Lambing Prep 2012

Hi everyone.  Its been quite a few months since I posted last.  Lots of happenings at the farm.  For one I began a small business making gourmet sheep milk soap!! It is very time consuming but so much fun and rewarding.  After about three months of using the soap, my horrific eczema that tortured my hands has absolutely disappeared!!! There really is something to this handmade organic sheep milk soap.
If you want to check some of my goods out here you go  www.bacharfarms.com .

Now, seems like just yesterday we were wringing our hands losing sleep waiting on our first crop of lambs so arrive on the farm.  After three perfect births we thought we were pretty hot stuff as far as shepherds go LOL...but now its that time all over again and frankly I am a nervous wreck!

I have checked my lists and double checked them.  All the necessary items and some not so necessary goods are well stocked in the barn.  Heaps of towels an bottles of molasses are standing by.  Hooves have been trimmed and ACV added to their water troughs.  I know I have forgotten something...I'll think of it.  Funny how no matter how well versed I thought we were the excitement takes over and nerves along with it. 

True, this time around we have more possibilities of multiple births.  And though the thought is awesome, the real deal makes me shake in my boots.  Icelandic's are known to be excellent mothers to multiples but one can't help but worry about all those "what if"'s you read about in the sheep books on your shelves.  Nature certainly does know what she is doing. One has to know when if at all to intrude on their moment and help them just a wee bit.  Its the knowing when that makes the butterflies take flight in this shepherd.

What are some of your concerns your worries more than any other?  What are your lambing delights ?
Would love to hear from you fellow shepherds who's experience or lack their of brings them to this lambing season full of wonder and excitement!

God Bless all your lambings!!

Sandy
Shepherdess

Happenings At The Farm

Well, its been a couple of busy weeks since my last post.  Life on the farm is pretty calm.  Had one lamb Ania our pretty little black lamb with a bad cough for a spell.  The vet had come out a few weeks back to give them and our new little set up a once over and heard the cough but didn't think much of it.  She did mention that if it continued to give her a penicillin shot once a day for 7days.  I waited and prayed that that would not be necessary....but alas...you know what always happens.  Shots were necessary.  I didn't want her to get worse and since the cough was not going away on its own it needed to be done.  Thankfully, Mr. Doug who cares for our charges when we are not on the farm had a good friend with some experience in the matter of administering medication with a syringe.
Mr. Doug and I watched closely so that we could mimic his actions exactly.  Definitely a two man job until you really know what your doing.  All went well.  And thankfully Mr. Doug did all the subsequent shots. 
Its been well over a week and Ania seems cured of all that ailed her.  She never seem sick or lethargic but certainly not coughing has made her seem all the perkier!

We had the remainder of the fence line run down the length of the east and west side of the farm.  On the west side we ran it down to the barn so that come lambing season, should we be so blessed with little fluffy babies it will be alot easier to scoot mama and babe into the lambing jugs right from their pasture.  Of course we haven't cleaned out the lower barn or set up any jugs just yet but it is all on our to do list at least.  Oh yea, maybe we should get through breeding first!  That happens next week.  Our gorgeous ram Arna is ready to rock and roll with his lovely ladies!! Got his horns stuck in the fence more than once attempting to cop of little whiff of a ewe or two!  So come Thanksgiving weekend "let the games begin"!! Everyone say a prayer that I know what I am doing or better yet...that Arna knows what he is doing ;-).

I have a ton of fresh pictures for you that my friend Teresa took while visiting with us and am waiting on them.  Can't wait to share.  Now I'm off to get ready for my American Heritage Girl troop meeting tomorrow.  Many Miles to travel before I sleep.

God Bless,
Sandy
Shepherdess