A few days ago, after we got our hay hauled, I helped my neighbor Carolyn get ready to catch her Icelandic flock for worming and sorting. In the barnyard, we put up cattle panels where the old netting fence was down, I pounded in T posts where the fence could be stretched back up.
Yesterday we got most of the flock in the barnyard. Later in the day we would round up the remaining 7 lambs. Carolyn handed me the worming syringe and marking crayon, as I caught and wormed. The rams and the ram lambs went out a separate door to the ram pen. Of the 35 ewes, we sorted out some fine ewes to be sold. Carolyn will try to trim down to 15. We penned up the ewe lambs- all to be sold as breeding stock. It took most of the day but we had fun doing it. Frequent rests and ongoing conversation. My payment for helping was to be the spotted ram lamb I got home last week. "Checkers" whose grandmother was the famous "Saddleback" ewe. Checker's sire and dam are both are the result of AI with imported semen from Iceland. At the end of the day,Carolyn said pick out a couple ewe lambs to take home. In the ewe lamb pen was my bottle lamb "Annie's" grey twin sister and a spotted ewe lamb. So "Ashley" and bandit eyed "Bon-Bon" came home. Wow fancy Spring ewe lambs. Pictures in next post
Today is an official day of rest. Now I know what sheep shearers must feel like after a long day. But its good to work hard, have a good sweat. In the words of my Grandma "Working hard never killed anyone, slowly rotting in a chair will!" My sister and I were raised to work and keep busy, to this day I have to watch a DVD in sections........pause go do something else for a while, come back and watch some more. Only now at age 75 will my mother watch a movie from start to finish in one seating.........sometimes! She still does a lot. Huge garden and lawn.
May your day be bright, and your load light!
Jerry
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