New ram lamb today...

Alaska Dominique decided today was her day to lamb. Bred to Topple, she gave birth to a big black ram lamb with a small white Krunet on his head. So yes indeed, he is carrying the spotted genetics even tho he himself is all black. He will be looking for a good home in a few months too!

So much for in like a lamb...

In case you'd wondered where I've been lately, the past week was one of the worst set of back to back storms we've had in a looooooong time. High wind with snow out of the south, the next day out of the north, the following day out of the south again. There wasn't a day out of 7 that it didn't snow, and drifts appeared everywhere. We were inundated. The sheep and the goats spent so much time locked up inside their barns that they were MORE than happy to get out for an hour or two in between storms. I was one pooped puppy trying to keep up with it all too. Yesterday the skies opened and the sun came out, a much needed supply of sunshine was soaked up by all. Last night was one of our coldest this year, a mild winter for us, but this morning it was -5 and after all the nice warmth we've been having this winter, it sure felt cold! The tomato seeds are started in the livingroom tho as well as some Calendulas so at least I can think spring...even tho our ground won't be thawed until May!

How have you been doing lately? Please do type when you can!

WOOHOO! Finally, the first lamb!

Proud parents, this little girl arrived today in the nice sunshine - 4 white socks, white tail, and a very big dark mask to boot! Ram is Minwawe Topple and dam is Minwawe Caribean, still in full winter fleece. She is just beautiful, and our first registered lamb of the year. Welcome Spring! And, she's a Bielset too - that white ring goes all the way around her neck

Welcome March - Lions and Lambs

Welcome March! But unless something changes today, the weather is actually nice.....that's not good! Why you ask? Well, how about the old saying "In like a Lion, out like a Lamb"...so far, it's in like a lamb and, ewww, don't want it out like a lion!

I'm waiting for lambs now - how about you? No AI or flushing used here, so it's au natural for my ewes. We had a snowstorm this week with a fresh 7-8 inches of snow on the ground. It's warm out, in the 20's and expected to go into the low 30's today - great for the goat kids. Now where are those lambs tho when you want them?!

And it's time to pick a date for shearing. That's on my gotta do list!

Pictures of goat kids!

Zasia's Nubian doe kid just bookin' it! Bottle fed and ready for her new home, pending G6S testing as mom's a Carrier and dad's a Normal! She was born last Thursday and is a sweetheart too!



Zasia's other doe kid, a beautiful black and tan spotted Nubian. She will be retained if she comes back G6S normal!

This boy is simply stunning - long, very dairy, long rump, and as spectacular as his sire who ADGA youngstock appraised Excellent. He's covered in moonspots and will remain extremely colorful. He is G6S normal by parentage, and available also. His dam is Flower, multiple Best Udder in Breed winner.

43 degrees at 11am

THANK YOU FOR EL NINO!! Woohoo!

All week we've had temps in the 30's.....actually, most of last week too. On occasion we've been hitting 40. Hello? This Alaska? February?? EEEK! I even did chores in a sweatshirt this morning, no jacket! The deep snows are melting off slowly but surely. The sheep think they are in heaven...big hay bale in the feeder, fresh straw and hay in the shed for bedding, and snow melting away all around them. Of course we'll have more winter, we don't have thawed ground for spring planting until May and often get snows in April, but this is a very welcomed break! Even the goats are relishing the warmth, the ducks are finding puddles to bathe in today and the chickens are out exploring far away from the chicken coop, searching for anything edible to peck at. I'm even thinking we should shear sheep now instead of waiting for March like usual........hmmmmmm.....would be nice to see what's under all that thick wool!

CRAZY!

I'm sure others are going crazy at this time of year too. Waiting waiting waiting.......just when will the first lambs start showing up?! How about you? Are you waiting for lambs?? I'm hoping Garrett will have my BFL ram lamb for me this year, my unregistered flock will appreciate him greatly! My registered Shetlands are waiting for a Moorit Spotted ram lamb too - let me know if you have a bottle lamb fitting that description this year, I'll have plenty of goats milk to feed him if you'll let me fly him up this way!

On another front, my beautiful Muscovies are hatching! YES - IN FEBRUARY! Crazy. They normally have a very low hatch rate at this time of year, but our winter has been so mild and since I sold a very nice black and white Pied drake to a friend, my Blue and White Pied drake has been VERY busy. I will have some gorgeous rarer colors available in another week or so. Muscovies are unlike any other duck, and many are pets. They do NOT quack - so they make the perfect duck for families in suburban or city locations that allow quiet fowl. As part of their greetings they make a nice hiss hiss hiss sound and literally wag their tails. So my Valentines Day present is a bunch of hatching ducklings - yay! If you want any, just let me know!

And I'm on the "forever waiting for the goats to kid" syndrome. I have 7 Nigerian Dwarves and 4 Nubians due within the next 30 days. One of the Nubians is due any day, and she's definately letting me know about it too. She'd prefer that I just pull up a cot and stay with her 24/7 I'm afraid - ha ha! The Saanens aren't due until this summer, so they're outdoors enjoying themselves!

It's been beautiful weather for us. No terrible cold snaps lately, got a decent snow of 8 inches a little while ago promptly followed by days in the 30's to help melt some of it down. Of course there are still huge snowpiles around the farm and still a deep covering of snow, but these warm days have been fantastic! I even got a 'tan' yesterday while teaching herding lessons facing the sun for 4 hours straight - yay!

Hope you take the time to send a note - let me know what you're up to -