Leaving lambs

2 sheep left yesterday and 2 more went today leaving the barn feeling quite empty. I still have my flock and 4 lambs that won't leave until August, and I have 2 lambs arriving in the next few weeks. Still it's sad to say goodbye to these faces. Sorry about the dark pictures we've been having a wet time of it so all of them were taken inside.

I made the hard decision to sell Daisy Mae as a pet. She looked like she would never make weight and I worried about keeping her with 2 rams around. I'll miss her sweet face and funny antics around the farm.

She left with Diana (another tiny tot) to go and live on 200+ acres of pasture with a few other sheep and some mini donkeys. Obviously a hard life.

And today Wilbur (the new wether) and Dixie left for their new home.

It made me happy how excited all of their new owners were as I know they all have great homes. Of course I am very excited to be getting my new sheep. I can't wait to show them off :) Anyway I am off to eat spaghetti and meatballs that my son made for dinner. Have a great night everyone.

Lamb update and my view

This is the view from our deck this morning. It's not a sunny day but the weather is nice and all of the sheep are enjoying the grass.

Sunny had to rub himself across the gate before I closed it. I know he's not a lamb but it's too cute not to share, although I wish I got the shot about 30 seconds later when the gate slide open and he fell sideways onto the grass!

I finally managed to get a good picture of Dakota (left) and Delia (right) both girls are dong very well and looking forward to going to their new home later this year.

Along with Winston who is very handsome and has some lovely looking horn buds so far.

Wilbur will also be leaving for a great new home as a pet wether. I think he'll enjoy all it (maybe not the wethering part lol) but he loves the attention, and is the friendliest of this years lambs.

He'll have his sister Dixie with him who is also very friendly and I am excited to follow their progress as they grow up. I love hearing from the owner with updates and pictures, and helping out where I can by answering any questions.

Wallace (left) also has a new home, isn't he beautiful? I love his fleece. So far William doesn't but I am sure he'll find one soon. Both boys look like horn buds are doing well.

Diana is the only other lamb remaining for sale. Until sold she is happy here and enjoying lamb races and grass.

Derry has been sold and is now living the high life on Beech Hill farm and ice cream stand in New Hampshire where she will be representing the Shetland sheep breed and getting a whole lot of attention. Daisy Mae says she's not going anywhere though. Even though it doesn't look like she'll reach the right size she's too much of a character to part with.

Finally Marcus is now 13 weeks old. He was photographed at SmartPak last weekend by their professional photographer and this is one of the pictures I got. He starts puppy class in a few weeks which will be fun.

I'm still working on my website http://ridgewayfarm.webs.com/ let me know what you think of it. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Naked sheep

The sheep were sheared on Monday afternoon and unfortunately for them it got cold on Tuesday. Today it was sunny (but windy) so everyone went outside and got to show off their do's.

Sunny looks wonderful and the shearer remarked what a great fleece he had especially for a ram. He has kept a good weight over winter and breeding season.

Dreamer looks very good too and spent most of the day stretching out in the sun. Dreamer is leaving us in the summer to go to a new great home. I am on the look out (and wait list) for a ram lamb lol.

Daisy Mae looked taller with her fleece off. And still skinny but not as far off height wise from Jacqui as I thought. Hopefully the spring grass will do her some good and she'll look better by the summer. That's Jacqui in the background her fleece was awesome. Can't wait to skirt it.

Jewel is looking good but plump. She is not supposed to lamb this year, I guess I know who has been eating Daisy Mae's food!

Amelia and Derry are doing well although I hope more lambs arrive soon for Derry to socialize with.

Lambing game for the pregnant girls will go up tomorrow. I need to think of a prize :)

Eck what a delay

Sorry readers for the delay. February got away from me, and March has been busy. We are just recovering from 5 and 1/2 inches of rain in the past 3 days. This is what my middle and back pasture look like today.

As you can see we are waterfront property right now. The Assabet river doesn't normally start until past the fence in the back pasture lol. We were told the pastures "got a little damp" when we bought the property.

My shearer is due to come on Monday afternoon (finally) and the girls and boys are looking forward to having last years fleece removed. The weather is supposed to be lovely in the next few days so they should have plenty of chance to dry out.

Still no sign of lambs :( I am hoping they will arrive soon, and should have a better idea for due dates after they are sheared.

That's all for now. I am off to go and practice trailer loading with Muppet.

A little bit of everything almost.

Today was very nice here at Ridgeway Farm, although I actually spent a lot of it at Muppet's barn clipping him. No pictures of that as I haven't done it before really and it didn't look great lol. Poor guy has to wait for his hair to grow in. Anyway I did take random pictures around the farm.

Here's a before

and after shot.

This is what I spent my Sunday doing. I still need to finish off the white trim but I think it looks quite nice. I have also insulated the inside so it looks like a shiny silver rocket lol.

My Grey's Anatomy inspired silkies Meredith,

Izzie,

and Christina are looking all grown up and are laying little pink/creamy eggs.

Jaquith is wearing the latest fall fashion accessory. Hay. All the sheep are predicted to be wearing it this winter. You read it here first.

Daisy Mae got weighed in today at 30lbs! That's a weight gain of 2lbs in the last 2 weeks. Very nice progress and she does look much better.

In non-farm news my mum back in England is getting a new puppy who was born on Sunday morning. Her name is Martha and she's one of the little bundles of joy below.

Phew I'm pictured out!

A wee nip in the air

Yesterday and today saw us waking up to quite the frost here in Massachusetts (they even say it might snow this weekend). I didn't have time for pictures yesterday but here's todays snaps.

Still waiting for the sun to rise more at 7am.

Frosty mums.

Dreamer's thinking today might be the day lol. I am not sure Amelia is convinced yet.

Daisy Mae is enjoying her morning snack. I am letting her eat grain and hay in the barn with me in the mornings while I muck out. She's increased her body weight by 17+% and is growing nicely.

Jaqui is looking really good in her coat. She actually went up a size last week, I wish I'd gotten pictures of her fleece. It is so soft.

Well that's all for now. I did get some pictures of the other group but they all came out looking a little possessed with the flash or something lol. I'm off to Provincetown on the Cape for the weekend after my midterm tomorrow. I might try to find a sweater for Binson my Jack Russell, she is really feeling the cold this year and it's only October.

Stay warm everyone.

Finally sheep

I know I promised a sheep post a week or more ago but life went rather busy on me. Anyway it is a lovely day today, so I spent some time with the girls' in one of the small paddocks as the boys' enjoyed the pasture. 

Can you spot the sheep?

There she is.

This paddock needs mowing as the weeds are taking over the grass. Not that Sabrina is complaining.

Or Jewel.

Or any of the other girls' for that matter.

All of the girls' are doing great. I need to change a few coats for the next size up. I'd also like to get hooves trimmed this month. It's not long before I start breeding groups, which is always a fun time (trying to keep girls' away if they are not breeding). Oh and don't tell the sheep, but we have our first easter egger eggs this week. Aren't they pretty? Rosalie is still laying about 6 eggs a week too.

Have a great weekend everyone :)

What a nice day

The weather is lovely here in Massachusetts today. Not hot or humid, and not cold or rainy. If I was Goldilocks I would think it was just right. The geese are migrating, and in the evening they fly over the house calling each other.

The chickens run to the front of their pen every morning (or time I walk past) to see what I will drop in for them.

Miss Kitty (one of the barn cats) caught me a mouse today and then sat in the shade after she had eaten it...she was kind enough to leave the head on the barn floor. 

The sheep are happy enjoying the grass. After all the rain we had last month everything sort of exploded and grew. Amelia is mid-ear wag.

Daisy Mae is doing well and growing. She still feels thin but is getting better.

Jacqui is also growing very well, and has settled in great.

I don't have pictures but I have been riding again. I had my third ride back today and worked on getting Muppet in front of my leg. So far he has been super, and we are both having a good time getting back into work. Unfortunately college starts back on Friday so my summer vacation is over. I hope everyone had a great summer though.