Things are Changing

Things on the farm are always changing, but June is often the busiest month, and this year was no exception. The chores have really increased with all of the new meat animals scattered around the property, but Gus doesn't mind.


Not much has changed with the lamb flock, except their size. Everyone seems to be growing nicely, and some of the ewe lambs are starting to get brave enough to sniff me out in the open. Here are today's photos of the lambs.

Mocha's Ram - Meat Sheep #1

Mocha's Ewe - Edna Beard

Clover's Ram (a.k.a. One Horn) - Meat Sheep #2

Crystal's Wether - Robbert Stafford

Crystal and HST lambs - Meat Sheep #3 and Robbie

Poa and her ewes - Annette Parmalee and Clarina Nicholes

Kira's twins - Meat Sheep #4 and Madeleine Kunin

The first real change on the farm is the arrival of our new ram! Cedar comes to us from Pike Hill Farm in Plymouth, New Hampshire. He is a stunning two-year-old solid black ram with excellent fleece and a perfect tail. This October we'll breed Cedar to all seven ewes - if we can convince Wynona it's a good idea - and we'll keep the four ewe lambs and Lwaxana open. I really can't wait for Cedar lambs next Spring - even if it is only July!

The turkeys have made it out to the sun porch. A few weeks ago we opened the door and out they went. They really enjoy roosting outside in the fresh air. Soon they'll be out on grass eating bugs! I think they're starting to look like real Thanksgiving birds.

The new layers are enjoying the brooder all to themselves. After kicking the meat birds out on Friday they have much more room to flap around and stretch. All ten New Hampshire Reds seem to be doing quite well. In another week or two we'll try introducing them to the big flock.

This week we finally got the meat birds out on pasture after building a PVC pipe tractor. This light-weight house is much easier to move than our old tractor, and the tarp seems to provide better shade than the old tractor's roof. The birds are still getting used to coming in and out of the door, but with Gus's help we're able to lock everyone in for the night.
Not much has changed with the pigs. They are growing large and are enjoying their new trough. Here are all five at breakfast.

Lastly, our goat herd has sadly changed. Of the three triplets born in April 2009, only Grant remains. We lost Sherman last week to a horrible case of bloat. Sherman was the baby in birth order only. He was anti-social towards humans, yet he was calm and willing on a lead - unusual for a goat, really. He loved sweet treats, and in the end we suspect it was the dampened clover that did him in.

Grant - Hops's remaining kid

Well, that's it for farm news. Hopefully this month will be less eventful. The biggest item on the to-do list this month is tag the lambs, which will be our first tagging experience, and I'm hoping that will go as smoothly as vaccinating.