spring

This morning I worked on fence at the farm, last week we weighed lambs for market. These were the first two tasks I had as "intern" last year on the farm (I can't remember which came first) so this week or so is the one year mark in my life as a shepherd. It's hard to believe it has only been a year!

We've been busy getting ready for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival coming up in a few weeks. I am REALLY excited for this for a couple of reasons - I will get to see my sister - woohoo!!! And I will pick up my new ram from California, whom Andrew has named Harvey. I don't know where he came up with that name, but I do like it. Ironically, it is the name of the main character of one of my favorite children's books (which we don't have oddly enough) and is also my grandmother's maiden name. So, Harvey it is. He is a moorit merino December lamb and I have high hopes for his performance in the fall! At Maryland, I will also be participating in the Shepherd's Lead competition in a dress made of wool that I have yet to finish (shocking). So the next two weeks will be full of late night sewing. Really, though, that isn't a change from my normal evenings. The competition should be interesting, and hopefully fun. I have been re-training Chloe to walk on a lead, which has been somewhat successful so far. She is a bit spirited! Also in Maryland, I will be showing and hopefully selling two fleeces from this year's shearing (Chloe & Ciaran's fleeces - both black merino). This week I just dropped off the skirted fleece from those fleeces to the new fiber mill in our area. It will be processed into roving, which is what spinners use to make yarn.

Thats the latest farm news here. I've been sewing up a storm on Eleanor's "spring collection" and hope to post some of that this week. Here are some older photos of Daphne and Daegan with mom Ciaran. They were just 2 days old in these photos. Today, they are 5 weeks and 2 days and are much larger!