Today I vsiited Garrett and looking at his Shetlands

The weather was cloudy but the roads were dry. The clouds kept the sun away but the snow was still melting! Garrett showed me all his sheep. We talked about the care and feeding of Shetlands........a bit different from raising big commercial sheep. They need little grain and good hay. They thrive well on summer pasture. Good pasture mixtures, Market strategies for marketing ram lamb for slaughter.
Garret called in his 50 Shetland ewes and we looked them over. Garrett had posted a for sale list.....ewes are available after their lambs are weaning about July15th. He was very gracious, he caught each ewe of interest. We checked her over and he held her for a picture. They have good fleece, are larger, stoutly built and have good frames. For my grade flock I look for ewes that are a bit larger than the breed standard..ewes that are near or exceed 100#
Some were just too good to pass up........I guess today was a "strike while the iron is hot".

When I was done I had picked out 2 ewes.  Thanked Garret and we headed for home-- the sun was out. We had a nice Spring day drive home.

New ewes


 Snow Cloud 2007


 Shasta 2005


Come summer they will join Maybeline  on my hilly pasture and seek shade under the oak trees.

6 1/2 yrs ago we bought 5 acres. Our yard started as a sparse 'deer' corn field. As we were staking out the house, garage and the very necessary Barn,,,,,,,my mom commented "See those three massive oaks?" Three big oak trees tower behind our farmstead. Mom said "say I got a farm name Fletcher Three Oaks".......and so it is.
I give a special thanks to Gail. You welcomed in a guy with a love for sheep and advised him on Shetlands. And here's hoping BlueBell and Panda Bear give you ewe lambs! (so we can visit this summer)

Till later

Jerry