I have been asked about my physical condition. Its no secret and I don't want to burden anyone. But others wonder how/why I retired in 2003 at 48. Seven years ago on June 4 , 2003 I had a surgery to remove a benign tumor from my neck. It didn't not go as planned. I receive a Bank pension and Social Security. On June 4  2010 I wrote the Last Seven years and sent it to close family and friends.

The Last Seven Years

 This is a chronicle of the last seven years. Please, this is not to invoke sympathy or pity.

As you know I am not the pity party type, and one of my pet peeve are whiners, complainers

 and "woe is me" persons.

It all began seven years ago. I thought my saliva glands were swollen. In early April 2003 I made an appt at the small clinic in St Charles. At the appt I told the practitioner that I was given an antibiotic and the swelling seemed to subside. I told him I had been told I was cardiac aware because at times I can hear my heart beat in my ear. He felt my throat and said, No Jerry we are dealing with something else. You shouldn't hear your heart beat in your ear. He scheduled a x ray at Mayo the following week.

Paula accompanied me to the Mayo appt. Appt with a throat specialist and an x-ray, We were given the x rays and had another appointment at the St Charles clinic. Even we could see large masses that shouldn't be there. The x rays revealed large masses on each side of my throat, each located in the "Y" of the carotid arteries. One on the right was smaller but on the outside of the "Y" and was visual on the outside and the reason I went to the clinic. The left side one was large, not visual on my neck. It was the size of a pop can--yes that big. It was causing voice and breathing problems. It was the cause of a misdiagnosis of Sleep Apnea.......I used an air machine for 5 years.

So a battery of tests were taken at Mayo. MRIs, full body Cat Scans searching for other tumors, a third very small tumor was found mid brain. Take a line in through my left eye and a line going in through my left ear,,that's where it is located. Several exams followed to determine that I was healthy enough for surgery took up much of April and May.

The practitioner was great. After the diagnosis of Carotid Body Tumors, he gave me medical books to learn about the tumors. A great guy, I wish I could remember his name.

My surgery to remove the left tumor was scheduled for June 4, 2003. After a 6 week recovery, the right one would be removed. I was admitted on June 3rd to have the tumor drained and cauterized, so it would be "empty" for surgery. My last meal was a hospital vending machine sandwich. It proved to be bad and I vomited. Little did I know that would be my last meal.

Early June 4th I was prepared for surgery. Paula, Mom and Dad were there. I had requested no others nor our kids be present. Saving them the fear/worry of the hospital setting. I knew the three there could support each other. Surgery was to take 4 hours. I remember part of the elevator ride to surgery, then the drugs took over and I was out. During surgery, I vaguely remember hearing troubled voices from the surgery staff.  After 6 hours, Dr Cherry came out to talk to my family. He told him that it was not going well, several hours to go and he didn't know what the outcome would be. 

The tumor over night created its own blood supply and was full of blood by surgery time. I bleed out twice. I was given 39 units of blood, plasma and fluids. The bleeding was profuse, the doctors had to get the tumor out. They have first thought they could remove the tumor and keep the nerves enact. That proved not to be the case, as they had to cut several nerves to remove the tumor. Later Dr Cherry commented that if I had been 10 years older, they would have stopped, sewed me up and left the tumor in place. But as I aged the tumor would have constricted my throat and airway.  Nine hours later the surgery in over. Due to all the fluids, I am very bloated, waxy to the touch.  I was placed in a drug induced coma until the fluids were gone. Dr Cherry told my family, its a 'wait and see" if he comes to, brain damage, how much he will recover. Pretty grim stuff, and I was in a coma and couldn't help. I was on life support, around the clock nurse at my bedside. Paula told them I had told her to tell them I was a puller, and to restrain my hands,

Arm restraints are against policy, so I pulled out tubes, my trach tube,,,,,,,,,,Before surgery I told Paula questions to answer for me when I came to, how did it go? How am I?  I never thought it would be what day is it?

Unbeknown to me each morning Mom would tell me what day it was,,,,,,,,every day for 17 days, On the 17th day I came out of the coma.Paula had just stepped out, mom said what day it was. With tubes down my nose--to feed me, a catheter, air tube down my throat and monitors everywhere. I couldn't speak so I was handed a grease board and pen, I was so weak, I scrawled --what the hell happ,,,,,,the rest what a crooked line as I couldn't hold up the pen. I was told all the good and bad of the last 17 days. 

A few days later Paula said Jerry look up, I said the lights are too bright. I was whisked for an eye exam.

We got a grouchy older Dr. after the exam, my eye sight proved to be mostly gone. Paula said what can we do/  he barked "you don't understand,  he's almost completely blind. Paula went out of the exam room, I told Mom go help her. Paula has collapsed to the floor.  Later I said I am a Lions member so I can easily get an eye transplant. I was told the eyes themselves are not the problem, the nerves- cabling if you will that transmits behind the eyes is ruined. Can't fix that. So I have no vision in my left eye, and I see out of the bottom inside square of my right eye. If I look you in the eye, I can't see your hair nor lower that your neck.. No peripheral vision.

I came home on July 23, vision was blurry, blood pressure out of control 200/150, a trachea tube that needed cleaning--Paula stepped up to the plate, a small vacuum machine to suck out my saliva. My swallow nerves had been severed- later after several swallow tests it was determined I could never swallow as my throat no longer pulsed the food down and my airway didn't close off. They had placed a feeding tube in my stomach. Liquid food "Promote" was given by a gravity through an IV bag. I was prescribed liquid Tylenol for the pain...will too much Tylenol can cause phantom pain, one morning I vomited and nearing passed out. OK- no more Tylenol.The roller coaster of BP meds. June 25th I had a severe convulsion--- called a chicken seizure-- as I flopped about and was unaware it was happening. Blood pressure had soared. Paula rushed me back to Mayo. Calling Mom on the way. Mom and Dad began the 5 hour trip to Mayo. I was hospitalized to get my BP under control. My trach was irritating my throat and I coughed violently all afternoon and evening. At 8PM I was told if I could sleep for 4 hours without my air machine they would remove my trach,,,,,,,,O>>> now I am coughing every couple of minutes,,,,,,,,a miracle I slept and they removed my trach. June 28th I was discharged.

Several Dr visits. I had a stroke, so my left side of my face drooped. I showered, closed my eyes and got soap in my left eye, I laughed oh ya its doesn't close all the way. My left vocal cord doesn't work, nor the left side of my tongue. I had to learn to walk and talk again.  I would practice "p' words every day. I couldn't say Paula.  so Paula, please, practice. play ect.

Dr Cherry said if I needed to be mad at him to help my recovering that would be all right. I said I wasn't mad at him. My recovery was mine, how far was up to me.  The day we were told I wouldn't be returning to work--ever, was a hard day. We sat on the news for 2 days before we told my parents, It had to sink in and be real, I guess. My banking career was over, eight months at my new position as branch manager,, new house in town, thought I had the world by the tail. Not so.

When I was told I couldn't work, I turned to Paula and said OK we are moving home and I am going to have a hobby farm. I had visited dear friend Carolyn before my surgery. She showed me a nice 5 acre piece of land, that some day she would sell to us for our retirement,,,,we were both thinking way down the road, Well the day came sooner.

Everyone rallied. My aunt "Auntie" came down with Mom for a visit. Dau Jess and husband Dave came from Florida, and son Darren drove down from Alexandria. Best friend Carolyn paced her deck while on the phone with Paula for updates while I was in surgery

In September we purchased 5 acres from Carolyn---now our closest neighbor through the woods. Four acres of native grass hills and oaks, an approach off the county road and a one fairly flat acre of corn stubble. My father-in-law with his skid loader scraped the corn stubble to the property line.

My parents, Paula and I began measuring and staking out the house, the garage and yes the all important barn. I had in my mind where the buildings were to go. The house placed so the big window and front door were in between the two trees we had left in the garden, A side note. We had our sheep at Carloyn's. We went to Land and Resource management for our building permits.  A permit for a barn. Ah in August our area was rezoned rural residential. Paula said but our sheep have been there since June (true)  The director consulted his regulations and granted us a barn permit. So we got grandfathered in by the skin of our teeth. Not being able to have farm animals would have been a disaster. A few years ago, we were inspected and we are permitted to have 67 goats/or sheep.........so we are more than good as we have 10-25 at a given time.  By this time I have gone from 283 to 160 pounds, Frail, a local doctor said get yourself a blender and start experimenting. You are going to die on the "Promote"

Mid October we stayed in my in-laws RV. So we were 'on site" I was given instruction while holding up my IV bag. Save that tree...........no the SW corner of the house is here so the door and window are unobstructed. The yard is laid out so it 'opens up' as you drive in, the spirea along the barnyard fence are placed so from the deck you can see each one.  The pasture fence is close to the back of the house so I can see my sheep graze.

The house is ready to move in Nov 2nd. As we get the house arranged, our first (and still only) grand child is due in a month. They got the hewn block 'foundation' set. We plan for a baby shower on Dec 5th before Vanessa is due. Vanessa is born Dec 2nd. Her mother allows us in the the delivery room and we witness the birth. We have the shower with the baby. We have had Nessie with us off-and-on for 6 1/2 years She is a sweet gentle and very smart little girl. 

If my surgery hadn't happened, we would be in St Charles 5 hours away from Vanessa and hardly see her.  So some things have been taken and much more has be received.

The next Spring on a day "that's looks like rain" my mom come with her little fertilizer spreader. Along with mine we seed the acre lawn. The homestead took shape.

My uncle Ralph, cousin James planted pine trees for a west grove. The bigger pines were volunteer growth out of my cousin John's grove,  Family and friends gave us perennials to start the garden. That first year, I bought hay from Ralph, and he and John stacked in the barn for me. 8 sheep, some bantams and some pigeons........I was like a kid in 4-H (again)

Our sidewalk is 18 inch square concrete landscape squares 3 inches thick. I dug down and leveled each one........between dizzy stills, bleeding feeding tube site, vomiting and fainting. Its one square wide and 32 long. It took me days, exhausted I would stop and do a few more the next day. Now my kids say let's pour you a proper sidewalk, I say the sidewalk is fine its a testament to my pure determination.

So I end this story.  I am in overtime, each day a new chance/adventure. I have bought and sold 300+ pigeons and bantams in my quest for what I want. Had sheep sold them, Had Boer goats for 4 years.  Last December I bought a mix group of sheep. In that group a tame spunky Shetland ewe "Maybeline". Much to the chagrin of some I sold the rest. Only 2 Shetland ewes remain. More Shetland ewes are coming in July. A flock of layers as I use a lot of raw eggs in my slurries, that's all. Yes I can turn on a dime, or head of in a new direction, unanchored--or unhinged --no---- just trying to get in all in before the overtime buzzer sounds the end. So till then I will over work myself and get dizzy, get mad at myself--not others, I will 'lose" things, perhaps forget your name, if interrupted forget what I was doing,  hit my head on low overhangs, walk into low tree branches, be bleeding from a cut and not know what happened,be  rushed to the ER if my feeding tube should fall out (and has) , state "I have to take a nap" and sleep for two hours.

But rest assured inside beats the heart of a warrior. I am up to the challenge

An update October 2010 I have a new primary care doctor. We have made some changed, Reduced my meds by 75%. In September I started using goat milk and flax oil. I started a yoga/stretching exercises..I am more flexible and no more lower back pain. I  am more alert, have more energy, my mind is clear and the Kid is back! I feel 40 again! my muscle is returning and now naps are on occasion not an everyday need. We went to town for supplies....shopped for three hours (usually I would come home shot and take a nap immediately). I didn't have a nap that day. Just had to share the miraculous changes

Jerry

 

More chicks!

Today they arrived by priority mail at my Post Office. I purchased 15 B;ue Laced Red Wyandotte chicks. The seller sent 17!  I had their area all set up and the heat lamp on the day before, so it was toasty this morning. I took out each one and dripped its beak in warm sugar water in the fount. They are on paper towels (so they don't eat any beeding) and for the few days i pour the chick feed on the paper towels so they find and eat the feed. A chick developes from the egg white, when it is about to hatch, the chick draws the yolk into its body. The yolk feeds the chick for the first three dys. That's how its possible to ship new born chicks and they are in the mail for 2-3 days. The chicks>>>

 Today I fired up my new incubator and set 20 sky blue eggs from my Ameraucana flock.
The capacity is 24 eggs. But my hens lay large eggs and the bator was full at 20 eggs.

The incubator has octagonal ends, so the eggs are turned by rolling the bator an 1/8 of a turn. Its best to turn the eggs 3 times a day, so every 8 hours I will move the bator. Forward a turn, then back to level and in turn it back an 1/8 this gently rocks the eggs. The reason for turning the eggs is so the developing chick doesn't lay in one position for the entire incubation period- 21 days. If the eggs is not turned the chick would stick to the inside of the shell and perish. On day 18 to hatching the eggs are not turned as the chick is positioning itself to be able to peck its way out of the shell
As my Ameraucanas and Blue Laced Red Wyandottes become breeder flocks to provide me with hatching eggs, I need some hens to be my table egg producers. So I have 12 Production black pullet chicks coming next Tuesday. I have two Production black hens right now, only dark brown egg layers I have and they each pay an egg every day without fail.

If you know how many chickens you have its a sign you have too much free time. Remember if you don't have an exact count, when asked how many chickens you have you can shrug and say Oh a couple dozen!!  To chicken whispers everywhere.....good night and good hatching
Jerry

Rainy day nickel farm tour

I have all my chickens, sheep, goats, water hydrant, feed and hay all in the barn. So bad weather/winter chores are easier to do Hay and straw takes up the west half of the barn. North and east walls have the 4ft wide chicken coops, so the sheep lamb with only the south wall near them and the wall acts like a passive solar collector.
Barn in July

OK the nickel tour, get comfortable, hey call the kids over
let's step inside....we are greeted by the flock ready for their grain

And now they are happily munching on a bit of grain........

Keeping watch on everything is Miracle.....she got her name because she is the only kitten her mother managed to raise out of 3 batches! Miracle cries till we pet her!

The goats having a morning snack before milking.......the big one is a visiting buck.......we're lucky my camera doesn't capture his scent----shoot  Odor!

Goats back inside eating hay,,,,,,,,,,

The hay stuffed to the rafters!

What's this tucked in the straw bales?

Let's look inside.........the hen hut......Muffin and her 3 Ameraucana chicks

Splash Silkies waiting for their morning bread treats

And in the next pen........we see the BLRW hens

And in the last chicken pen we see my Ameraucana flock enjoying...veggies and bread

Well that concludes our barn tour, Any questions?

Jerry

Readers

I have to say a big thanks to all you that read my blog, a special thanks and a smile to those that faithfully leave comments.

As you know,  2 weeks ago I bought an incubator......(a bow to the Chicken math blogging)...If you know how many chickens you have.....you have too much time on your hands.  Its best not to know for sure then you can honestly say when asked by not looking anyone in the eye,  your shoe toeing the dirt and with a shrug......oh a couple dozen.... Speaking of time Did you know that ANY cookie recipe can be put in a greased cake pan and made into bars?...why stand there making individual cookies.......I have "bars" in the oven right now. Of baking.......I make bread for my chickens.........a small Jiffy Corn bread mix (outlet store 29 cents). 1/4 cup veg oil, 1 cup warm water, an egg too dirty for table use and 2 cups of flour, add that drab of leftover veggies. Add baking powder or baking soda which ever one you grab, sprinkle or dump some in,,,stir..pour in greased cake pan...at 350* and  in 30 minutes --a pan of chicken bread...........OR too much baking powder/soda  and 30 minutes can turn into a 2 hour oven cleaning job........oh I better go check on it!! Oh its only a 30 minute day!  Till later   (I checked the blog entry later..don't know how most it is in larger print, be assured I am not shouting) Jerry

Welcoming Bramble AnnaBelle!

Introducing a new flock member Bramble Annabelle from Sabrina Erickson Boston Lake Farm. Annabelle doesn't show her age. She is in great condition, fit, hale and hearty. She is very friendly and tame.......just the way I like 'em.  Annabelle is a black sheep in white fleece. She is in with Chocolate Bar a mioget......so maybe one of her twins will be black. A snow white ewe lamb would be just fine too.
A very special thanks to Sabrina for making Annabelle available to a very good home. She will be pampered, given treats, have her chin scratched and made to feel special.
Till Later
Jerry

Blue laced Red Wyandottes

I found two more blue BLRW hens from a friend. They arrive in Sunday. They are the classic blue laced red. So I will add them to my three splash BLRW hens. I put a wanted ad on Backyard Chicken Forum for a correct, rose combed, Wyandotte round shaped, good color and lacing BLUE BLRW rooster.
"Beach Boy" is coming by Express mail from California, thence his name. He s 5 months old, just trying to crow. His bloodlines are the best BLWR in the US.. fabulous color, true brick red with blue lacing....so I am not bidding on any chicks as I have a good flock to hatch my own chicks.
He will fill out more as he matures, his tail and saddle/hackle feathers will become more sweeping
too
Fletcher Three Oaks welcomes Beach Boy

Jerry

 

Well I did it!

I have been eying a Brinsea incubator for 3 years. Yesterday i purchased a Brinsea Octagonal 20 ece incubator. It holds 24 eggs, eggs can be turned by manually shifting the octagonal base- no need to open the bator and lose the warm air. So I have my Silkie broody hens and an incubator. I can hatch out my own chicks from my Silkies and Ameraucanas

Update: The incubator arrived today. So I started saving eggs from Flash2 and his hens......when I get 24 I will start it up and give it a go.

Hey I have to stay busy!
Jerry

Fall is here!

Some of our big trees went bare in one day!   Temps in the 40s winter is coming. I haven't seen any action in the sheep yard, yet.  Yesterday we brought home a borrowed buck for Anna and Shilo..........so they will kid mid-end of March. He is a light Chamosiee, tan with dark legs, face and dorsal stripe down his back. Alpines come in several shades, hues and colors, so the kids can be any color. Chance has sired several grand champions so we can't wait to see the kids. I know his odor is to attract and cause the does to come into heat, but his smell almost peels the paint off the walls!  I practice clean milking so the milk remains odorless. Chance is here for about 5 weeks and then goes home, he is sold. Next year the neighbors will have a new buck of a different bloodline that will come and stay for a bit.
Jerry

Speaking of chicken math

I sold and gave away a few hens to get down to 2 Black sex link and 8 Ameraucana laying hens and my Flashy Ameraucana roo. Then a friend had 3 Splash Blue Laced Red Wyandotte pullets--so pretty-- and there were 2 Blue Orpington hens  So I brought home all Five. A neighbor had a Blue Orpington/ BLR Wyandotte rooster.....dark blue with some red lacing on his breast.......So he went in with the 5 new hens.  We discussed Michelle's "Morgan" hen. Then my neighbor was bragging of having a blue laced gold Ameraucana hen that would comment my rooster and perhaps produce a Morgan.....so "Marie" joined the layer flock. I mix and match my chickens to see what I can get....
Meet Wyatt and his splash and blue hens.......hoping for some red laced chicks. The color will come, they have the Wyandotte type that can be hard to get.....stout deep broad---sounds like my ewes!
Jerry

Its never too early~~~~~~~~

Our granddaughter Vanessa--Nessie--- has been with us a lot from early on. In those early days we would have her for weeks at a time. Nessie has been coming to the barn with Grampa since she was 6 months old---born Dec 2, 2003 by Spring it was warm enough to bring her out.  I  would set her in the corner in her "barn" car seat and I would talk to her as I did chores. Nessie would look around cooing, unafraid of the chickens, sheep and goats. Our kids came out early too....made farmers of them all, even though they followed other paths! As she got older, she was right in there bottle feeding kids, petting the tame ones, riding the tame doe, holding countless chicks and picking eggs..........Now almost 7, she is fearless.
So now that there is dairy does to milk. "Grampa, I want to help you milk!"  The does are tame so I said "sure".  We sat down and I show Nessie how to hold the milk in the teat with the top of her hand then gently pull the milk out..(like my Grandpa told me when he taught me, 'let's make foam, as a good milker makes foam'.......age 9 I made foam and so did Nessie.....She did great!  We were alone in the barn, so the pictures are re-enactments.
Nessie with Shilo, Anne looks on

"Grandpa! I can hear her heart beat!"  (a Veterinarian in the making?)

Jerry   Grandpa

Chocolate Bar!

I am not your traditional Shetland breeder. I have a grade spinner flock of purebred Shetlands w/o papers. I like my Shetlands with greater size. I have the great Shetland hardiness, up-and-at 'em lambs and beautiful soft fleece in a bigger package.
My granddaughter renamed our ram lamb "Chocolate Bar". He continues to please. He has size and beautiful fleece. In the second picture below C bar is standing in front of his 18 month old dam Tinkerbelle. She gave birth to Chocolate Bar at 12 months and he grew well. She weighs 110# and at 6 months C Bar weighs in at 80#!  A Big Thanks to Gail  for the great ram lamb and for all the fine ewes. Next Spring will be an exciting time.
Till later
Jerry

Breeding groups done, rams in

Today the rams were put in with their breeding group. Chocolate Bar (LRO ram lamb) is in with Yarrow, Tinker, Palisade, Nugget, Maybeline, Shasta and Pansy.  Brewster s in with Bella, Tulla, Dark Chocolate and Poppy.

                            All the ewes before divvying up.

                        

             

My rooster Flash just got new wives UPDATE

Flash has a blue red laced chest and legs. After seeing Michelle's hen "Morgan" on her blog, I just have to try to get some more colors. I was able to find some Splash Blue Laced Red Wyandotte hens!
And I have 2 solid blue Wyandotte pullets coming from a friend. So I will experiment with making Blue Laced Red Easter Egg pullets and hoping for a Morgan or two.... the new hens will go in the same pen as my EE layers.......so no added work. I get blue eggs, so any light brown/brown eggs will be from the BLRW and Blue hens. ......its the unknown that makes it interesting..their eggs set under my Silkies and anticipate "what will I get ?"  

I did some research A Splash BLRW roo on solid blue hens will not give me any laced chicks. So the 2 blue hens are in with Flash2  Perhaps I will get a blue gold EE hen like Michelle's "Morgan"?



Jerry

Free Hibiscus Trees!!

An elderly lady was giving away her hibiscus trees she had on her deck. She had no room in her house to winter them over. We repotted them and brought them home. We made room...put them by our patio door....shoving the table into a corner.......who uses their dining room table anyway.  We will carefully nurture them till Summer when they will grace our deck. We will have green in the house as outside turns white with snow. Oh she had a small geranium in one of the pots.....we gave it its own pot. Two trees have  yellow blossoms and two have rose pink . Today they have a few new flowers.

Till Later
Jerry

Very warm October!

We started with a cornfield, 4 acres of native pasture and made a farmstead. 7 years ago, the elm tree in front of our new house was 8 feet high. Wow how it has grown! It towers over and shade much of the house!
We have been having temps in the 80s. A frost a week ago, makes this an official Indian Summer. We just mowed our lawn, again. Still green and lush! I had my breeding groups set up and decided to wait till Nov 1st. I like all my ewes to lamb in one cluster not spread out for a month. So the ewes are in the barnyard, cleaning it up, getting hay and some grain. Nov 1st the groups will be set up and breeding will began......April lambs are easier.
Also on Nov 1st, my 2 does will have a visit from the neighbor's Alpine buck. Shilo is drying herself off and looks very pregnant. (kids on the right, rumen of the left)  This morning I will try to bump kids. If I am still suspicious I will call my friend- and ask is it possible the buck got to Shilo in early August?
Doing some more doctoring, and more tests. Weak and don't feel right. On Monday I was diagnosed  having an infection in pocket in my colon, so I am on antibiotics and next week had a colonscopy for the first time........yes at 55 I am due... I am a firm believer in getting to the root of the problem and solving it. I have too much I want to do to be weak, ill and out of commission.
I canceled my Fall chick order. Enough chores to do till I am well again.
Some days have been down right, too hot! But it beats snow and temps below zero!
Jerry

One can't have too many Chickens!

In June my Silkie hen "Muffin" raised 12 Silkie chciks, hers and she adopted chicks from 2 other hens. Three days ago, Mufin hatched out 4 Ameraucana chicks. I have always wanted a few Golden Laced Wyandotte hens....

 Muffin is mothering chicks already........So I searched. Most hatcheries are sold out for the year, but Ideal had St Run GLW chicks available. Ideal chicks are to breed standard and arrive quickly and very healthy. So I ordered 12 chicks. (hoping I will end up with 4-6 pullets) When they come I will give the chicks to Muffin to raise....watching her closely for any ill reaction. But last time she took every chick in the coop. I'll keep you posted   Jerry


PS....their on line site said Ideal had chciks available for 10-6 Got an email that my order will be
filled 10-27  so I will have to use a brooder.......slipping 3 day old chicks to Muffin when her other chicks are a month old.....not the best  J

Brewster!

Brewster has the 'it factor', he walked around with a presence to him. His wide deep and heavy boned. Excellent conformation and look at this spots! His black and white is quite a contrast. Good horn set and a great hind quarters, ghee the lambs can't come fast enough! --it will be a long winter's wait
Jerry

Breeding groups done,

 I put Chocolate Bar in with Yarrow, Bertha, Palisade, Nugget, Maybeline and Shasta.

Brewster was given Bella, Dark Chocolate, Poppy and ewe lambs Tulla and Pansy. I thought OK it will take the ram lambs a bit of time to figure out their job....not so  C Bar was following Maybeline  and Brewster was following Pansy.......have not seen any action yet.

Anna and Shilo are enjoying the sunny afternoon!

Till later
Jerry

My Sheep neighbor stopped by

Carolyn and I have been friends for many years. She has had sheep 40 years. I value her opinion. We looked over the ram lambs. Discussed their good points. Chocolate Bar had a gorgeous single coat fleece with good crimp and length. He is modified..mioget in color like his dam. His dam lambed at 12 months old and is one of our Big ewes. She is as big as our big mature ewes! Some real size there.  He is built like brick  __house. I knew his horns were close when I picked him...but he had a lot of good qualities. So its use him and he's gone. So I would like to get the most lambs out of him. He will get the majority of the ewes, Yarrow, Bertha, Palisade, Dark Chocolate, Shasta, Nugget and Maybeline.

Brewster is a bit smaller but his conformation is really good, gorgeous heavily crimped fleece. His size will change alot by next Fall. He be used lightly and wintered over for heavy use next year. This fall Brewster will get HST marked Bella and her spotted dau Tulla, spotted Poppy and her dau Pansy. Spots on spots I should get some nice spotted lambs!

Ewes will be shorn mid February same as last year- ---nice wool clips and I didn't have any trouble with the  rise at shearing. I have a dairy doe due in February..with the sheep shorn the barn will be warm.

So tonight I worm the ewes, tomorrow the ewes going with Brewster will be pulled and Chocolate Bar will get his harem. C Bar's group will be able to roam the pasture----I am feeding hay too.  Brew and his crew will be on dry lot.

Till Later
Jerry