
We sheared yesterday. Oh My Goodness. We survived, the sheep survived, I got some good looking wool. But it ain't as easy as it looks, for sure. Not that it really looked that easy! And the sheep do not look that good either! Well the first one anyways, looks a little rough around the edges. The second one did better. I think it took us 2 hours to accomplish this. We need to go back and trim him up here and there. I am saying we too. My husband assisted. What a work out. Two dummies oh maybe we should of read a shearing for dummies book before hand! My hat is off to all that shear their own fleece animals. Sure hope the guy I had shear last year, appreciated not haveing to stop in this year! :)
Michele |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - May 04 2008 : 3:57:45 PM
Babydolls ARE cute Michelle, but don't let those "smiling" faces fool you!
People are under the mistaken impression that they look like that ALL the time-- in reality, it's-- every time they look at us suckers who think they're adorable, and especially those of us who raise them-- they are actually LAUGHING!!! (LOL!)
Just for the record-- I shear all 18 of my sheep with hand shears!!! Call me CRAZY! (and I AGREE with you) Happy shearing ladies! ~~~ Tracy |
| windypines |
Posted - May 03 2008 : 05:01:08 AM
I just got clippers last night to shear my 2 sheep. The guy I had stop by last year to shear, did not seem to eager to shear just 2. So, I like doing things myself.......might not be the best choice, but here goes!! Going to shear, once it quits raining here. Or I should say snowing this morning. The baby doll sheep sound cute. I have not seen a picture of them before. 24 inches tall, that is pretty small. I plan to have my husband give me a hand shearing. Should be interesting. I enjoyed reading your adventures, Jenny and shepherdgirl. I will try to do some before and after pictures just for fun!
Michele |
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