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Breeding time has begun at Long Ridge Farm! The weather has been quite nice for November. It’s been reasonably dry and not too cold and frosty. We had the remnants of Ida yesterday which left things pretty soggy but that has passed and we are in for another nice dry stretch. Neville is a handsome CVM ram from our sister farm, Crooked Fence Farm in Putney, VT. We drove over and picked him up on Thursday. Our farms are just about opposite each other across the Connecticut River, but because there is not a bridge handy it takes about 25 minutes to drive up to Westminster Bridge, cross in to VT and then down the Vt side of the river. Coming home, Neville rode very nicely, taking in the scenery and the farm smells along the way. We pulled the truck into the field and he popped out picture perfect! He looked around and then he saw them. A flock of ewes awaiting.
Meet and greet is always a flurry while everyone smells everyone. It’s quite a dance really.
No one was particularly interested in Neville but he had his eye on Charlotte right off. At first she wasn’t interested at all. This is her first breeding. But I went to check on them in a few hours and he was all over her, snickering and ultimately mounting her, over and over.
This is a familiar, not so handsome, but awfully funny look during breeding season. Neville has just gotten a scent from one of the ewes and is smelling it on his lips to determine how ready the ewe is to breed.
While he was working away at all this stuff he needs to do, the ewes decided they needed to eat.
Here is a group of ewes pretty much telling it like it is is…nope we’re not ready! Meanwhile out of view, Neville continued to romance Charlotte.
They finally settled down overnight and in the morning Neville turned his eye to Memphis, Charlotte’s dam. And by midday they were like one big happy family, sort of!
I am already excited to see what the breeding will bring forth. I am hoping Della, our white Romeldale, will give one beautiful white ewe lamb!
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Whenever you see a flock of sheep at the door upon arrival with the deer in the headlight look, something is amiss. I came down to do chores and as usual, let the hens out first. As I glanced over at the barn lot, I saw Ashley, flat out on the ground. She looked dead. I raced into the barn out and into the lot. Of course everyone scurried as I flew through the barn. And that made Ashley start to kick her legs. She was alive! I got ahold of her and helped her to her feet. I massaged her legs and hips, gave her some loving words and let her recover while I got the rest of the flock fed. As before, she had laid down at a bad angle, and in this case,when she wanted to get up she was facing an upward slope and couldn’t get her legs under her.
This is the third time we have found her this way, one time earlier this summer on pasture. Ashley is old now, 14, and we are very mindful of this in all aspects. We treat her daily with grain to give her extra energy and fat. She gets her own place to eat. Darned spoiled, really! Here she is, coming around.
What is always amazing to me is how the other sheep will come by to check on her afterward. I have never seen them when the sheep is cast, as it’s named. When I get there the rest of the flock is not near her at all, they almost appear scared. So when she arises once again, one by one they respectfully come and touch noses and smell her face. Fascinating. Here is Georgia, checking in.
Within 20 minutes Ashley was back to eating and doing what sheep do. Later in the morning I was pleased to see her laying in the field, chewing cud, all systems normal.
Crystal is the only other sheep this has happened to for us, but it is a real concern for all sheep and shepherds. Within a matter of an hour, if not on their feet, the sheep will die. I was just grateful that this time, once again, I arrived in time.
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Early on a shepherd learns how to use trickery to get the natty tasks done. We don’t have border collies to do the task of round-up so we use treats to lure them into the barn where we can take care of tasks from de-worming, hoof trimming, coat changes to vet calls. We have a well trained flock and so the task of trickery is easy. They are weak when it comes to a good treat like an alfalfa cube or an apple slice! This weekend a few of the sheep were bursting their coats. They have a fleece growth spurt this time of year. During morning chores I scanned the barn and like the judge at a dog show I pulled out 5 sheep to the winner’s circle that needed to be tricked into the inner barn for new coats. Trinity was certainly one…here she is, new coat going on. Look at the difference between the coated fleece and the weathered fleece at her neck/head and tail end! Stunning fleece it is.
That’s the fun part of coat changes. I get to check the growth and staple length, see the crimp, make sure the fleece is uniform. And then just sink my fingers into it! Here are a couple shots of Georgia. Look at those spots! And her fleece is looking mighty fine also. But without her coat on, she too looks like it is a “new coat”.
After they were set free, I tossed a few apple slices into the field and any of the sheep smart enough came to the gate for a handout. Here is Jackie, game and ready.
Yes, indeed! Please, please, please.
Pawing the gate for just another slice.
I took to the pasture to do a few handouts and here comes Peach for hers.
Treats are the best reward!
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I am less than 24 hours back from Rhinebeck and will give a bit of a review of the show. It was in one word fantastic. Thank you Maryann for all your help throughout the weekend. I saw many good buds including Manise and Beverly and Kris and met lots of wonderful people who came through my booth. That’s the best fun about vending a show. Although the crowds are massive if you are a fiber lover this is a show to attend. If you hate crowds but love fiber, well, be brave on Saturday or come Sunday instead when the mood is a little mellower, very little. The weather was pretty gray and chilly all weekend but that didn’t sway the mood one bit for most.
Without further prompting, I will start with The Longest Scarf Project which has been building all year. This year people from all over the country have been knitting, crocheting and weaving scarf sections and raising money by the inch or by the row to donate to Heifer International for their magnificent work around the world. All the scarf sections were sent to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds (Rhinebeck) to be joined together and then travel on to a more prominent location for viewing before ultimately being disconnected and given away as scarves, while the proceeds will go on to Heifer. The driving force behind this project is Linda Cortright and her great crew at Wild Fibers. They put together a small tent city on the fairgrounds to host the joining of the scarf as well as the annual evening event on Saturday night which I was able to attend.
Here is a view of the scarf sections as they were displayed in the tent. Mind you this is just a portion of the sections. There were boxes still unpacked and waiting to be joined together.
Waaayyy down at the other end of the table are the sections that the Long Ridge Farm team knit.
As I walked the tables I was in awe of the massive volume of knitting that was done for this project. It was impressive! And I was equally delighted to see our team’s sections displayed! Thank you all for joining in the fun. The Long Ridge Farm team has raised $1800 so far for Heifer International! It was teamwork exemplified; working together for a common good. And we got a bit of a spotlight on the
FOXNY News as Linda interviewed about the scarf project. If you click the movie link and watch her pull out the scarf sections, the Long Ridge Farm sections are the last sections shown, all dusty purple, gray and green sections. And all knit with CVM/Romeldale yarns from our flock. Oh! So proud and thankful for the great job done by our group.
And I was equally proud to have the CVM/Romeldale breed be represented in the
breed display area of the show. Chris Spitzer and Dee Heinrick put together a beautiful booth to get the word out about the CVM/Romeldale. Chris brought three CVM lambs from Ohio and they displayed a number of finished pieces made with the breeds fiber for display as well as brochures and fiber sample packets.
I got to slip over a couple of times during the weekend to say hi and also visit with the lambs. Had to have a farm fix, you know? Sunday I stopped by early morning before the fairgrounds opened and slipped the lambs a fresh bucket of water. Too cute they were…still hanging out, chewing cud and resting in the early morning chilly air.
This ram got more photos taken of him than any other sheep at the show! He even sucked me in! He was soooo mellow, loved a good chin rub and a scratch behind the ear.
On my travels to and fro I passed this project…the Largest Sock.
Yet another amazing group effort and what a heck of a sock!
And a red kangaroo? I stopped watch for a bit on Sunday morning…it’s name was Mouse. Male, female? No clue, but neat just the same.
There was a whole area where you could get a fresh copy of a recent fiber book autographed with the author present. That was an awesome corner of the fairgrounds. Earlier in the day Sunday I sold some Earthues dyes to a customer. We had a nice conversation, said our goodbyes but later when I visited the book signing area I found her, Melissa Halvorson, ready to autograph her new book Handmade Underground Knitwear by Wiley Publishing. It added yet another layer to the depth and quality present at Rhinebeck.
I also had a chance to chat with Clara Parkes during her book signing for her latest release The Knitters Book of Wool. Clara is extremely talented and well respected in the fiber community. All in all a fantastic weekend…lots of hard work for all of us, from vendors to shoppers to teachers to writers to sheep, and other fiber friends plus the farmers who raise them….such a great community and gathering of common interests!
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It’s been a whirlwind week…always is before a show.Thank you so much Katie and Betsy for your help these past few weeks!
The consolation prize is that I know all vendors are in the same present state this week, and still tonight.
My van is packed….
I am ready to hit the road for Rhinebeck in the morning with Maryann as my sidekick.
Loads of naturally dyed yarns and fiber, plus all of the Earthues dyes and kits are enroute. It’s been a wonderful dyeing season! Do stop and say hello this weekend. Remember my building A is heated…portends to be a cold weekend. We will be attending the Wild Fibers event Saturday night with the focus being the International Year of Natural Fibers and The Longest Scarf project.
AND the CVM/Romeldale will be showcased at the CVM/Romeldale breed display at the fairgrounds. I hope you get a chance to stop and see this marvelous breed! I will have CVM/Romeldale lambs come spring so best get an eye for them now!
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Autumn days are here in full swing and the pasture season for the sheep is winding down. The grass doesn’t grow at this late date and the fields need a chance to recover from grazing before the frost sets in. But I couldn’t resist giving the sheep a few final field trips while the days are still so scrumptious. No more heat and humidity, no bugs and cool crisp air. We all love it!
Mila and Bea take time to hang together under the honeysuckle bush.
As the day came to a close we took them back to the winter barn and they were delighted! They love to travel from place to place, never remembering when they were last there.
Down the road and through the opening into the lower field…
And old Ashley brings up the rear. She lags less from old age and more to see what she can browse on along the way. She reluctantly finds her way to the next place each and everytime.
I hope you are able to enjoy the fine fall weather!
