Shetland Sheep: Rich in History, Rich in Textiles

Shetland Sheep: Rich in History, Rich in Textiles! Our farm mission is to enjoy and promote the wonderful diversity of the Shetland breed by fully utilizing to the best of our ability all they have to offer historically. We believe the best preservation and management of this breed includes it's full spectrum of history. We encourage old and new shepherds alike to join in the fun by engaging in fiber arts, especially spinning and knitting, as this breed is so intimately linked with those aspects of the arts.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

The lambs are growing!


Wait a minute!  That's not your mother!

Flocks are social groups.  The sheep have relationships to each other, and in my flock, the ewes seem to care for and love other ewes' lambs.  This ewe is Minty.  She has nothing to do with Shetland, and technically, I don't own her.  She is a young ewe, who had her own lamb...a handsome fellow who is all white.  So who is this little fellow?

Minty is not only a great mother to her own lamb, who is growing immensly, but she mothers the other ewe's lambs as well.  The lambs know they can play on her safely and she won't mind.  Notice that she is so relaxed, she's chewing her cud while the little guy plays?  This little guy is one of Lerwick's lambs, and he is difinitely not that little anymore! lol

Spring has been quite calm this year so far up until today.  Lightning hit the farmhouse this afternoon, but no problems resulted from it.  There was much heavy rain and as I looked out the window, I began to worry my little lambs would be washed away, so I ran out and put them back in the barn.  Everyone got a good bath, and happily took advantage of the cloudy, rainy afternoon to take extra naps.  Later, the lambs were discussing the day's events in the creep feeder, all gathered around, leaping, and seemingly having a great little lamb party.

Guess I won't be shearing for a couple of days!  The fleeces left to be sheared will now be super soft and clean from the rain water.  Love that!

  

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