tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20083172833421295892024-03-14T00:45:43.395-04:00Stace's Spacestace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.comBlogger253125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-30851701111149108962012-10-27T21:40:00.001-04:002012-10-27T21:40:49.771-04:00Prepping for the FrankenstormI'm not even going to try and come up with an excuse as to why I haven't blogged since July. I'm lazy.<br />
Today should have been spent prepping for hurricane Sandy. There is much to be picked up, tucked away, brought in and battened down. Last year when<a href="http://www.stacesspace22.blogspot.com/2011/09/irene.html" target="_blank"> Irene </a>came up the coast we implemented the same pick up routine and it worked well...but Irene is a much different storm than Sandy. Sandy is all about wind, which Irene lacked. I totally expect to be without power and phone for a few days, and I'm hoping the temps stay above freezing...because we bought the only house in northern VT WITHOUT any back up heat. Oh, sweet <a href="http://www.vermontwoodstove.com/vermontbunbaker.htm" target="_blank">bun baker oven</a>, I will have you one day, I promise! Any hoodles....today was only successful in getting grain and moving a pig. I baked homemade hot pockets, but I'll have to remake some as they children seem to eat them as quickly as I bake them. They are a convenience food that they can eat cold so I don't have to worry about figuring out how to cook (although we do have a camping stove) while the power is out. Tomorrow is going to have to be the day that EVERYTHING gets accomplished. The list is long. Wish us luck. <br />
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Now...our summer in pictures:<br />
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Fifty three chickens in a freezer....we're still eating chicken..but it's OH so good!<br />
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We raised and sold most of our lambs, and some of our adult ewes. <br />
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The pigs keep having piglets, and they keep selling out. We got to taste some sausage made from one of our very own home grown spotted babies and WOW! If you have the chance to go in on a farm grown pig, DO IT! The meat is incredible!<br />
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We raised and sold most of our meat rabbits as well. Yes, we eat rabbit. Yes, it's really good. <br />
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My borage grew and attracted all sorts of bees....<br />
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Which produced a ton of veggies. <br />
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Nailes disappeared :( But we ended up fnding these two guys 15 minutes down the road. They had been abandoned and were wormy and malnourished. <br />
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Theyre much better now...and have been hunting up a storm...when they're not sleeping under my chin. <br />
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I built a shoe rack out of a pallet because I was SO tired of tripping on shoes. It works great..when people remember to pick their stuff up :/<br />
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Needles, the remaining Kittay...LOVES the new kittens. <br />
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The fleece is growing! Shearing next Saturday!<br />
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<br />We have 6 piglets leaving the farm next weekend as well. These guys are rather rotund for some reason..Oh..maybe because they're PIGS! LOL<br />
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Thats about it. The summer flew by, I miss the sun....although I do enjoy having the house to myself during the week. I'm amazed at how clean it stays.<br />
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Ill check in again after the hurricane/frankenstorm/tropical snowstorm is done having its way with us. <br />
<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-21434095320933006872012-07-16T16:37:00.001-04:002012-07-16T16:37:51.013-04:00Good lord...where does the time go?????<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finally replaced the solar charger down in the woods and moved the piglets. They're much happier...and are sharing their woodland paradise with a family of turkeys. Mmmmm..turkey :P<br />
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The garden is growing CRAZY! It's been hot here...and just a little bit on the dry side...not as bad as the mid west though. All and all it's been fantastic weather for growing. I'm not complaining at ALL!<br />
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Excuse the shaggy grass..my lawnmowerS are broken and we've been relying on sheep to keep our grass mowed. <br />
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The best peas EVER! <br />
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Amish paste tomatoes. Weird curly leaves...it looks like it's wilty..but it looks like this ALL the time. It's odd. <br />
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My pop corn patch....Never tried growing my own popcorn before..and since everyone likes popcorn..but not CORN...I decided.."why not!". I just need to figure out the curing. <br />
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Entirely too many green and wax beans. Oye. I'm going to have beans coming out of my wazooo!<br />
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I planted peppers, melons, gourds and eggplant inside the greenhouse this year...they look awesome!<br />
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Kittay's catnip patch. It is here he sits at night...eating the nip before he goes on his drunken hunts. I should cut it down. <br />
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Savoy cabbage...<br />
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Some of my weeding helpers.<br />
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My eldest got married on Monday (yes..Monday) July 9th. It was a beautiful wedding and it is so nice to see her so very happy.<br />
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I've been advertising my sheep herd. I have sold 4 so far. Rita..the black and white spotted ewe, Yoshi, my very favorite ram *cry* and two ewe lambs. I'm glad they're going to a good home, but it was still sad to see them go. <br />
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There are some really nice lambs in this year's crop. <br />
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Love this rams coloring. <br />
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These guys are HUGE!<br />
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Kittay has been keeping me busy as well....I found a stiff mouse behind the couch this morning...I have no idea how long it had been there, and have now had to implement a "look behind everything daily" rule. Yesterday the sick bastard brought in a frog..with one puncture wound in it's side..and entrails coming out. It was very much alive..and as it hopped it left bloody frog prints all over my floor. Some days I wonder why I have cats. :Pstace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-20863841931778107312012-05-31T13:50:00.004-04:002012-05-31T13:50:47.529-04:00What a month...We've been putting up fencing what feels like non-stop over the last month. As much as I love having portable mesh electric fencing, picking it all up and moving it across the property to a different spot with the sheep still IN it...is...well...challenging. More than once I've had sheep breaks and had to chase them all over the place (including Crazy Neighbors property) to get them where I wanted them. Not fun with 24 wild woolly sheep. Not.fun.at.all. It really gives me a whole new respect for those serious sheep farmers with 100's or 1000's of sheep to wrangle. This morning I spent two hours reconfiguring fence to try and keep them contained. It helps that they are contained within a fenced in pasture...so when they knock the mesh down (and they do) they are at least inside another perimeter. I can't figure out where the fence is grounding out...I had to replace our old charger yesterday thanks to violent storms that came through here Tuesday, as did 1/2 of central VT. The only charger they had was a 100 mile...our old one was a 20 mile and would knock their woolly attitudes right on their asses when it was packing a full charge (of about 8-9). This 100 mile one has the potential to burn some wool! But I'll be damned if I can get the charge above 4 :/ Once a kid gets home Ill be walking fence..AGAIN..to try and find the short.<br />
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A wide view of the field. the cows are closer to me in the first 1/3 of the field, the sheep have the second 1/3 of the field. </div>
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Sheep. Can you tell the lambs from the moms? </div>
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These are Ada's lambs.....they're HUGE.</div>
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We also had a piglet break the same night as the storms. Their brand new solar charger won't work. The light still blinks but there is no charge coming from it. I have no idea what is wrong with it...lightening usually just kills it completely. We did manage to get them in a horse stall before the Major and son #1 left on the 8th grade canoe trip. That, of course didn't stop Steve Pig or Annabelle from getting out LAST night....their fence was broken and after crawling through swamp in the rain pulling vegetation for an hour...I managed to get the charge back up to 2 which should hold them. Now I just need to worry about replacing the tire on the tractor that went flat. *rolls eyes*. Seriously, this week has been a test of my patience and endurance as far as this farm is concerned. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude...but I really need to downsize on sheep..and Steve Pig needs to be bacon.<br />
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On a POSITIVE note, our garden is mostly in...I'll be able to finish it when the tractor tire gets replaced. And while emptying a garbage pail in the barn to fill with water in case of power outage, we found *ahem* 11 baby bantams freshly hatched. One of the white bantams is hiding with a nest SOMEWHERE...I see her at feeding times occasionally..but never just hanging out so I have a feeling at some point I'll be seeing more chicks in the barn yard. Along with more ducklings. I had to kill 6 because they travelled to Crazy Ladies house<br />
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One of the chicks. </div>
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Mama and a bunch of the chicks...some of them have the Polish tops going...it's cute. </div>
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Meat chicks. They are as stupid as turkey. Seven of them drowned in a puddle during a rain storm instead of going into the barn. </div>
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The garden. </div>
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I planted popcorn this year....</div>
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and Zucchini </div>
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and peas, radishes, lettuce and spinach :)</div>
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Again with the two ducks incubating a nest. There are two others on two other nests...LOTS of ducklings this year I think.</div>
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Mop and Moe</div>
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Tomato starts, cucumbers, herbs, cabbage.... </div>
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I had neighbors stop by my house the other day...they raise sheep up the road and wanted a ram lamb. I love it when people come to me and buy my livestock :) They actually garden at Crazy Ladies house..and she apologized for Crazy Ladies behavior. Nice to know it's not just ME and my imagination...but at the same time...why on earth do I get stuck with these nut jobs? </div>
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<br /></div>stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-17331557998492427752012-04-24T18:08:00.000-04:002012-04-24T19:48:38.456-04:00And we're done!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hershey-Pie finally went this afternoon and gave us a beautiful 9lb moorit/gray ram. Now it's all about growing them out and keeping them from killing themselves in the electric netting.<br />
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*Edited to say:<br />
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I was wrong, she wasn't done...I went out there an hour later and...Surprise! A little ewe lamb was hopping around. So..that leaves us with a final lamb count of 14...8 ewes, 6 rams... <br />
<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-91579289977615071802012-04-23T09:03:00.001-04:002012-04-23T09:03:06.044-04:00One more ewe to goOnly one more ewe to go before lambing is done for this year. I've been anxiously watching and waiting and today she's looking pink and swollen so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
In the mean time, I'll leave you with some cutesy lamb pics....<br />
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Ada's BIG ram</div>
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One of Darlin's ewes</div>
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Both of Darlin's ewes..</div>
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Darlin's ewes again</div>
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Ellerby's rams</div>
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Rita's girl</div>
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Rita's boy...isn't he CUTE??</div>
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Rita's lambs</div>
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Ruthie's black girl</div>
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Ruthie's ewes</div>
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Ruthie's ewes</div>
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Annushka and her ewe (I don't have a pic of her ram lamb yet)</div>stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-26524566044334962012-04-13T20:17:00.001-04:002012-04-13T20:17:31.385-04:00Friday the 13th....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ruthie gave me two ewe lambs this afternoon. She had them in the field at dusk. No muss, no fuss, they are 7.5lbs and 8.5lbs. One is black/gray the other looks to be solid black. Ill be able to tell better tomorrow though once they're dry and fluffed out. I guess Friday the 13th isn't all bad luck :)stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-70601358805022777572012-04-10T17:41:00.000-04:002012-04-10T17:41:33.361-04:00Lambing season is upon us again...and not a moment too soon for my ewes.....<br />
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Um....Ada? I'm really hoping it's just that you have more than one lamb in there this year and not that you ate a tire...just saying. <br />
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Annushka...you have a shelf thing going on...not sure what that is...perhaps your lamb(s) will be a mathematician who loves angles and geometric shapes.....just trying to make you feel better about your weird looking sides...<br />
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Rita...every year I say to myself "oh...she's not pregnant, she doesn't look pregnant at ALL." And you always give me twins. This year you look like you swallowed a yoga ball....I'm scared. <br />
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Ruthie....holy crap. Enough said.<br />
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I'll leave you with Ada...who is due today and is now sequestered in a lambing jug because..well..look at her...she's so fat she won't even attempt to escape the confines of the pasture. That kind of worries me. Either I'll go out there and she'll have delivered a litter of lambies...or she will have eaten one too many thin mints and exploded all over the stall. I'm still up in the air about which it's going to be. <br />
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<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-31623237591014213092012-03-27T11:58:00.002-04:002012-03-27T11:58:31.341-04:00The Plan: Step 2The next thing we brainstormed was various venues to sell our "goods". I researched area farmers markets and dug through a ton of rules and regulations on the VTDA site to figure out what we could legally sell (We can sell whole chickens that we slaughtered on our own farm IN state as long as we limit ourselves to 1000 birds a year. Yeah...I'll have to limit myself...and here I was hoping I could do 1001 *sigh*. :P). We can also sell whole rabbits under the same regulations. Pigs will have to be sold live as we have a HUGE shortage of USDA slaughterhouses up here. <br />
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Other venues are things such as Etsy, Artfire, Zibbit etc....selling through our own website, using the local fairs to get out name out there. We have tossed around the idea of a farm stand out at the end of the driveway. We live on a road that has a state forest with campgrounds and hiking trails. In the summer there are TONS of campers that travel by our house. I think having a stand out there with eggs and whatever veggies are in season would do well. Maybe even some bait worms and bundles of firewood. <br />
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Of course we listed our local publications and thought about various bulletin boards that might get the word out to our targeted customer base. <br />
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There are A LOT of venues out there now, many more than when I was a child. It will be interesting to see what places get us the most business. So far Craigslist has been pretty good to us, it's free and everyone seems to know about it...but, it's only ONE venue and there are so many more to try. stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-10964884714364892702012-01-17T11:02:00.000-05:002012-01-17T11:02:06.817-05:00The Plan: Step 1The first thing the Major and I did was sit down together and make a list of all the things we could possibly sell. It's a LONG list. We used our imaginations, and listed things that we not only have on farm at present, but things that might come along later if we so choose. <br />
<br />We started off with the animals. I spent the day researching (again) all of the rules and regulations that VT has regarding meat sales and it turns out that we can sell farm processed whole chickens and rabbits with no USDA inspection. The pigs would have to go to a USDA inspected slaughter house if we chose to sell the meat, but we can sell the pigs to their owners live, and they would have to give the butcher the cutting instructions and that is OK. Same with lamb. I prefer on farm slaughter. My ultimate goal with these animals is to give them the best/happiest life possible and a humane death. Shoving them into a car and driving them 1/2 way across the state to somewhere strange that smells of blood and death is stressful and I'm sure it effects the quality of the meat. We will be ordering meat chickens and making some chickens tractors so they can follow behind the sheep in pasture rotation, and I think for now we will be selling piglets live and not worrying about selling pork. I think we'll do the same with the lamb. They went quick enough last year that I'm not really worried about being able to sell them. I'm still trying to justify having the steer. They won't be making us any money and they eat...a LOT. I thought that maybe getting them to haul the chicken tractors would be a good job for them. Then we can work on getting them down in the woods hauling logs. I just don't have the heart to eat them...the big doofuses. <br />
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After animals we started thinking about garden stuff. We live on a road that is used frequently in the summer by tourists going to stay or use the state forest that we live next to. A farm stand next to the road might be a good source of extra income. We always seem to have extra veggies in the garden, and if we get smart this year and plant the veggies a week or so apart we won't get just ONE big harvest..it will be spread out. That might make it a lot less overwhelming for me. Nothing like 50# of tomatoes being ripe all at once to push someone (me) over the edge of sanity! We also plan on planting a few more apple trees so that in a few years we can have a decent sized orchard int he front yard.<br />
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We finished up our list with crafts and miscellaneous things. Willy warmers might sell :P And the Major can unload birdhouse gourds at his reenactments if we can ever figure out how to get them to dry without rotting. We also added Miniature Aussies to the list...but that isn't a "now" item, that would have to be something in the future and if we found the right dog to breed and show. We also listed baked and canned goods, after some research we can sell up to $125 worth of canned/baked things a week and not have to get a home catering license. <br />
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Our list took us a few hours to finish. We tried to do as much research as possible into what kinds of rules and regulations were in place and what we might have to do to sell certain things, and that took the longest. It's really good to know all of those things up front though so there are no nasty surprises later. <br />
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I feel pretty good about what we accomplished with this list. I am a total list maker though, and they keep me focused and motivated. I finally feel like we have a plan in place though with ideas and goals. It's a good place to be. <br />
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<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-37338883514842455962012-01-12T21:41:00.000-05:002012-01-12T21:41:35.043-05:00Coming up with a plan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When we moved into the house 2+ years ago, we had a vague idea of what we wanted to do. That idea pretty much encompassed a little bit of everything hence the virtual cornucopia of animals that now reside at Thistle-Willow farm. Left to our own devices, the Major and I are a little....um..flighty...and well..unfocused. I have declared an end to all of that though...as of now, 2012, we are sitting down and getting organized and focused and actually coming up with a plan for how this farm can make money...instead of just eat it.<br />
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We've spent a few hours sitting and talking about different ways we can get this farm to begin to provide for itself. So far we have a pretty good list of possible product, and an ok list of possible venues. We also sat down and made a list of what needed to be done around here, and the Major then turned that into a spreadsheet (GEEK!! :P) of what and when. If we can manage to cross off even a 1/3 of that list I'll be happy. <br />
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Mostly I'm just happy that I no longer feel as though I'm sitting here spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. I love being organized, I love having a plan (I am a total planner)...it gives me purpose and drive. The next few blog posts will be about these lists and the plans we have, so keep an eye out!<br />
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I feel as though this year is going to be an exciting year for Thistle-Willow Farm...the year we actually step out into the world and say "hello". An exciting year indeed and I'm totally looking forward to it!<br />
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<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-69225802780046568262012-01-03T10:39:00.002-05:002012-01-03T10:39:28.951-05:00Oh look! I'm going off like Vesuvius again! Greeeaaat. Read at your own risk.Some days I just hate logging onto Facebook. Let me make this very clear right up front; I don't care what your political agenda is. I don't care if you have protested for or against OWS, I don't care if you boycott Walmart, I don't care if you are registered as a Democrat or a Republican. All I really care about is that you can think for yourself in these matters and can express yourself as to why you support whatever it is that you support. I don't want to hear a bunch of BS media tainted "facts" spewed back at me...I want your real thoughts on things...I want to know that you've dug in and done the research. I don't think that is too much to expect....ha ha. I know. <br />
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When I log in ANYWHERE and see someone sharing or liking an article that says "Republicans are idiots and arguing with them is a waste of time". It immediately pisses me off. PISSES.ME.OFF people. Really. I know tons of people out there that arguing with is a waste of time....I may or may not be among them...*ahem*. But...and this is a BIG BUT....I would never categorize them into a single group based on, let's see..race, age, gender, sexuality or..hm..political group...because...it would make me a bigot, wouldn't it?? The interesting thing about this "article"..is that it is slamming a republican because he is a bigot....and a few other things..I mean...if I believed everything the media writes I'd think this guy was evil to the core. It's a good thing I guess that I have a brain in my head and can reason that a very left wing site published this article...therefore I'm very, very sure that it has been embellished at least on some level. I'm not saying the guy isn't a top notch asshat, he very well may be. What I'm saying is that going off the deep end over an article written by someone who is probably as big of an asshat as the articles subject, makes YOU look like a bigoted idiot as well. Use your heads people.<br />
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Unfortunately these seem to be the same people that keep getting petitions signed and passing laws to protect us from ourselves. They don't seem to understand that part of living your life is taking risks....and you can't save everyone. Michigan is trying to pass a law that will make it illegal for any child under the age of 16 to work on a farm. It does, of course, exclude "family farms". If you live on the farm you are allowed to work there...there are no clauses though for multi generational farms where the grandparents or great grandparents live on the farm and the kids/grand kids live elsewhere and work there. They are also trying to pass laws that you can't drive a tractor without an operators license. Do you know how many farms that is going to hurt?? Does anyone realize that they're killing a way of life? My mother's first paying job was at the age of 11...she walked neighborhood dogs. When she got a little bit older...13/14 she would go and clean peoples houses. She was picking bottles up on the side of the road when she was 6! You don't see this now....too many laws "protect" our children from losing their childhood to work. I believe children should be children....they should have the time to play and have fun while they are young...BUT not letting them work until they are 16 is creating a whole generation of slacker workers who expect things to be given to them. They have no work ethic. They just don't care and they have no issues about walking if the job gets too "hard". Their parents have worked hard to give them all the fun stuff they wanted when they were young...and now they have that same attitude of "give me" going into the work force. Or they're whining about how "unfair" it is....I'd love to see the whole lot of them plucked from their "unfair" life and dropped into the 1930's at the height of the depression. Let them fend for themselves in a world where people actually starved to death on the side of the road. I bet that would rip the word "unfair" right out of their vocabulary. <br />
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Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of laws and programs that I think are valuable and important. I just really think that the American people are bored and as much as they all like to label themselves as "peace loving' and 'non-confrontational"....they are all looking for a fight. We are too comfortable and complacent in these lives that we've created. Yes, we're not out beating each other over the head (well...not all of us anyway) with clubs...but we're certainly smacking each other with protests, and petitions and laws. It is still all about thinking that our opinion is the right one and trying to bend everyone else to it. It frustrates me to no end..and makes me want to go live like a hermit in the middle of nowhere. In fact...I'm getting off my soapbox and going back to bury my head in the sand. stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-75781265268810015272011-10-31T12:07:00.003-04:002011-10-31T12:22:26.348-04:00CalendarsLast year I created and gave away Thistle-Willow farm calendars for the holidays. They went over so well that I decided to do it again this year, and just for fun I decided to create a "dear Kittay" calendar as well. For those of you that aren't friends with me on Facebook, I started writing letters to my two rescue kitty's awhile ago. They are almost identical and hard to tell apart, so when they run through the cat door at 100 mph with something dead/half dead or alive and screaming in their mouth, I tend to just say "KITTAY! NOOOOOOOOOO!"..because trying to figure out whether it is Needles or Nailes can be too time consuming when you're trying to grab whatever partially eviscerated animal's guts are being dragged across your rug.<br /><br />Anyway....the calendars are for sale <a href="https://www.createphotoproducts.com/CreatePhotoCalendarsOnline.html?dest=store&user=stace41971&proj=Kittay">here</a>...and <a href="https://www.createphotoproducts.com/CreatePhotoCalendarsOnline.html?dest=store&user=stace41971&proj=TWF">here</a>.<br /><br />All proceeds go toward feeding the animals we have as feed prices have gone up....way up...this year. Between the drought in the mid west and the flooding here in New England that wrecked much of our hay crop, it's going to be tight on just one income. Keeping our fingers crossed that next year's weather is a little less extreme.stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-57350397570751143402011-10-06T11:21:00.002-04:002011-10-06T11:30:41.102-04:00I’m annoyed.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ier4ySsrRRk/To3IaGIxp_I/AAAAAAAACLA/E91mt0EBEws/s1600/lyli1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 202px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ier4ySsrRRk/To3IaGIxp_I/AAAAAAAACLA/E91mt0EBEws/s400/lyli1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660400657324156914" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Let me just start off by saying that I am an all or nothing kind of girl.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I really believe that if you believe in something, it should be all encompassing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You know, CONSISTENCY.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe it’s because I’m a fairly logical person, maybe it’s because I believe that some things SHOULD be black and white.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I don’t know the reason behind it; I only know that when people start making decisions that are not consistent across the board, I get annoyed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">As you, my faithful, long time readers know, my daughter, Lyliana is a pageant diva.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yes…she does pageants. She has done them since she was 4.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No, I did not want her to do them…and I know that there are those of you out there who are going to roll your eyes and say “Sure…whatever lady.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I know that all of you pageant moms actually live vicariously through your kids so that your fat ass can feel pretty and superior.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong, we are not all like what Toddlers and Tiaras portrays us to be.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In fact I have never, in my 7 years of being dragged to pageants, seen or heard a woman that sounded like any of those mothers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have, however, been to baseball games where I’ve seen parents berate their children for not paying attention, or missing a ball….I’ve also seen soccer moms freak out because their precious baby was sat on the bench and not allowed to play.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So…why isn’t there a show called “soccer mom” or “Little League Dad”?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Well…probably because being sporty in America is an OK thing to be,<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>as is being an academic.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hey…those are two of the things my daughter is NOT.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She took dance, and gymnastics, which she liked…but she got bored with them, and she certainly wasn’t a child prodigy in either sport.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You know what she DOES excel at?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Getting up on stage, and modeling an outfit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yup.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She excels at pageantry.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">When I say I didn’t want her to be in pageants, I really mean it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When she saw the poster advertising an upcoming pageant at our local mall and asked me what it said, I almost lied and told her it was an advertisement for a princess doll or some such thing…but I figured she wouldn’t be interested at all because she was SOOOO shy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yes…shy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So I read it to her..and she lit up and asked “can I be in it, Mommy..PLEASE?!?!?” and I said…..”No”.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>and left it at that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I figured, with her being 4, she would forget and life would go on..because I really did NOT want to be one of “those” women who put their little girls in pageants.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>See? I had fallen for the post Jon-Benet propaganda as well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I thought that dressing your little girl up and parading her up on stage was wrong!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Who would do that to their kid?!?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Turns out “I” would.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not of my own volition though.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My daughter, my sweet, shy little 4 year old would NOT let it go…every day, at least twice she would beg for me to let her do the pageant.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This went on for at least 2 weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yes…2 WEEKS…that is an eternity for a 4 year old with the attention span of a squirrel on caffeine.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So, I caved.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I ordered a $25 flower girl dress off of EBay and entered her in the pageant.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you want to know why?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Because I thought she would fail.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yes, I did.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I really thought that, like me, she would get horrific stage fright and cry and refuse to get on stage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The idea of getting up in front of people and being the center of attention to me is about the same as getting bamboo shoved under my fingernails.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It really shames me to think that I let the social media mold my opinion so much that I would WISH failure on my child because I had been led to believe that child pageantry is WRONG. It was an eye opening revelation. <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">When we got to the mall and she was clinging to me with her little arms because there were SO many people there…I felt a little smug.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My plan was going to work and we could be done with all this ridiculous pageant business.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When they called for her age group up on stage, I whispered in her ear “I’m proud of you whether you get up there or not…if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, you don’t have to.”.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She looked at me with her big hazel eyes and said “put me down’.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She proceeded to march up there, smile at every judge and in the end walk away with EVERY SINGLE AWARD in her category.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I knew at that point I had to change my view of pageantry, because that little girl was instantly HOOKED.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We attended about 2 pageants per year after that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She swept up the awards at those pageants too…and you know what? She really enjoyed it. I have never seen her as full of purpose and excitement as when she’s prepping to get on stage…and when she’s up there..well..it’s amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>She lights up, you can tell how much she really loves it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>All of the parents I have met there are decent people who are kind and are trying to support their children in their interests….I’ve never seen anyone berate their daughter because she “messed up” a routine, I’ve only heard “I’m so proud of you…you did GREAT” when kids are coming off the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mother’s are nice and talkative and not catty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Which makes me wonder where in the hell they find these people on TV?!!?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m sure much of it is creative editing, and I have to wonder if they realize what they’re doing to the pageant world by portraying pageants in this light.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When did it become such a horrible thing for a little girl to feel pretty?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have to tell you, that while facial beauty is judged, a LOT of that is based on the child’s charisma and her own self esteem.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Poise is a HUGE part of a pageant.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>HUGE.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Being able to get up on stage in front of people is an important part of life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whether you learn that accepting an award for soccer or giving a speech in debate club or getting up on stage at a pageant it doesn’t matter, it’s a skill that you should have…lest you end up like me; scared and insecure in crowds.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And really, if little girls enjoy the pageant world, then LET them…and don’t’ judge the parents of these girls because you saw Toddlers and Tiara’s and now ALL pageant moms are evil…that is just WRONG and IGNORANT.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And if you feel you MUST judge, I ask that you be consistent and be just as judgmental of soccer moms and little league dads and parents who push their kids in whatever field they happen to be talented in…or whatever field the parent is living vicariously through their child in…because there are plenty who do.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m tired of having to explain WHY people think its’ wrong and why she shouldn’t’ feel bad because she enjoys it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-33615852140410306112011-09-01T19:25:00.006-04:002011-09-01T19:49:10.533-04:00IreneIn case you haven't seen the news, Vermont is under water. Well, not all of Vermont. We're not under water here, we live on top of a hill and if WE were underwater, well then, EVERYONE would be in some serious do-do. The town we live in though had some flooding, and the dam was in serious danger of bursting..so they had to do an emergency release...thankfully they could do it slow enough that it didn't flood the houses downstream.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DY6n3MagMUE/TmAVX9xuMWI/AAAAAAAACFI/_7VGXOpvDSk/s1600/irene2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DY6n3MagMUE/TmAVX9xuMWI/AAAAAAAACFI/_7VGXOpvDSk/s400/irene2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647537434186887522" border="0" /></a>We actually fared pretty well....we lost this one tree (I thought it was a branch, but no, it was a tree..a poplar..very soft..we lose them all the time) and our fabric sheep shelter.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHG8YfKHwDE/TmAVXo1umjI/AAAAAAAACFA/6dzw8Dk8JXY/s1600/irene3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHG8YfKHwDE/TmAVXo1umjI/AAAAAAAACFA/6dzw8Dk8JXY/s400/irene3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647537428566546994" border="0" /></a>We left our house and took some pics of the little stream at the bottom of our hill....it was a little swollen...just a little...this is the right side..the road you're looking at is the road we live on.
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UaznY2-NNIU/TmAVXaJcRzI/AAAAAAAACE4/qH6q-TBll04/s1600/irene4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UaznY2-NNIU/TmAVXaJcRzI/AAAAAAAACE4/qH6q-TBll04/s400/irene4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647537424622700338" border="0" /></a>This is the left side of the bridge...both sides are hay fields...
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqhHGmy0X9Q/TmAVXHscj7I/AAAAAAAACEw/FCuNy2CPQ_M/s1600/irene5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bqhHGmy0X9Q/TmAVXHscj7I/AAAAAAAACEw/FCuNy2CPQ_M/s400/irene5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647537419669245874" border="0" /></a>This is a pic we took driving down our road...the hay field is a lake.
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<br />What really sucks about all of this is that there are many places that still weren't fully recovered from the May floods....so now they're dealing with double damage. The great thing about all of this though, is seeing how communities are banding together and taking care of each other. Citizens that were untouched by floods are volunteering their time and equipment to help get supplies in and out of communities that have been cut off from everyone. One such town was talking to a news reporter and telling them that there was no shortage of fresh food because the local grocery store had handed out all of it's fresh produce (free) so it wouldn't rot. There is another community that is holding a community dinner every night on the local green. The local inn makes the food and puts it out..and the community all shows up..to share news and everyone's company. It amazes me...and touches me. No one is shooting at national guard helicopters...instead when the national guard makes it's way into a cut off town, they get applauded, cheered..and thanked. The way it should be.
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<br />And now Ill leave you....with 11 fuzzy ducklings:
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxDdBA1aAV8/TmAZAJlm1MI/AAAAAAAACFQ/QV7OS-I6Wn0/s1600/ducks2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KxDdBA1aAV8/TmAZAJlm1MI/AAAAAAAACFQ/QV7OS-I6Wn0/s400/ducks2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647541423086949570" border="0" /></a>They weren't bothered at all by all the rain.
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<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-80016454517664314342011-08-27T21:01:00.003-04:002011-08-27T21:22:07.517-04:00Another fair come and gone.And I'm EXHAUSTED. It may take me a full year to recover. It will DEFINITELY take a full year for my feet to recover. Note to self: Buy better shoes.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1R72Z2C4k54/TlmVGOI4AHI/AAAAAAAACEo/aR-xOq1iHKQ/s1600/fair%2560.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 347px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1R72Z2C4k54/TlmVGOI4AHI/AAAAAAAACEo/aR-xOq1iHKQ/s400/fair%2560.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645707541992702066" border="0" /></a>The kid did their 4H stuff today. They had to work inside the 4H building from 9-3 and at noon the did the cavalcade. They were trying to be "extreme" sport people..because the theme for the fair was "Take it to the limit".
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SL3PQHVNPXM/TlmVF8J6MWI/AAAAAAAACEg/M6JJf-gA40E/s1600/fair2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SL3PQHVNPXM/TlmVF8J6MWI/AAAAAAAACEg/M6JJf-gA40E/s400/fair2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645707537165201762" border="0" /></a>This is their table area in the building..see the scarecrow they made? pretty awesome looking I think...he's a snowboarder.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8RJvPl8gm9Y/TlmVFhEcX9I/AAAAAAAACEY/VKBCdscmt-0/s1600/fair3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8RJvPl8gm9Y/TlmVFhEcX9I/AAAAAAAACEY/VKBCdscmt-0/s400/fair3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645707529894518738" border="0" /></a>My mom helping <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Zephryn</span> tie balloons....I wasn't because I have a strange phobia of balloons...that started, oddly enough, at a fair. I was 2 (yes..I have very early memories) and got a red mickey mouse balloon at the fair. I was in the car and it popped right in my face...scared the crap out of me. I cant stand balloons near my face at all anymore..and the popping makes me jump.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2p-BzxNy1Q/TlmVFfUstnI/AAAAAAAACEQ/n20AcxgnEZQ/s1600/fair4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2p-BzxNy1Q/TlmVFfUstnI/AAAAAAAACEQ/n20AcxgnEZQ/s400/fair4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645707529425827442" border="0" /></a>there are 4 spaces for gardens behind the building we're in...the 4H groups are asked to do a garden every year...they plant it in spring and tend it all summer.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4St0hovYvHY/TlmVFYY6hxI/AAAAAAAACEI/-6Oy59GGjNM/s1600/fair5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4St0hovYvHY/TlmVFYY6hxI/AAAAAAAACEI/-6Oy59GGjNM/s400/fair5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645707527564461842" border="0" /></a>This year a 4H group agreed to do a garden and about a month ago the fair director showed up and nothing but weeds was growing...so we were asked to take it over and do "what we could" with it. They decided on cover crops. It looks great.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-0kZUk47yY/TlmUIWxdWKI/AAAAAAAACEA/ZAFxVew-WZ4/s1600/fair6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-0kZUk47yY/TlmUIWxdWKI/AAAAAAAACEA/ZAFxVew-WZ4/s400/fair6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645706479158515874" border="0" /></a>My mom and I walked around today and ended up watching the Gymkhana for quite awhile. I'd never seen one and it was pretty entertaining.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8MAp1Sop5Y/TlmUINjjfQI/AAAAAAAACD4/HxsQdovluhM/s1600/fair7.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8MAp1Sop5Y/TlmUINjjfQI/AAAAAAAACD4/HxsQdovluhM/s400/fair7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645706476684279042" border="0" /></a>BIG Holsteins. 2000Lbs a piece. I'm scared.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--j46BG_fgIQ/TlmUH5wAdsI/AAAAAAAACDw/huxNTikj09w/s1600/fair8.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--j46BG_fgIQ/TlmUH5wAdsI/AAAAAAAACDw/huxNTikj09w/s400/fair8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645706471367800514" border="0" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Weeeeeee</span> little mini <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Herefords</span>...so cute :P
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<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ufd4V6HGwF4/TlmUHrOXkEI/AAAAAAAACDo/PvDL3xJYUHY/s1600/fair9.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 364px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ufd4V6HGwF4/TlmUHrOXkEI/AAAAAAAACDo/PvDL3xJYUHY/s400/fair9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645706467468611650" border="0" /></a>They had sheep dog trials on the infield. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Vella</span> is SUCH a slacker. :P
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BzbsgX8luN0/TlmUHg5L4OI/AAAAAAAACDg/xXcgqpfftCY/s1600/fair10.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 380px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BzbsgX8luN0/TlmUHg5L4OI/AAAAAAAACDg/xXcgqpfftCY/s400/fair10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645706464695410914" border="0" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">I'm</span> exhausted (so much so, I've started AND Ended this post saying that). I hurt all over...but I got to eat kettle corn and fried dough so it's all good. Now we're getting ready to ride out Irene...but don't worry...my awesome Mommy brought us a small generator so our basement won't flood :) <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Yay</span>!
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<br />stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-76263584390227422982011-07-13T07:44:00.003-04:002011-07-13T08:09:44.260-04:00Garden Post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CrfV3yh3LMs/Th2ISnOc8OI/AAAAAAAACDA/y_r9oeRyVjk/s1600/farm1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CrfV3yh3LMs/Th2ISnOc8OI/AAAAAAAACDA/y_r9oeRyVjk/s400/farm1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628804962631610594" border="0" /></a>This has not been a good year for gardening. Well, it started out not being a good year for gardening. The weather in the last couple of weeks has been amazing gardening weather, hot days, soaking rains in the evening...I may get to can something this year after all!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L14IkC7EMZk/Th2ISRT6TPI/AAAAAAAACC4/4v6dKqkFqGI/s1600/farm4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L14IkC7EMZk/Th2ISRT6TPI/AAAAAAAACC4/4v6dKqkFqGI/s400/farm4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628804956748926194" border="0" /></a>Although the Major has decided that we are going to compost-pile-garden only from now on...check out the volunteer zucchini plant that came up this year.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LhYH0CGofN8/Th2Gt6pRPSI/AAAAAAAACCw/U7yn13BaQ8o/s1600/farm3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LhYH0CGofN8/Th2Gt6pRPSI/AAAAAAAACCw/U7yn13BaQ8o/s400/farm3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628803232677575970" border="0" /></a>And the volunteer tomato bush...there are two of these actually in two different parts of the compost pile. They're twice the size of the tomatoes we planted in the "real" garden.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FIa-E48EFGY/Th2Gp0AJ84I/AAAAAAAACCQ/IQIYu-9h1VE/s1600/garden3potatoes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FIa-E48EFGY/Th2Gp0AJ84I/AAAAAAAACCQ/IQIYu-9h1VE/s400/garden3potatoes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628803162175042434" border="0" /></a>This is what our potatoes looked like a week ago...this is the first year we've tried potatoes and we really thought we messed them up.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DVKNht2ICc/Th2GtveIQAI/AAAAAAAACCo/NMZQ0gRkFZ8/s1600/farm2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6DVKNht2ICc/Th2GtveIQAI/AAAAAAAACCo/NMZQ0gRkFZ8/s400/farm2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628803229678059522" border="0" /></a>These are the potatoes as of last night....I guess we didn't mess them up too badly!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXSBr_PHfCY/Th2GqkfmgoI/AAAAAAAACCg/ZW0wJpMyPvU/s1600/garden.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXSBr_PHfCY/Th2GqkfmgoI/AAAAAAAACCg/ZW0wJpMyPvU/s400/garden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628803175191839362" border="0" /></a>A view of our garden area....really hoping that next year we can pull it together and get a good harvest..this year with the weather being what it was we just couldn't get stuff into the ground on time and the plants the Major started got leggy and now they're really behind...although they seem to be coming back and even though the tomato plants are short, they are very deep green and healthy looking. Lets hope we have a long enough summer so they can produce.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oT5siOFh8BY/Th2GqMBaWtI/AAAAAAAACCY/kA_mO8zrFEg/s1600/garden2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oT5siOFh8BY/Th2GqMBaWtI/AAAAAAAACCY/kA_mO8zrFEg/s400/garden2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628803168622762706" border="0" /></a>We have these popping up all through the garden area too...presents from Spork and Spam whom were wintered here to help till up the garden soil. Lots of squash-family plants...I think this one might be a pumpkin. <br /><br />All in all its been a pretty good end of June, beginning of July. The weather has been hot but not too bad...and the plants look happy. How is your garden growing?stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-653912082254201322011-06-29T10:41:00.002-04:002011-06-29T10:47:23.632-04:00Excited!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KC2qLzpvuB4/Tgs58IFAKQI/AAAAAAAACBg/4AOSmFV4oyk/s1600/lamb4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KC2qLzpvuB4/Tgs58IFAKQI/AAAAAAAACBg/4AOSmFV4oyk/s400/lamb4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623652264825596162" border="0" /></a><br />Looks like little Yuri is going to go live on a new farm this Saturday. He will be our first sheep sale. I've had a couple of other inquires as well. Getting some return on our hard work will be nice, even if it is only enough to buy libations for our 4th of July hot tub extravaganza. Ok...its not really an extravaganza...it's probably more like a carnival....ya know..the side show aspect...but we have fun even if the neighbors spend their night frightened and sucking their thumbs in the corner.stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-87996603854878228352011-06-27T19:46:00.003-04:002011-06-28T08:39:04.242-04:00The sun was actaully shining today.....Or..."MY EYES! MY EYES!! WHY DO THEY BURN??!?!??!"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TaveijUOu2c/TgkYv2CcJrI/AAAAAAAACBY/txmKzSKZ0Es/s1600/bunnies.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TaveijUOu2c/TgkYv2CcJrI/AAAAAAAACBY/txmKzSKZ0Es/s400/bunnies.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623052819987441330" border="0" /></a>It has been raining and cold for what seems like weeks, so when today turned out to be gorgeous and 80+ degrees...well...I made a point to be outside. Of course first thing this morning I didn't realize how nice it was...and as I ran out the back door to chase the very bad bad bad lambs back into their pen I was assaulted by a very bright fiery ball in the sky....I felt like a vampire...I screamed, threw my arms up to shield my eyes..cried for my mother..then realized it was just the sun and not some strange earth altering event. I wasn't sure. Really.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_7cCQjHbL8/TgkYvKfj-eI/AAAAAAAACBI/x-JvJsSyqJo/s1600/pig.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_7cCQjHbL8/TgkYvKfj-eI/AAAAAAAACBI/x-JvJsSyqJo/s400/pig.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623052808298428898" border="0" /></a>This is Annabelle. She's a registered Gloucestershire old spot pig. She looks tired, eh? You want to know why?? Because she has spent much of the day out of her pen. Yeah..another fence "jumper" (ok..she really doesn't "jump")..yay. Luckily she's more like a dog than a pig...in fact she was laying in the long grass and the only reason I found her was because Vella was laying right there with her. I need to get them moved down into the woods where they have plenty of shade...although they're so social I can't really see them staying down there. I guess we'll find out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fre2AJPUQzY/TgkYu0DNacI/AAAAAAAACBA/hHOaQlpEMAI/s1600/mm.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 361px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fre2AJPUQzY/TgkYu0DNacI/AAAAAAAACBA/hHOaQlpEMAI/s400/mm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623052802273929666" border="0" /></a>Moe and Mop. *sigh*...yes, Mop is getting ready to lick the electric fence. It happens often. He's special.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MI9IrWwjMDw/TgkYuRFwAAI/AAAAAAAACA4/0geoTIXZrUI/s1600/lambs6.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MI9IrWwjMDw/TgkYuRFwAAI/AAAAAAAACA4/0geoTIXZrUI/s400/lambs6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623052792889344002" border="0" /></a>Two of the lambs...the dark on is a ram...the lighter one is a ewe. I still don't know what color she is. He is black with the gray pattern...see the black fleece and the lighter fleece showing through? She definatly has two copies of the gray gene making her homozygous gray...but I cannot...for the LIFE of me...figure out whether she is black...or moorit (brown). See her legs...they look light brown, yes? those could be just heavy phaelomine (tan or browninsh coloring on white fleece)....because if you look close..you can see the black on the knees....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bLe1nAjaA3U/TgkYvXtl9yI/AAAAAAAACBQ/zNahv31S1_w/s1600/yoko.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bLe1nAjaA3U/TgkYvXtl9yI/AAAAAAAACBQ/zNahv31S1_w/s400/yoko.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623052811846940450" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8OPgiIQ9ll0/TgkXZgTWLqI/AAAAAAAACAw/sWYERkJGnUs/s1600/lamb5.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8OPgiIQ9ll0/TgkXZgTWLqI/AAAAAAAACAw/sWYERkJGnUs/s400/lamb5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623051336684023458" border="0" /></a>and closer you can see the brownish fleece..with what looks like black fleece....really ...maybe I should have just chosen white sheep, then I would know for certian what I was getting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jiN2fsmcf0c/TgkXZIOTm5I/AAAAAAAACAo/KwU7l_C2hIk/s1600/lamb4.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 238px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jiN2fsmcf0c/TgkXZIOTm5I/AAAAAAAACAo/KwU7l_C2hIk/s400/lamb4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623051330220432274" border="0" /></a>Ruthie's ram...Yuri. He's black gray.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L0xWB46i2a8/TgkXY3fpUXI/AAAAAAAACAg/7JVBgyJSU5Q/s1600/lamb3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 383px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L0xWB46i2a8/TgkXY3fpUXI/AAAAAAAACAg/7JVBgyJSU5Q/s400/lamb3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623051325729755506" border="0" /></a><br />Rita's boy...Yoyo. He's moorit gray.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gE_BA7JXtvw/TgkXYrX5xqI/AAAAAAAACAY/dk1DLfNAyB0/s1600/lamb2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gE_BA7JXtvw/TgkXYrX5xqI/AAAAAAAACAY/dk1DLfNAyB0/s400/lamb2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623051322476054178" border="0" /></a>Yap. He's ...white.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ArHgJLJuHhY/TgkXYGy8xZI/AAAAAAAACAQ/l_qo4QpsQqg/s1600/lamb1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ArHgJLJuHhY/TgkXYGy8xZI/AAAAAAAACAQ/l_qo4QpsQqg/s400/lamb1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623051312657384850" border="0" /></a>Oh my lovely Yakky (yakov). Is he not gorgeous??? He's got rather big scurs though :( He is ...are you ready for this mouthful?? Moorit/gray Mouflon. Yup. His fleece to to DIE for though....WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE BEEN A GIRL!?!?!. Sorry...had to get that out :)<br /><br />I hope you all are enjoying your summer :)stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-2268870950529698522011-06-22T14:41:00.003-04:002011-06-22T15:04:19.698-04:00A tale of two hens<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3rXLabgtAyw/TgI4U1uZ2JI/AAAAAAAACAA/Gd0UBwjo5AI/s1600/hens2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3rXLabgtAyw/TgI4U1uZ2JI/AAAAAAAACAA/Gd0UBwjo5AI/s400/hens2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621117215582050450" border="0" /></a>This is Vulture and Sophie, they are silkie bantams. They probably should have been named something more like Yin or Yang...Ebony and Ivory....Lucy and Ethel...but...I let the kids name them, and well, you know how that goes. This is the second year in a row that these two birds have gone broody together, shared a clutch of eggs and are raising the chicks hatched together. I've never seen two chickens work together to raise chicks before...usually they go broody, hatch the and then protect them from every other hen in the barn yard. These two protect the chicks as well, but usually it's one protecting and the other hen is gathering up the chicks and huddling with them until the argument is over. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9H8zPxTi4-A/TgI4UaZOLXI/AAAAAAAAB_4/RzIT-5IMnsI/s1600/hens3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9H8zPxTi4-A/TgI4UaZOLXI/AAAAAAAAB_4/RzIT-5IMnsI/s400/hens3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621117208245448050" border="0" /></a>They've been out in the yard teaching the chicks how to search for food....again, working together...one will dig up a worm and make the appropriate noises and all of the chicks will flock around her....while the other one continues to look until it finds something...back and forth...cooperation at it's best. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4OZRARlC0Hs/TgI4UGVm0RI/AAAAAAAAB_w/q-QHi4BZ0pU/s1600/hens4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 387px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4OZRARlC0Hs/TgI4UGVm0RI/AAAAAAAAB_w/q-QHi4BZ0pU/s400/hens4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621117202861576466" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TGf8H_poxjw/TgI4VLvk_RI/AAAAAAAACAI/q79D2vSVQRY/s1600/hens1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TGf8H_poxjw/TgI4VLvk_RI/AAAAAAAACAI/q79D2vSVQRY/s400/hens1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621117221492555026" border="0" /></a>I wish I had gotten a pic of them sitting on their nest(s)...they sat beak to beak for a month...when one got up to get food and water the other would gather all of the eggs into her nest and continue to incubate them until she got back...then they would switch off and the other would go and get some food and water. When the other came back they would again divide the eggs. <br />Once they started hatching the chicks would run back and forth between hens....never differentiating between the two. I don't know how common this is...if it's a bantam thing, or a silkie thing...I've never seen it before, but I'm glad to have them...they are such a great example of what working together can accomplish.stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-75709240031165774482011-06-08T09:25:00.005-04:002011-06-08T10:17:03.486-04:00Wait...what day is it?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CWpYxuHUjxY/Te998wzomVI/AAAAAAAAB_I/XpNMdR-Cwp0/s1600/039.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CWpYxuHUjxY/Te998wzomVI/AAAAAAAAB_I/XpNMdR-Cwp0/s400/039.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615845743201392978" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You may, or may not have noticed I've been MIA.....again. My life has been taken over by one thing...and one thing only...FENCES. It seems like that is all the Major and I do is try to fix the fences to thwart a few particular sheep who have decided all of a sudden that they want to be on the other side of the fence...it doesn't matter what fence...or what side...they are just never happy. And try as I might I cannot keep any of this years lambs on the right side of the fence. The little bastards. We have so many different kinds of fencing on this property right now it's stupid. I have finally gotten Ruthie and her babies to stay put...unfortunately they are in with last years rams in a pasture that is severely overgrazed...which means I have to give them hay. The rest of the Houdini gang is still in the upper pasture....it's full of long, lush grass, you'd think they'd want to stay put...not wander the rest of the property...but nooooooooooooooooooooooo....although I think that the 6000 joules that the new fencer is putting out may have convinced them otherwise...I haven't seen them out in about 24 hours. I'm not holding my breath though.<br /><br />(edited to add) I almost forgot...we got the sheep sheared on Sunday. One year's worth of growth...and every bit of it a felted mess. We will use all of it to mulch the garden. Hopefully this fall we will have the time and weather to get them sheared...fall fleece is the best...and there are some beautiful fleeces in that flock...in fact that's the only thing that is saving them from being mutton stew!<br /><br />My mom came and stayed for a week over Memorial Day week....it was fun...we didn't get any garden stuff done though...the weather has been....harsh. We had so much rainfall the previous week that all of my compost washed out of the mounds and left clay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fsAbV0ORoyM/Te98emHcTaI/AAAAAAAAB_A/vF00oBcRNwI/s1600/mike.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fsAbV0ORoyM/Te98emHcTaI/AAAAAAAAB_A/vF00oBcRNwI/s400/mike.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5615844125423979938" border="0" /></a>See the mounds on either side of the Major? Those are kind of hard...what he is standing in is the amendment we added to the soil....so we've had to scoop all that up and add it back to the mounds and hope for the best. The soil is still really clay-y though...it's going to take a LOT of compost and organic matter to get it where it needs to be. Meanwhile we will forge ahead and get our garden in...late...and hope that everything grows.<br /><br />On a personal note, I am trying to teach myself Russian....Cyrillic alphabet and all. Being that I love torture I had to choose a language that not only sounds totally different than the only one I speak, but it uses a different alphabet so I can't even really sound stuff out....and a linguist I am not....I have a hard time sounding out English words....WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!?!?! Of course you know I had to download a book with useful phrases in it....it's called Dirty Russian or something like that....it has all the names of alcoholic drinks in it...and phrases for getting in a fight...and even a chapter named "Horny Russian"....because you know that if I'm going to learn a language I'm going to want to know how to say more than "what is your name...where are you from....can I see the menu". .. I want to know how to swear loudly and dramatically....so that when I stub my toe in front of a small child I don't feel as guilty. And "<span id="result_box" class="short_text" lang="ru"><span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">мудак</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">ебут</span> <span title="Click for alternate translations" class="hps">дерьмо" just sounds better anyway :P (don't translate that if you're easily offended or don't like offensive words...it will hurt your eyes....worse than the sheep vulva's).<br /><br />It probably doesn't seem like a lot..but with everything going on I have no idea what day it is...if it weren't for the little calendar on the right side of this screen I'd be completely lost. I hope it slows down a little...I'd like to enjoy some of the summer.<br /></span></span>stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-2773053182986803752011-05-26T10:22:00.006-04:002011-05-26T11:03:54.640-04:00It's been a busy month...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhuF6MPrWc0/Td5oyqT0WCI/AAAAAAAAB-0/wBL81qSoFh8/s1600/pageant.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uhuF6MPrWc0/Td5oyqT0WCI/AAAAAAAAB-0/wBL81qSoFh8/s400/pageant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611037405310375970" border="0" /></a>We drove to Manchester NH on the 20th for the Diva's pageant....she brought home her first "big" crown and the title of Ultimate Grand Supreme Natural. Now she wants to hit every pageant on the eastern seaboard. Help me. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dfIbewB-GnA/Td5oEgTnoiI/AAAAAAAAB-s/ZslAXkARxmE/s1600/garden.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dfIbewB-GnA/Td5oEgTnoiI/AAAAAAAAB-s/ZslAXkARxmE/s400/garden.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611036612351205922" border="0" /></a>The Major tilled yesterday while I mowed the lawn that was quickly becoming a jungle. Now we just need to build our raised or heaped beds and we'll be ready to plant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-klhr-aoXz1E/Td5nVnob5fI/AAAAAAAAB-k/Jm7l9vQw9SA/s1600/garden2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-klhr-aoXz1E/Td5nVnob5fI/AAAAAAAAB-k/Jm7l9vQw9SA/s400/garden2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611035806863713778" border="0" /></a>I really need to paint the barn this summer....We'll be adding a roof above those doors and putting a gravel pad under it so that this winter they have an outdoor space they can use and maybe we can keep the barn cleaner by only utilizing it for lambing or first aid. We'll see how it works out though. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1J_Z7mCISk/Td5nVdm1IWI/AAAAAAAAB-c/k6FB_9rhkqo/s1600/sheep.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 344px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1J_Z7mCISk/Td5nVdm1IWI/AAAAAAAAB-c/k6FB_9rhkqo/s400/sheep.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611035804172624226" border="0" /></a>Yoko and Yakov...look at Yoko's little knee patches..they're brown with black edges. I still am not sure what to categorize her color as....I know she carries two copies of the gray gene...but I can't tell if shes moorit (brown) or black with lots of phaelomine. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cM4Fc3bGiQI/Td5mVonQWqI/AAAAAAAAB-U/oRrNtcONUec/s1600/tree.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 356px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cM4Fc3bGiQI/Td5mVonQWqI/AAAAAAAAB-U/oRrNtcONUec/s400/tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5611034707615570594" border="0" /></a>I have never seen this tree this flowered out....gorgeous isn't it? <br /><br />I have fencing to do today before the T storms hit...then it will be all inside stuff that has been being neglected because of the sunshine and nice weather. When I went to the Dr. they tested my vitamin D levels...they like to see them up between 60-80. Mine was 23...and I had been IN the sun prior to the test. I don't even want to know what it was in January! So, they gave me a script for vitamin D...50,000 units to be taken once a week. I already feel better..the aches are gone, I have more energy, I'm sleeping better. Who knew one little vitamin could do so much.stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-28166245246018241352011-05-06T10:01:00.005-04:002011-05-06T10:19:50.556-04:00After tattooing last years lambs, I became jealous....<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mu0gw4nY8Pg/TcP_jU1mXaI/AAAAAAAAB98/mx5f0zpHlpc/s1600/tat1_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mu0gw4nY8Pg/TcP_jU1mXaI/AAAAAAAAB98/mx5f0zpHlpc/s400/tat1_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603603343733054882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Aries/taurus symbol with roots and limbs symbolizing a coming together of the two signs and becoming grounded and one within them.<br /><br /></span></span></div>and decided to get one myself. Thankfully the artist didn't use the clamp style tattooer I did...it really would have sucked if he did.<br />Of course being a woman I had to bring a posse....you know how as a young woman we pee in packs?? Apparently we grow out of that at some point and decide peeing together isn't nearly as fun as getting ink injected into our skin. I brought along two of my pseudo sisters, and they both got ink as well. Nicky and I got our very first tat's 10 years ago together, so it was kinda cool to go and get the second one done together as well. She got a bear paw to symbolize motherhood. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-croybjuMJdI/TcQCt6SIuYI/AAAAAAAAB-E/lENGTJJD56s/s1600/nicky1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-croybjuMJdI/TcQCt6SIuYI/AAAAAAAAB-E/lENGTJJD56s/s400/nicky1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603606824118434178" border="0" /></a>This was Mel's first time...even though she's had the design in her head forever. She's a martial arts girl, so she got a dragon fighting tiger.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClT3xwyoh5Y/TcQCuCLmZtI/AAAAAAAAB-M/byHyZxlZNiY/s1600/mel.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClT3xwyoh5Y/TcQCuCLmZtI/AAAAAAAAB-M/byHyZxlZNiY/s400/mel.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603606826238502610" border="0" /></a>It was a fun time...yes...even with the pain it was fun and they artist is amazing, he went to art school and you can really tell looking at his portfolios.<br />Now back to the regular days of farming and trying to stop various animals from going on walk-a-bout. I hate fence building. ugh!stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-1473997591497507222011-04-25T19:01:00.001-04:002011-04-25T19:03:17.013-04:00Bovine High Five<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ffoxwuPpw3w/TbX9X97LrbI/AAAAAAAAB90/JqJfiLXuxaI/s1600/lylimoe.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ffoxwuPpw3w/TbX9X97LrbI/AAAAAAAAB90/JqJfiLXuxaI/s400/lylimoe.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599660299906690482" border="0" /></a><br />Lyli getting a bovine "high five" from Moe.<br /></div>stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-76242080713997064602011-04-19T14:55:00.005-04:002011-04-19T20:50:59.916-04:00More lamb picsToday is my 40th birthday, and I spent most of the afternoon out in the pasture watching lambs pronk and bounce and run. It was defiantly my kind of birthday. We got the second paddock's fence re-stretched and ran electric rope on the top and mid-way down to try and stop enthusiastic sheep from finding ways out.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OH9taZ7-xDs/Ta3bXgDCyjI/AAAAAAAAB9k/75nmWoMD7jA/s1600/yoko1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OH9taZ7-xDs/Ta3bXgDCyjI/AAAAAAAAB9k/75nmWoMD7jA/s400/yoko1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597371108677569074" border="0" /></a>This is Yoko, Ruthie's little ewe, she's black/gray with lots of phaelomelanin in her fleece..hence the brownish spots on her knees and around her neck.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VjJqhOvE7gw/Ta3bFmAtxHI/AAAAAAAAB9c/ONpF7E4AhKI/s1600/tishtwins2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 340px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VjJqhOvE7gw/Ta3bFmAtxHI/AAAAAAAAB9c/ONpF7E4AhKI/s400/tishtwins2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597370801040770162" border="0" /></a>These are Letisha's two boys. I haven't named them as they're probably going into the freezer.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PjCCreQ7m6k/Ta3bFtCrETI/AAAAAAAAB9U/_qA2GMHSymI/s1600/yakov2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PjCCreQ7m6k/Ta3bFtCrETI/AAAAAAAAB9U/_qA2GMHSymI/s400/yakov2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597370802928030002" border="0" /></a>Yakov, Ada's "little" ram. He was 12 1/2lbs at birth...I think...I got up at 3:30a.m. after getting home at midnight...and I had a few Smirnoff's in me..hence the name Yakov....The scale wasn't very easy to see...but I'm pretty sure it was between 12 and 13...Ada's single from last year was 13 too...and I had to pull her as well...Her singles are just HUGE...and she struggles with them...but wow, he's gorgeous, isn't he?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5enWtiJcvBE/Ta3bFLZXkGI/AAAAAAAAB9M/0Hi1MwGCDyA/s1600/yasmina1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 261px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5enWtiJcvBE/Ta3bFLZXkGI/AAAAAAAAB9M/0Hi1MwGCDyA/s400/yasmina1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597370793896415330" border="0" /></a>This is the other little ewe I got this year, Yasmina. She is out of Rita. Rita's babies tend to be small, I'm hoping she'll catch up as she gets older..maybe she'll just be a late bloomer.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZfRsH6Eauc/Ta3bEzhmjpI/AAAAAAAAB9E/bwvmTFpoNW8/s1600/yoshi1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RZfRsH6Eauc/Ta3bEzhmjpI/AAAAAAAAB9E/bwvmTFpoNW8/s400/yoshi1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597370787488501394" border="0" /></a>Yoshi, the monster. He's HUGE, gorgeous solid black fleece and absolutely magnificent conformation. Not only that, but, he's a big baby who loves to be scratched under her chin..already. Most lambs are a little more standoffish...he's totally extroverted and into everything...poor Darlin' is always out looking for him because he takes off with the other lambs to go exploring.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fbY0RuXRz8I/Ta3bE85uSjI/AAAAAAAAB88/Yenk8k-bMLg/s1600/yoyo1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fbY0RuXRz8I/Ta3bE85uSjI/AAAAAAAAB88/Yenk8k-bMLg/s400/yoyo1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597370790005590578" border="0" /></a>Rita's other lamb, Yoyo...He's named that because he's always on someones back sleeping...and he's a leaper...I mean..I'm amazed at the amount of air this little boy gets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUNGEf490zs/Ta3bX-gqK3I/AAAAAAAAB9s/LrYj8cTzz90/s1600/yokoyuri1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUNGEf490zs/Ta3bX-gqK3I/AAAAAAAAB9s/LrYj8cTzz90/s400/yokoyuri1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597371116854848370" border="0" /></a>This is Yoko and her brother Yuri. Yuri is leaping up in the air, he's a nice black/gray boy and he and Yoko are always hanging out with Yoshi.<br />It's a nice lamb crop this year, a LOT of color...I'm hoping that next year we're ewe heavy and have the same quality in them as we've gotten in these rams.stace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2008317283342129589.post-87785680457493689972011-04-19T09:07:00.003-04:002011-04-19T09:27:16.613-04:00Lambing is finally over!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Geey_gJ9C_4/Ta2JgCr2nHI/AAAAAAAAB8s/7ErQDS1PoXA/s1600/letisha1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 350px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Geey_gJ9C_4/Ta2JgCr2nHI/AAAAAAAAB8s/7ErQDS1PoXA/s400/letisha1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597281095461018738" border="0" /></a>Final lamb count is 8 (same as last year)....6 rams and 2 ewes. Of course the two lambs that are outstanding are rams....and we really don't need anymore rams! The Major is thinking about trying to sell last years rams and keeping this years...they are really that nice.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISNh6l_IN-M/Ta2JWL87cMI/AAAAAAAAB8k/APhu9E_s6DM/s1600/Yakov.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISNh6l_IN-M/Ta2JWL87cMI/AAAAAAAAB8k/APhu9E_s6DM/s400/Yakov.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597280926149865666" border="0" /></a>This is Yakov. One of the outstanding rams. 12 1/2lbs at birth, he is a moorit mouflon/gray ram...big and gorgeous.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u3zQj8vRXe4/Ta2JVx7vXhI/AAAAAAAAB8c/vsUee3oizIs/s1600/whiteram.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u3zQj8vRXe4/Ta2JVx7vXhI/AAAAAAAAB8c/vsUee3oizIs/s400/whiteram.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597280919165558290" border="0" /></a>Letisha had two little white rams that I swear are identical twins. They both have the same phaeomelanin spots on the back of their neck and their tails.<br /><br />All of the babies are out and running, Yuri, Yoko and Yoshi have formed a gang of 3 that pronks all over the place. Poor Darlin' and Ruthie...they can't keep track of them and are always out looking to see where their little trouble makers are now. Rita's little moorit ram has been trying to join them, and they do let him sometimes...and it's so funny to look out and see these 3 big lambs pronking around with the little one following along behind bleating...I swear he's saying "hey! wait up!!". We've been calling him Yoyo, mostly because he's always sleeping up on someones back. I looked out yesterday and he was up on Hershey-Pie's back sleeping...she stood up...he balanced as well as he could then jumped down.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CpDRbXQkH8/Ta2M30Lb2XI/AAAAAAAAB80/oqFNPnZXPTg/s1600/rita.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6CpDRbXQkH8/Ta2M30Lb2XI/AAAAAAAAB80/oqFNPnZXPTg/s400/rita.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597284802418694514" border="0" /></a><br />All in all it was a pretty good year. Yes, we could have used a few more ewes, but there is always next year, and truthfully I'm really happy with the two ewes I did get, and the two fantastic rams...I'll find them a good home as herd sires, or I'll keep them and use them myself. Yeah, because I NEED more rams :Pstace41971http://www.blogger.com/profile/17892911939962861470noreply@blogger.com4