10/24/2006

Ready and Waiting

It’s almost time to turn the rams in with the ewes for breeding. Since most of the big changes around here happen on weekends, due to work schedules, it’ll be this weekend that the rams will come up to the barn for the winter, and earn their keep. In the plans, Paragon (white purebred Leicester Longwool) will have two purebred LL ewes and two Border Leicester/Cotswold cross ewes to breed this season. Charles (colored purebred LL) will have six ewes to his harem, 2 of which will be purebred LL ewes. In total, ten ewes are to be bred this season. It is the most we’ve bred to date. In a separate pen is the wether ram Aaron with the two retained lambs from this year, Luna and Dicken, both out of Charles. I have little concern that Dicken, open purebred LL ram lamb, will be able to breed Luna (colored LL/bluefaced leicester cross ewe lamb). He has absolutely no clue at the moment. If he does show interest they’ll have to be separated until the ewes are done with the rams.

I am doing my last fiber show this coming weekend, the FiberTwist, in Greenfield, MA. I’m looking forward to it and then the nice long cold winter to focus on my weaving projects.

10/11/2006

Harvest Moon is Beautiful !

The 2006 Harvest Moon of October 7th was absolutely beautiful. The whole week leading up to the full moon and the waning week after the full moon has lite the night with a very peaceful glow. Our flock of ewes is back home after four months of "work". Eating down grassy pastures and wide open space. Now they are home, mingling with the trees and sloped landscape. The breeding shoud begin shortly. The ewes seem content and readied for breeding. I will accomodate them with using the two mature rams and preliminarily offering the ram lamb an opportunity to breed a couple ewes.