Sunday Milking

The weather up here in the Finger Lakes has been hot like most of the North East but fortunately where we are on Skaneateles Lake we seem to be getting a steady cool breeze that has kept the flock pretty happy. Eyes are in the pink and panting is down to a minimum.  They have plenty of shade and a few glugs of ACV in their drinking water helps them keep cool.  They were all sheered last week except our lambs of course and that aids in keeping everyone fresh during these hot hot days.

Today was my first time out milking as we have had a very busy springtime.  Seems like though most of the lambs are eating a substantial amount of grass and hay they still are in need of mama's milk.  Since milkiness is one of my breeding priorities we still had plenty milk to go around for them to share.

Considering no one has been milked since last year and this was Benta's first time on the milking stand they were all pretty darn well behaved.  Aniella gave George at bit of a run for his money but he sweet talked her and she settled right down so that I could tap into the liquid gold!  They were all relieved to have that udder pressure released and not a one kicked or squirmed.

That's Mr. Paul holding Ania just to make sure she doesn't pull out of the head piece while I milk her.

These girls were happy to be milked!

Once the sheep were all done being milked, I checked eyes and made sure every one looked healthy.  Hooves look a little shabby, but those will have to wait a few days.

As soon as we let those baby lambs out of their stall, it was off to find mama as fast as they could!  As you see here with Aniella and her little one diving head first under mama.





The milk was plenty as I said for being so late in the game to get started this season.  But all in all out of three ewes I was able to collect just over a quart of milk.  Boy did it look fresh and yummy but I didn't drink any...I saved it all for soaping later this week.  Can't wait make some super moisture rich soap with our organic sheep milk!!

As you can see, this is about as processed as it gets before becoming soap.  First they graze, then I milk them, then I filter the milk like this...



From here it is frozen where it retains ALL its nutrients and enzymes, until it is ready to be mixed with the lye and made into YOUR favorite tub time treat!!

Here are a few shots of the girls after we were done milking!

And our one black ram lamb of the season.  He was our oops baby! But what a cutie he is!

So from that sad first day of lambing to our first hot day of milking all in all its still pretty darn good to be a sheep farmer.

Don't forget to PIN us!!!

More to come! Check us out on www.BacharFarms.com  !!!

Sandy

Shepherdess

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

Milking and Sheering Days on Bachar Farms

Its been a while since we have posted any new and exciting happenings here at the farm.  The summer kept our hands full with the drought.  The Finger Lakes region suffered like many parts of the country with little or no rain.  Our pastures were reduced to crunchy brown stuff that no honest law  abiding sheep would look twice at :0.  Everyone scrambled to find hay in the middle of July and keep the water buckets filled, a feet not so simple when you are running water to a barn through three or four sections of hose!!! ;-)
But by the grace of God, we had no losses to heat or disease.  A couple of the lambs suffered with a bout of  anemia but all in all we made it through unscathed.

Milking was exceptional! I milked every morning and managed to collect enough pure raw sheep milk to keep me in yogurt and soap for a full year! LOL  I'm sure hubby will be thrilled.

Speaking of soap, Bachar Farms will be introducing its line of pure sheep milk soaps very soon.  I have been playing around with the recipe and tweaking it to perfection.  We have done extensive testing in the last few months to get to the stage we are at now and in doing so I can tell you that the eczema I suffer from on my hands has improved greatly.  No, it is not cured but I can say that the high buttermilk fat of the sheep milk has had a lot to do with the improvement.  I can't wait for you all to try them! 

We also had our Sheering Fest at the farm this past weekend.  Great BBQ (thanks to Georgie) the man can make a mean pork roast (or two or three)! My mom chimed in with her Cuban black beans and rice (deeeelish!!) My  little contributions were fresh pumpkin bread and hot cider! After all I had to be in the paddock with the sheep being sheered.  We did have a lot of hands on deck so a big shout out to Cathy who reminded me I wanted to write the sheep names on the burlap sacks!  Yikes! I would have kicked myself after that.

This is Arna the most gentle giant! And the most beautiful fleece!

 Our Sheerer John is amazing!!! Finally someone who understands the Icelandic temperament and can handle it!! He managed to sheer Arna in one whole piece!! I dreamed of such a moment! After the sheering was over we plied John with good food and drink in order to entice him to return next year to sheer our little (but growing) flock.  We think it worked!

Now they look like goats for a little while!!!

 Kids didn't want to miss any of the sheering!! Well, in between climbing into the hay loft!!

 My mama and our Emma

 Workin, workin, Workin

Our girls with their grandpa and Uncle Rob...oh and the Guard Donkey Radar!!

The Sheep "Don"!  Hahaha Pacino got nuttin on my hubby! This was while he waited for his roasts to cook to perfection.

And that's me, Sandy...your friendly neighborhood sheep farmer!!

God Bless and have a GREAT day!!!



Lambing Jugs and Other Happenings

Lots of things going on here at Bachar Farms.  Getting ready for our first lambing season! We still can't believe that it finally going to happen.  A dream of old finally come to fruition.  We plan and pray.  We build and pray some more. 

This is the latest project going on.  Building our lambing jugs.  Our good friend Doug, who does so much for me and the sheep, especially when I am not at the farm to keep an eye on the flock, is building our lambing jugs.  He is amazing! Bachar farms would not be if it were not for Doug's help.

Our lambing plan is not to have the ewes lamb in the barn in jugs (unless they choose too) but to have them lamb in the pasture if that tends to be their natural instinct and desire.  But we do want them to have a warm and covered environment in which to lamb readily available, especially for our first time moms. 

The plan is that they lamb on pasture (since our flock is so small it should be easy to manage) and then take them into the barn for a day or two to spend quality bonding time in the jugs.  Once in the jugs, we will check out that the lambs are doing well (especially if there are twins or triplets).  Give the ewes some nice fresh hay and some fresh water.  Meanwhile we'll weigh the lambs and take care of clipping and dipping navels.  Drench the babies with Nutri Drench for a nice boost to their system and check mama's udder.  If all looks as it should we'll leave them in the jugs with plenty of hay and water and a heat lamp to make everyone comfy and cozy for the next day or so.

This is the frame for one of the jugs.  Each will measure 4x6.

We added two windows on the North wall for air circulation.

 

And we added a small door so the sheep and their lambs have access to the pasture behind the barn.

Oh and in case you didn't guess it...this is the AMAZING Doug!

The plan is to have three lambing jugs with access from the main pasture that will then be closed off so that the boys can't come in and bother the girls.  The ewes and lambs will be turned out to the pasture behind the barn for a day or so until we are sure that everyone is healthy and bonding just right!  Once that is done we will turn them out to the paddocks with the boys who will be happy to see the babies!!!

So these are the happenings at the farm right now.  We keep praying that the snows are gone.  After last weeks 22 inch storm I think I'm done with winter! But in the meantime we are so excited and expect only good things to come from this our first lambing season at Bachar Farm.  I am sure "our" plan will be changed a bunch of times as things involving nature often do.  We pray to be flexible and will bow down to the will of the sheep for who it is our privilege to share this glorious time with.

I pray the same for you!!

Sandy

Shepherdess

Apple Cider Vinegar Your Flock



With lambing season just around the corner, we are getting our checklists checked and ready to go. So I am reading and reading everything I can on lambing (for the 15th time). It's funny you start to recognize sheep farms online the minute you begin reading an article. You just know you've read it before, probably printed it and hole punched it and slipped it into your "sheep" binder. But still, you read it again, on the off chance there was something you missed, and just because your pushover for anything about your fluffy Icelandic sheep!


But every once in a while you run into something new, something so cool that you just can't wait to try it and you sure can't wait to share what you've just found. Now I know most of you have heard about the health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar in humans, and maybe even some have heard of the benefits of it on sheep but I didn't know to what extent.


My first experience with ACV was last fall after our sheep were delivered. We'd had them about 6 weeks and we ran into obvious parasite troubles. Being new to the sheep thing I was doing what I could but it wasn't helping. Their eye membranes were pale, runny poop, all the signs were there. The vet couldn't get out to us for a few days to take a stool sample so I gave them Safeguard (a dewormer) on there recommendation.


As luck would have it, Margaret Flowers from Trinity Farms was delivering a Shetland wether to us and I asked her opinion. That my friends was a loaded question. When she saw their eyes she said rather alarmed "you've got a severe barpol parasite situation here and Safeguard won't begin to touch it"!


The following are the ingredients for the ACV Drench Margaret recommended.  I don't have the exact recipe right now (its in the "sheep" binder).


Apple Cider Vinegar
Garlic Powder (a generous amount...don't be shy)
Molasses
Sheep Nutri-Drench


In two days time their eyes were pink and fresh and the runs were a thing of the past!  I did give them a dose of  Ivermectin three days later for good measure.  But truly I think the quick treatment with the ACV had alot to do with their speedy recovery.

Now there are many varied opinions on whether the vinegar should be " or pasteurized and some say it is not necessary, while others say any ol' brand will do.  I for one used Heinz brand and like I said, it worked like a charm!

Some shepherds have reported that once they began a routine of administering the ACV to their flocks in their drinking water beginning at three weeks before lambing who had previous problematic births, the problems all but disappeared.  And others swear that their fleeces have improved by repeated use of the ACV.  One thing most agree on is that alone or combined with garlic and other ingredients, it can act as a natural antibiotic and barrier to diseases. 

Every flock is different as are the shepherds, but as the saying goes, everything in moderation.  I for one will be trying this ACV beginning at three weeks before lambing at a rate of 3-4 ml per week per head and see how it goes.  I will also use it as the first line of defense in future parasite situations especially during the hot months.

Hope this tidbit of information helps.  We are always on the look out for anything that can help us better care for our wonderful breed of sheep.  Remember, do your own research and make your own determination if ACV is something you would like to use with your flock.

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

Preparing My First Icelandic Fleece

Its been three days since the flock was sheared and it has been tough not being able to get to it and work with it right away.  But life happens and with two little girls ages 5 1/2 and 2 1/2, being troop leader, cleaning house and making dinner...my fleece had to wait.  But this morning the little one slept in almost as if she knew mommy needed fleece time!!
I took the fleece from our yearling ewe Eliza Jane and began the skirting process.  This is my first time so I was not completely sure how much to remove and what really constituted a second cut or cuts that would not be good for handspinning which is my main focus. After some research online and asking around I hope I did it justice keeping what should be kept and tossing the tags and burr clumps.
Here is a picture of Eliza Jane's fleece before skirting and then one of the small batch after skirting. Even before washing it is so pretty.

It took me about two hours to skirt the whole fleece.  Any parts that I was unsure of keeping I set aside and will ask someone with more knowledge than I (oh Margaret) to see if it is worth keeping for handspinning or for other projects.  Now I was ready for washing!!! Soooo exciting!

I ran the washer and filled it with really hot water about 150 degrees, too hot for your hand.  As it was a small batch of wool I only set it to fill a medium load.  After it was done filling I set the washer to the "spin only" setting this way there would be no chance of  accidentally turning the washer to the wash cycle and felting the wool.  I then added a little less than 1/2 a cup of Dawn dish detergent....as they say it even safely washes birds and penguins caught in oil slicks.  Not that Icelandic's have much lanolin, unlike other breeds but at least I know Dawn is gentle and cuts grease easily.  With a long stick I gently stirred  the water to disperse the detergent.  Now I lay the wool on the water gently and pressed it very very slowly and gently with the stick into the water.  I closed the lid to keep the heat in. 

After about 20 minutes I turned on the final spin.  When done I gently pulled it out (ooooh so happy) and placed it in a small tub while I re filled the washer with more hot water like before for the rinsing soak.  Once full, I placed the fleece back in the water, again very gently.  I let it soak about 10 minutes and then the spin cycle again.  Now it time to dry it.

Many folks use sweater stretchers to dry their fleece or homemade screens fitted with legs to get maximum airflow.  I had limited resources so I hunted in the basement for something that could work.

Like I said earlier, I have two little ones and so I found an old wooden baby gate that opens sort of like an accordion.  I opened it up and lay it on an old wooden table my husband uses in his workshop.  It seemed too flat and was afraid no air would circulate through the wool, so I found some old plastic baby food containers and placed them under the four corners of the gate to lift it up off the table.  WA LA!!!! Presto a wool drying table!!! I gently lay the fleece on the baby gate and now I wait patiently to see the results.  I know it has to be perfectly dry before I can store it so I will be washing in very small batches.

Here is a picture of my drying wool.  It is perfectly sparkling white!!! Its a beauty of a fleece!!!!

Sandy

Shepherdess

Sheep Shearing Day

Well folks the day finally came! We had a local shearer from Otisko Lake come down and shear our mini flock of 4 Icelandic Sheep and 1 Shetland Sheep on Sunday.  The excitement was  overwhelming.  The day before we decided to get the sheep under cover as it was raining and we had awoken to our first light snow.  As this was our first time shearing I was very nervous that we had decided to do it so late in the season.  But as luck would have it and by the Grace of God a light heatwave blew in on Sunday morning with temps of about 65 degrees!!
My sister in law and her husband were visiting with us from New Jersey and were more than eager to help out in any way they could preparing things for the following day.  Many of our attempts to herd the ewes across the farm to the barn were comically futile! Though very entertaining to any on looker! Suddenly without much fuss, we spotted my brother in law Jeff herding the girls down the fence line and promptly into the barn!! Hail the beast master!!!  Since the ram is separate from the ewes until later in November for breeding we just kept him and his wethered buddy Rhum in their little 3 1/4 barn with a gate.
So the flock remained nice and dry for their shearing.

The first one to be sheared was the Matriarch Eliza Jane, our yearling.  Nothing prepared us or Jim the shearer for her feistiness!!! She bucked like a mechanical bull gone haywire.  I attempted to hold her down at Jim's direction and it was not easy.  Though I was holding my own, my dear husband George decided to come in and lend me a hand.  He's is "strong like bull" but Eliza gave even George a run for the money.  So much so that she broke his hand!! Seriously, she kicked his hand that at least one finger is broken, he is getting X-rays as I write.  But as I say he is strong, he continued to work with Jim for another two lambs before deferring to someone else in the crowd.  Thanks Georgie!!

All said and done, we have 5 beautiful bags full of Icelandic Fall fleece!!!! And a flock that look more like little goats rather than sheep! Can't wait to skirt it and wash it! Please check back often to see what is for sale!  Might have at least two full lamb fleeces available, one white and one black!

Thank you to everyone who helped out! Couldn't have done it without you!

Enjoy the video and turn the volume down before playing!

Images of the farm

Its been a long year of hard work but it has really paid off.  Most things are in working order and ready to be used and lived in.  First we added four hens and Buddy the rooster! Wow what great egg layers!! Then with the addition of our Icelandic sheep grazing freely to be seen from any window of the farm house has really made this dream come to life.  Here are some of the images of what it all looks like now.  Soon  I will post pictures of the before and during some of the work.  It really is night and day from those first days. 
George and I walk the line every morning when we are able to be up at the farm, to check the fences (which are all new and have no damages areas) every day just to feel close to it all.  There is no greater feeling than knowing it was all worth it and the fun is just beginning.

The original 1850 Barn

The old smokehouse turned playhouse years ago.

The newer house we live in.

The dirt road leading down to the farm.

Our Icelandic Sheep

George rastling the lambs into the truck.

Does the look of pure joy show on my face!!? We are finally bringing them home!

These are three of our 5 sheep the day we brought them home last month!! In this picture are two white sheep, the yearling ewe in the front is Eliza Jane and the white lamb is Aniella.  Still mulling over what name for our sophisticated little black ewe lamb!

This will be the very first of many posts sharing our Icelandic Sheep farming experience!  So far nothing has matched the joy of having this gorgeous ancient breed of sheep on our farm in Skaneateles, NY!

Just looking out the window at any given time and see them dotting our little landscape, grazing peacefully brings such a sense of calm.  I will be sure to keep you posted on all of our Sheepy Adventures!!

Sandy
Shepherdess

Our Farm

Georgie on the tractor! Just lovin life!!!

These are the out buildings.  The barn in the distance is the original Barn from 1850 that we had restored. My husband's great grandfather farmed this land so long ago, we wanted to save this beautiful barn.  The smaller building was the smokehouse later turned children's play house.  Our two little girls love playing Laura Ingalls in there! The farm was out of the family for many years until after much perseverance and hard work my hubby bought part of it back, the original farm house with a newer house on the property, the barn the little house and a total of 22 acres. 
We have fenced  the ten acres that have the two houses and barn on it with horse fencing and sheep wire fencing behind it and electric running the perimiter on the bottom to keep predetors out and the sheepies in.  
And lets not forget the ladies, Titi and Rosa Linda (emma named them) :)

Our New Shetland Ram Lamb ~ Rhum

This is Rhum, out latest addition to the farm.  He is the sweetest little guy! Rhum is a wethered Shetland ram that will be more of a pet to our two little girls and keep our Icelandic ram company on those lonely days in the pasture while he has to stay away from his girls before breeding time.
We got Rhum from Trinity Farm on Cayuga Lake. Thanks Margaret for all your sweet guidance!
I will try to post a video of Rhum jumping, he looks more like a gazelle than a sheep.  Its all part of his sweet charm! Dontcha just want to hug 'em!