9/19/2009

Breeding Begins

Starting off the breeding season with three groups! We’ve got two Leicester Longwool rams and one Bluefaced Leicester ram in with three ewes each. We’ve purchased another BFL ram and he’ll be arriving in mid October, and he’ll have a few ewes as well. All but one of these rams is breeding for the first time, so it’s their "proving" season. There are both purebred and crossbred efforts afoot. The focus on the crossing is for Natural Color.

Speaking of Natural Color; the National NCWGA sheep show will be taking place September 27th at the Big E! I am in charge of the Silent Auction and with the help of Kate Lowder it will be sure to be a success.

The upcoming New York Sheep Fair at Rhinebeck on the weekend of October 17-18 is fast approaching. The Leicester Longwool is the featured breed and there will be alot of excitement and interest in the breed. There will be a Card Grade show to watch and learn more about the breed and their characteristics and attributes. Just as the Bluefaced Leicester benefited from this type of exposure, the Leicester Longwool will begin to blossom and make a presence in more sheep shows in the future.

Hay is on it’s way. Thank goodness. I only buy second cut, whenever possible. With our good source just down the road in Worthington I’ll have two wagons very soon to stash in the barn. It’s been such a wet summer the hay has not been harvested as quickly as in the past years. The straw harvest is due in soon as well.