Winter Sky Shetlands at Bright Angels' Farm

SUNNY DAY = CLEAN BARN

2012-01-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

Every four to six weeks I clean my sheep barns down to the ground. My sheep don't need the extra heat of composting bedding. I don't need the added burden of trying to remove a winter's accumulation of compressed bedding from the barns right at lambing time, and I find the air quality is much better with more frequent cleanings. So armed with a full size polyester bedsheet(the more garish in pattern the better), my favorite pitchfork and rake I spend about two hours finding the floor. Just prior to liming and rebedding.
All set for bedtime.
Can we come in now?

WHITE CHRISTMAS 2011

2011-12-22T10:13:00.001-08:00

This is JD. One of our few purchases this year. A polled smirslet ram lamb from Winter Sky lines. He bred Mandalay and Crisp this fall. This is Vanity Fair. A Grasshopper daughter out of Wintertime Chiffon. She placed second in a large ewe lamb class at Jefferson and second Best Fleece On Hoof just behind Mandalay. She is bred to Khan.
This is Crisp. Out of V Creek Princess Buttercup and sired by Wintertime Black Forrest. She stayed home as she doesn't like to lead. She is bred to JD.
Another acquisition--Kate(named in honor of Kate Sharp)is a Tennyson granddaughter and Forrest great-granddaughter. She may be bred to JD.
Kashi is a triplet full sister to Khan and has a beautiful black fleece. We are hoping she is bred to Khan.
Wintertime Ruby--dam of Fudge, Red Velvet, Barqs and Garnet to name a few--is bred to Grasshopper this time around. She may be for sale this upcoming year.
Stephen Rouse was nice enough to allow me to trade my colored Cormo yearling ram for Mustand Sally--a Saliocional/Blues daughter. Sally didn't like to come in from Stephen's pastures, but she seems to like our set-up and has settled in well. She is bred to Khan for spring lambs.
Twix is a Barqs' daughter from this year and our only gulmoget on the farm. She was in with Khan unti his departure in November.
Marrakech with her daughter Mandalay in the background. Best Dam and Daughter at Jefferson, 2nd Mature ewe and RGCH and Best Fleece On Hoof. Mandalay is bred to JD and Marrakech was bred back to Khan.
Whistlestop 0427(aka Izzy) is Ruby's dam. She also produced Blues and Jazz and Itasca and a lovely grey katmoget ram lamb we now own named Sting. She is hopefully bred to Grand Luxe for April lambs. She may be for sale this summer.
Last but not least is Grasshopper. First yearling rams at Jefferson and bred to three ewes this time around.
And then there are Meghan's goats. She is now milking the mature does and I am definitely spoiled.
Our few remaining ducks(predation was high this summer and fall)produce eggs and keep the garden somewhat slug-free.

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GLORIOUS NEW YEAR! A HUGE THANKS TO ALL OUR PATRONS AT THE MARKET AND SHEEP/GOAT CUSTOMERS THIS YEAR. YOU HELPED US CONTINUE ON THE FARM AND WE APPRECIATE IT EVER SO MUCH.

SIMPLY THE WORST

2011-11-07T08:13:00.001-08:00

Wintertime Anime is a twin ewe lamb sired by Wintertime Waterbug and out of Wintertime Alanis. Both her parents had lovely micron tests as lambs, but she does have a paternal granddam whose fleece shifted so much from first to second shearing she was culled. It would appear this trait appeared once again in this particular lamb. Since she is very square and solid and has a nice personality we are exposing her to our best fleeced ram lamb to see what will happen.

Just to show that photos don't mean much...this looks like a dynamite fleece for a lamb...high luster, great lock structure, beautiful crimp and density. However, if you had your hands on this animal you would find she is very average. That is why we always make it a point to send fleece samples to prospective buyers and base our prices on the actual value of the animal to us. We will be posting our actual pairings once breeding season is over. If there is a particular cross or color or bloodline you are interested in please let us know, so we can put you on our waiting list. We always strive to match the right animal to each and every breeder we sell to.

ALMOST THE WORST LAMB OF 2011

2011-11-01T13:36:00.001-07:00

No smoke or mirrors or reams of adjectives to describe this ewe lamb we are retaining and test breeding this fall. Her name is Winter Sky Kashi. She is a triplet daughter of Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Winter Sky Khaya. We will be testing her fleece in February as we do every year with our flock. Stay tuned.

WINTERTIME ANTHRACITE--SOLD

2011-10-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

E-mail upwintersky@yahoo.com for fleece samples, etc.

2011 Breeding Rams

2011-10-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

Winter Sky Khan--Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Khaya yearling moorit krunet polled ram. Fleece below.

Wintertime Grasshopper--Sheltrgpines Bug X V Creek Princess Buttercup twin spotted fawn katmoget polled ram--1st Yearling Ram Jefferson 2011.

Grasshopper's fleece--sheared the end of May. Wintertime Boer Goat--Wintertime Barqs X Wintertime Ladybug--Caped flecket single ram lamb.

B.G.'s fleece.

SHOW SEASON

2011-09-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

Meghan shows infrequently due to the distance we are away from major cities, but there is one fairly local model horse show(Yes, Virginia, people do show plastic ponies which are much easier to transport.)which she attends every September. This year the judge really liked her models including her customized resin on the left which placed first in workmanship and his color class and then went on to two GCH's.

And this is Meghan with her first place yearling ram Wintertime Grasshopper. Photo courtesy of Corinne Rasso. He'll be staying at the farm for now, as she kind of has a soft spot for him and he was used only minimally last fall.

WSWF RESULTS

2011-09-10T18:02:00.001-07:00

Don't have photos but am hoping some of the people with cameras who took pictures will be posting them soon.

Large lamb classes and somewhat larger than normal group and yearling and mature sheep classes.

The fleece show was well attended with many more entries than in years' past. Tori won with a white fleece in the fine white class and we won 1st, 2nd and 4th in the colored finewool class with the three fleeces we entered. Meghan's black "Ladybug" fleece won GCH Shetland fleece.

Then on into the showring with our five less-than-well-trained sheep in hand(or strong clutches when they decided to bolt)....Grasshopper won in his yearling ram class. Anthracite made it through one cut in a class of 30 lambs but didn't make it into the ribbons. Grasshopper wasn't considered for GCH or RGCH. A Black Forrest son won GCH (Firthoffifth Avyt)and an Undertheson ram lamb won RGCH.

For mature ewes Sheltrgpines Salicional won with my Marrakech placing second behind her. White yearling ewes from Undertheson and S'More won in the yearling class of about ten ewes. In a class of 37 ewe lambs Andy Fulks' moorit ewe lamb placed first with Meghan's Grasshopper daughter "Vanity Fair" placing second. GCH ewe was Salicional with Marrakech placing RGCH.

A pair of ewe lambs owned by Lori Stephenson won in the pairs class. For dam and daughter Marrakech and her ewe lamb Mandalay were given the rosette. Best flock was won by Kelly Bartels with Salicional, Cadillac and I believe her moorit ewe lamb Alabama? Best fleece on hoof was won by my black ewe lamb Mandalay with Vanity Fair taking second.

Supreme champion of the show was Sheltrgpines Salicional.

I liked the way the judges worked the ring. They would pull forward animals they wanted to continue to consider for placing until they got down to the final five. It was easy to follow and there was no dreaded "last" place. And it helped people figure out somewhat just what was considered correct type, etc. to watch as they winnowed the field down.

We learned a lot, sweated a lot, and I'll probably have a sore back tomorrow morning for the drive home.

Time for soaking in the tub and then bed.

WISCONSIN SHEEP & WOOL FESTIVAL 2011

2011-09-10T04:58:00.000-07:00

I literally dragged Meghan kicking and screaming(not really)along with me on this trip after our neighbor agreed to keep milking her does for her so they won't dry off whilst we are away. It is hard for Megs to leave all her critters in others' hands, but she did just that and we were off for three nights and four days of "vacation".

Our first stop was Lori Sommarang's farm to check our her sale lambs. When we arrived she was with Rich Johnson and a couple other people I didn't recognize. After I realized one of them was female and had a healthy Scottish accent I asked if she might be Kate. Yes, indeed. And the other fellow with the healthy head of grey hair and a very dry wit was Alan Hill. We had a nice, if brief, visit with them as they needed to be fed and we needed to get our sheep checked into pens and meet up with someone to deliver the final shipment of Stephen's Cormos.

Our sheep have lovely pens and there is a nice breeze this weekend which is helping keep away the typical high heat of Jefferson in early September. Grasshopper is eating himself into false-pregnancy. During the evaluations yesterday afternoon Alan commented we must feed him a lot of "cake". Not so. Just hay and poor pasture, but Kelly provided us with nicer hay with alfalfa in it, so he was pretty full. No hay last night as the show is this afternoon and we'd like him to look a little less full of himself.

We are finding a nice variety of Shetlands at the show and lots of convivial and cordial meeting and greeting. Getting to know people I've only seen posting online which is always good. We brought a silent auction ewe lamb for MSSBA and are hoping Grasshopper finds a home where he'll be put to more ewes. He passed his evaluation with flying colors despite his large beer gut and will be in the yearling ram class today. There is a very nice group of polled rams in attendance, so who knows? Perhaps one of them will come through with a GCH. How lovely would that be? (See how quickly that British way of speech creeps in!).

We should have brought a camera but I am sure there will be someone in attendance who will be posting photos online after they've recouped from lack of sleep. We were doing well in that department before a football team took up residence in our hotel last night. Between the slamming doors and heavy footfalls we were up half the night. On to the fiber show...have the last two Cormo X fleeces in open and three Shetland fleeces in the Shetland show.

Toodles.

THE GARDENS(Photo heavy)

2011-08-04T08:34:00.001-07:00

We have a deep mulch system for our gardens which were the subsoil from the house excavation. Not much to work with at first but over the years with lots of sheep bedding piled on in the fall to rot down over winter we have built up some truly rich, black soil. I haven't tilled for more than 15 years. These are just a few of the flowers I've planted throughout the garden.

And then there are the fruit trees and berry bushes. This is a Haralson apple tree back by our sheep barn that is almost thirty years old.

These are highbush blueberries. I've got a long row of them on the path to the back barn and graze them frequently as I walk back to feed or fill buckets. I planted them because the wild blueberries can have off years and I love blueberries.

My favorite rasperries are the black ones. This is a variety I purchased from a nursery in Canada many years ago and I haven't found its parallel in any other variety. Cannot recall the name but I believe it is Lodan or Logan black.

This is my shade garden with coreopsis, chocolate mint, & volunteer asparagus.

Bronze fennel and volunteer sunflowers.

Volunteer calendula, purple sage and parsley. I have numerous plants that are now coming up here and there including ragged jack kale, purple orach, parsley, chard in a variety of colors, nasturtiums, calendula, fennel, dill, etc.

My favorite daisies.

The end.

WINTERTIME ANIME

2011-06-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Our little twin Ag spotted ewe lamb sired by Wintertime Waterbug and out of Wintertime Alanis is growing into a lovely ewe with soft, lustrous fiber. We look forward to potentially crossing her with "Boer Goat"(our moorit/white flecket Barqs/Ladybug son) this fall.

WINTER SKY KHAN

2011-06-01T12:18:00.001-07:00

Polled modified moorit krunet yearling ram sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Winter Sky Khaya. His first fleece tested 21.4 AFD/3.9 SD/18.4 CV and 6.8 CEM. He sired two very nice NCWGA lambs out of Winter Sky Kir Royale(polled katmoget ram and krunet moorit gulmoget ewe lamb)and one amazingly fleeced black ewe lamb out of Winter Sky Marrakech. He'll be used heavily this fall before heading on to another polled breeding program. We are retaining his two full sisters that were born this spring--a moorit smirslet and a black. His dam is for sale to a polled breeding program.

UPDATED SALES LIST--NASSA EWES

2011-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

V Creek Angel(8)--White ewe with lots of speckling on her face. Shorter legged and throws small scurred ram lambs when crossed with a horned ram. Lots of milk and attitude on this one. Her spring micron test was 27.1/5.1/18.9/8.7 CEM. She rooed about six weeks after lambing and has a light grey caste to part of her fleece. $100 SOLD.

Wintertime Manga(Black twin ewe lamb out of Wintertime Alanis sired by Wintertime Waterbug). Polled linebreeding on Wintertime Fudge. Very consistent fleece which is developing crimp. Very correctly built lamb with lots of presence. $200 OBO.

Winter Sky Khaya(Winter Sky Sandstone X Winter Sky Karma)--Light moorit krunet ewe with lovely, crimpy, soft fleece and beautiful head. Always produces polled ram lambs and has produced smirslets/sokkets/krunets. Winter Sky Khan is her son from last year--AFD 21.4/SD3.9/CV 18.4/CEM 6.8. Triplets this year. We will be retaining her two ewe lambs. $250 OBO. SOLD.

One more fawn katmoget ewe lamb available with a very dense finely crimped fleece out of Underhill Amethyst and sired by Wintertime Black Forrest. Wintertime Agate can be brought to MFF or WI Sheep & Wool. Her brother is a lovely black slightly scurred ram. Correct type and conformation in both twins. $250.

SALE SHEEP

2011-05-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

We have sold a number of sheep already, but below is a list of some that are still available. Current micron test reports, photos, fleece samples, etc. are available. Contact me at upwintersky@yahoo.com.

Wintertime Ladybug--(Sheltrgpines Bug X Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally). Black with a few specks of white on her poll. Ladybug has correct legs, tail and overall structure. Head is narrow and clean. Produced a flecket half-poll ram lamb when crossed with a moorit polled gulmoget ram. $250 OBO. Very good firsttime mother with plenty of milk. Refined in type. SOLD.

Winter Sky Kir Royale(NCWGA daughter of Winter Sky Kristol and out of Wintertime Black Forrest)--Beautiful fawn gulmoget/katmoget with a nice soft bountiful fleece. $75.00. SOLD.

Winter Sky Khaya(NASSA daughter of Winter Sky Karma and sired by Winter Sky Sandstone). Light moorit krunet ewe with a beautiful head and crimpy, consistent fleece. Tail is slightly long. She has always produced polled ram lambs...some with smirslet markings including dark browns. $250. Dam of Khan and several other outstanding animals.

Winter Sky Gully Girl(NASSA daughter of Winter Sky Kismet sired by Sommarang Hansel). Solid sided black gulmoget twin ewe lamb who has an outgoing personality but a more intermediate fleece. Overall type is very good and this line is polled. .$150. SOLD.

Wintertime Grasshopper(Wintertime Bug X V Creek Princess Buttercup). Button scurred spotted fawn katmoget yearling ram with a beautiful fleece and lovely overall type. Very good tail. His first lambs are very correct in legset and have a show quality about them. He will be for sale after being in a breeding pen this fall. $250 OBO.

There will be a few additions to this list in June after we have had time to evaluate some of the ram lambs further. We may also have a double Black Forrest gulmoget daughter for sale. Sale animals can be delivered to lower MI on June 10th at no extra expense to buyer. We will be posting photos of all sale animals early next week.

LAMBING UPDATE

2011-04-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Twix is a single ewe lamb sired by Wintertime Barqs and out of Fairview Farm Sweet Tart. She is a love with a funny smoosh of white on her poll and a friendly personality just like her sire. She is being retained.
Wintertime Black Forrest X Wintertime Ruby single black horned ram lamb with a little bit of white on his poll. Blanket was a disappointment at first,but we are finding him catching our eye more and more and his fleece looks like it will be very fine indeed. Being held for evaluation at least until July.
Wintertime Barqs X Wintertime Ladybug moorit/white flecket horned ram lamb. Hasn't found his name yet, but he'll be staying for a time as well. I need a really nice white fleece for my fiber business and he is definitely white. Ladybug is for sale since we are keeping her son for now. Ask for details and current fleece samples.
Tang in the background is sold. Her sister Snapple in the foreground is being retained for now. Sire is Sommarang Hansel(polled modified grey gulmoget)and dam is Wintertime Maple Sugar.
River Oaks Simone and her son Wintertime Simon who is going to lower MI mid-May. Simone is being retained for now.
Our only NCWGA lamb but a definite greeter sheep and keeper--Tippy. Sire is Winter Sky Khan and dam is Winter Sky Kir Royale. Kir is heading to a new fiber home in July.
Wintertime Chiffon's daughter Vanity Fair. Sire is Wintertime Grasshopper. Vanity is staying put. Her sire will be used much more this upcoming fall and then will be for sale mid-November. We will also be selling Winter Sky Khaya for anyone interested in a very good brood ewe for polled and smirslet animals. She has produced HST, smirslet, moorit and dark brown animals with extraordinarily nice fleeces. Khan is her son. Fleece samples are available to interested parties.

SALE LAMB

2011-04-13T08:35:00.001-07:00

Dam is Wintertime Maple Sugar(two year old moorit with a micron test of 25.0/4.9/19.5/8.7/24.1 SF)and sire is Sommarang Hansel. "Tang" is a twin mioget ewe lamb with a very outgoing personality. Ready to wean mid-May. I'll be making a trip to lower MI at that time and can bring her along. $200. SOLD

Wintertime Lizzie(fawn two year old)and her dark brown Wintertime Barqs daughter. Both are sold and headed to Ohio mid-May along with Barqs.

FLECKET RAM LAMB

2011-04-13T08:03:00.001-07:00

Sired by Wintertime Barqs(polled moorit gulmoget)and out of Wintertime Ladybug(black blettet)this horned ram lamb is our largest lamb of the season. Photo at three hours old and still getting his land legs. He is for sale.

EWE MICRON TESTS ARE IN!

2011-04-11T08:27:00.001-07:00

Wintertime Alanis(1)(Wintertime Fudge X Winter Sky Alafair triplet black)--23.3 AFD/4.3 SD/18.3 CV/7.5 CEM/95.6 CF/22.2 SF. She is being retained in the flock.

V Creek Angel(8)(Light grey)--27.1 AFD/5.1 SD/18.9 CV/8.7 CEM/75.2 CF/25.9 SF. She is being retained in our flock.

Wintertime Ladybug(1)(Sheltrgpines Bug X Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally single black)--22.5 AFD/4.9 SD/21.8 CV/9.1 CEM 93.8 CV/22.1 SF. She may be for sale after lambing. Bred to Barqs and due anytime.

Wintertime Maple Sugar(2)(Wintertime Red Velvet X Wintertime Chiffon single moorit)--25.0 AFD/4.9 SD/19.5 CV/8.7 CEM/87.6 CF/24.1 SF. She is being retained in our flock. Her mioget twin ewe lamb is for sale.

Winter Sky Marrakech(2)(Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Calypso twin grey)--23.3 AFD/4.0 SD/17.1 CV/7.0 CEM/96.6 CF/22.0 SF. She is being retained in our flock.

Wintertime Ruby(5)(Winter Sky Sandstone X Whistlestop 0427 twin light moorit)--24.3 AFD/5.3 SD/21.7 CV/9.1 CEM/87.8 CF/23.8 SF. Being retained for at least one more breeding. Due bred to Wintertime Black Forrest anytime.

River Oaks Simone(1)(Moorit twin polled lines)--22.0 AFD/4.4 SD/19.8 CV/7.9 CEM/96.5 CF/21.2 SF. Being retained.

Fairview Farm Sweet Tart(2)(Bono Creek Caper X Sheltrgpines Licorice twin black krunet)24.8 AFD/5.4 SD/21.9 CV/10.3 CEM/83.8 CF/24.3 SF. May be for sale after lambing. Bred to Barqs and due anytime.

Winter Sky Vogue(1)(Winter Sky Tennyson X Winter Sky Foxtrot single moorit)--23.6 AFD/4.1 SD/17.4 CV/6.9 CEM/96.1 CF/22.3 SF. Being retained in the flock. NCWGA

MORE LAMBS

2011-04-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Waterbug X Wintertime Alanis(yearling with a micron test of 23.3/4.3/18.4/7.5/SF of 22.2. She is a twin and has a black sister who will be for sale. This little ewe lamb is staying put.

Alanis X Waterbug black twin ewe lamb. Will be for sale.

Winter Sky Khan X Winter Sky Kir Royale twin ewe lamb. She is being retained.

Winter Sky Khan X Winter Sky Kir Royale fawn katmoget ram lamb(polled). Reserved pending further evaluation.

Another shot of Slate and his mother V Creek Angel. Slate will be for sale. Sire is Wintertime Black Forrest.

Slate with his brother Chalk in the background. Chalk is sold.

COLOR GENETICS QUESTION?

2011-04-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

This is a twin ram lamb born to V Creek Angel(listed as white but grey underneath by the skin throughout her fleece)and sired by Wintertime Black Forrest(black gulmoget ram carrying modified but no extension). His twin brother is definitely white with a pink nose. So folks...the question is what are Angel's color genetics based on this lambing? In the past she has produced two grey katmoget ram lambs bred to two different rams. Her sire is definitely a grey katmoget. The dam is listed as white and could be carrying Ag through her sire.

LAMBING UPDATE

2011-04-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Grasshopper X Wintertime Chiffon single ewe lamb. "Vanity Fair" is being retained in our flock.

Wintertime Black Forrest X V Creek Princess Buttercup twin ewe lamb--"Crisp" named in honor of her paternal grandmother is being retained.

"Crisp" from another angle.

Winter Sky Khan X Winter Sky Marrakech single ewe lamb. "Mandalay" is being retained in our flock as is Khan's black triplet full sister born this spring--"Kashmir".

Wintertime ?--Single fawn katmoget polled ram lamb sired by Wintertime Grasshopper and out of River Oaks Simone. SOLD pending receipt of deposit. Breeding will be repeated next fall.

The newest ewe lamb on the farm(we've had 14 so far out of 19 lambs). A single dark brown darling sired by Wintertime Barqs and out of Wintertime Lizzie. She may be for sale.

We have just six more ewes to lamb and then we are done. The count so far is 19 Shetland lambs--5 ram lambs and 14 ewe lambs. Of those we've been ecstatic about 90 % of the fleeces and overall conformation. Stay tuned for the final lambs of the season.

MORE LAMBS

2011-03-27T10:32:00.001-07:00

A polled single katmoget ram lamb out of River Oaks Simone(moorit)and sired by Wintertime Grasshopper(polled spotted fawn katmoget). He has a smudge of white over his brows and is built like a little tank. Fleece is very nice. Simone had a yearling micron test of 22 AFD/4.4 SD/19.8 CV with a CEM of 7.9 and a comfort factor of 96.5. Grasshopper's yearling test is 21.4/4.1/19.2/CEM of 7.1 with a CF of 98.4. This little ram is for sale. $250 Winter Sky Marrakech X Winter Sky Khan black ewe lamb. Elegance with the finest fleece we've ever felt on a Shetland lamb. Her sire had a yearling test of 21.4 AFD/3.9 SD/18.4 CV with a CEM of 6.8 and a CF of 99.1. Dam's two year old test is 23.3/4.0/17.1/7.0 CEM with a CF of 96.6. She is being retained. (Photo at six hours old) Wintertime Black Forrest X V Creek Princess Buttercup twin katmoget lambs. Fawn katmoget ewe lamb and grey katmoget ram lamb with horns. Ram lamb is available. Ewe lamb is being retained.

GO!

2011-03-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Grasshopper X Wintertime Chiffon--single smirsklet sokket fawn katmoget ewe lamb. Will be staying. Name pending. Born last night at 5 p.m.

The Sommarang Hansel X Wintertime Maple Sugar twin ewe lambs born a few days ago. Modified emsket? and mioget? with slight white markings on their heads.

This is Meghan's favorite "Snapple" who loves to come running to be scratched under her chin. She will be retained.

And this is "Tang"...so called because at birth she had fine hairs sticking up on her poll and when snuggled in a towel she resembled a baby Orangutan(sp?). She may be for sale. Clean polled lines on both sides of her pedigree.

Last but not least and born at 12:30 p.m. to a yearling River Oaks Simone...sired by Grasshopper...we have a clean polled fawn katmoget ram lamb who will be for sale. Beautiful fleece with a few white splashes on his face. Photo doesn't do this lamb justice.

READY, SET...

2011-03-07T10:31:00.001-08:00

This is what accumulates in a sheep barn in one month's time. Which is why we attempt to clean the barn down to the ground at least every six weeks throughout the winter and spring. We are now clean and ready to start building up a good layer for the first lambs of the season. Lambing jugs will be cleaned out as needed throughout the three weeks we expect lambs. So the barn is READY...
The Shetland ewe flock has had fleece samples taken...eyelids have been checked for any signs of anemia...udders are coming in and coats are snug...Hooves are trimmed....So our ewes are SET....

From left to right:Ruby, Kir, Princess Buttercup Marrakech, Lizzie, Kismet, Maple Sugar, Ebony, with Angel and Alanis in the foreground.

Stay tuned for GO.....

SOMETHING'S COMING?!?

2011-03-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Did you hear that? Sounds like babies to me. Must be Gryffindor's.(From left to right: Grasshopper, Barqs & Waterbug) Our lambs aren't due until the end of this month.(Khan and Gryffindor in background)

TEST RESULTS FOR RAMS ARE IN

2011-02-15T09:01:00.001-08:00

WINTERTIME BARQS(WINTERTIME BLACK FORREST X WINTERTIME RUBY)2010 twin moorit gulmoget polled--21.8/4.4/20.2 CEM 8.1, CF 96.5 SF 21.1.

WINTERTIME GRASSHOPPER(SHELTRGPINES BUG X V CREEK PRINCESS BUTTERCUP)2010 twin spotted polled fawn katmoget--21.4/4.1/19.2 CEM 7.1 CF 98.4 SF 20.6

WINTER SKY KHAN(WINTERTIME BLACK FORREST X WINTER SKY KHAYA)2010 single polled moorit krunet--21.4/3.9/18.4 CEM 6.8 CF 99.1 SF 20.4

WINTERTIME WATERBUG(SHELTRGPINES BUG X OWL HILL LADY GREY)2010 single abberant horned grey--20.6/4.4/21.5 CEM 7.6 CF 98.5 SF 20.1

NOT TO BE OUTDONE--EWE SAMPLES 2011

2011-02-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

Meghan's fleece pick for this show season(if it shears off well)...Wintertime Alanis(Wintertime Fudge X Winter Sky Alafair). She has a moorit brother who is pretty awesome as well. The moorit ewes--from left to right--Wintertime Lizzie(2), Wintertime Ruby(5),Winter Sky Vogue(1) and Wintertime Maple Sugar(2).
The black ewes--clockwise from the top--Winter Sky Kismet(11),Wintertime Ladybug(1), Wintertime Alanis(1), River Oaks Ebony(1) and Fairview Farm Sweet Tart(2).
The lighter ewes--from left to right--V Creek Princess Buttercup(7), Winter Sky Marrakech(2),
Winter Sky Kir(4), V Creek Angel(8), and Sheltrgpines Mademoiselle(1).

See you all at the fiber shows....Karen & Meghan.

WHAT SHETLAND FLEECE CAN BE

2011-01-20T09:07:00.001-08:00

As anyone can see the above mid-side samples of two Shetland ram lambs aren't Merino in type. Nor are they BFL or Cheviot in type. The left sample is Wintertime Grasshopper(polled spotted fawn katmoget twin sired by Sheltrgpines Bug and out of V Creek Princess Buttercup). The right sample is Wintertime Waterbug(grey scurred single sired by Sheltrgpines Bug and out of Owl Hill Lady Grey). Micron testing is being down down at Texas A & M.

On the righthand side is Winter Sky Khan(Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Khaya)...polled moorit krunet single. On the left is Wintertime Barqs who is a moorit gulmoget polled ram sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Wintertime Ruby. The tips of his fleece actually felted under his coat due to a LOT of roughhousing with the other polled boys in his pen, so they were removed.

The bottom line is there is absolutely nothing in the world (including Cormo)that is as exciting to us as truly fine-wooled Shetland fiber. It is a joy to produce and work with.

WHITEPINE MAXWELL & WINTERTIME BARQS

2010-11-23T10:12:00.001-08:00

Wintertime Barqs(polled moorit gulmoget) behind White Pine Maxwell(Orion F1 moorit from Garrett Ramsay's farm). Maxwell was here for the fall to see if we wanted to use him in our flock. For several reasons we opted to not put him into a breeding group after further evaluation. He was returned to Minnesota in early November.

Maxwell and Barqs enjoying the fall air just prior to Maxwell's departure.

NEW CORMO X'S HAVE ARRIVED!

2010-11-11T15:40:00.001-08:00

The photos say it all. I am a very happy shepherd....

KHAN'S FLEECE

2010-11-02T09:10:00.001-07:00

BREEDING GROUPS ARE IN....

2010-10-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sommarang Hansel (P)until November 7th--Wintertime Lizzie & Wintertime Maple Sugar. Back-up ram will be Wintertime Barqs.

Wintertime Waterbug(Scurred)--Winter Sky Alafair & Wintertime Alanis & River Oaks Ebony.

Wintertime Black Forrest(H)--V Creek Angel, Wintertime Ruby, V Creek Princess Buttercup, Underhill Amethyst & Winter Sky Khaya(NCWGA).

Wintertime Grasshopper(P)--River Oaks Simone, Wintertime Ladybug, Fairview Farm Sweet Tart, Sheltrgpines Madamoiselle(Fudge X Underhill Amethyst), Winter Sky Kismet(NCWGA)& Winter Sky Vogue(NCWGA), & Wintertime Chiffon.

Winter Sky Khan(P)(NCWGA)--Winter Sky Kir Royale & Winter Sky Marrakech.

WINTER SKY KHAN

2010-10-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

Every now and then a lamb is born that makes the journey well worth taking. This spring on Stephen Rouse's farm my ewe Winter Sky Khaya(Winter Sky Sandstone X Winter Sky Kharma)after being bred to my daughter's ram Wintertime Black Forrest produced a polled krunet moorit ram lamb--Khan.

We've been watching Khan mature through this summer and early fall and he just keeps getting better and better. I don't often talk up my animals, but this ram is hard to fault. Perfect tail, lovely polled head, nice earset, refined but strong bone throughout, nice size, level, consistent fleece that hangs in those Shetland locks everyone speaks of.

He is coming north to cross with my three remaining NCWGA ewes--Kir, Marrakech, and Vogue. We will be testing him shortly for a fall assessment of his fiber. More photos will be forthcoming. Stay tuned. And for those who find him exciting the breeding has been repeated.

SHOPPING AT WINTERTIME & WINTER SKY

2010-10-24T03:52:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I have worked hard for almost two decades now to produce only the finest fleeced Shetlands while preserving good type, intelligence and health in our flock. We micron test religiously every February and take our samples from the last rib to give a greater indication of the overall fleece quality on our animals.

We keep fleece samples from that same area from all our sheep from year to year, so we never cannot send fiber samples to prospective customers. We want you to feel what you are buying even if it is from a distance. We are also more than willing to clip current samples and let you know just how much time has passed since the last shearing date, so you can get some indication of where our sheep stack up in comparison to your own.

We have the capacity now to send current photos from all angles including fleece shots and aren't opposed to heading out to the barn on any given day to insure you have those photos asap. Our sheep are coated year-round for my fiber business so the fleeces will be "mashed" a bit, but that just gives you a better indicaiton of the overall build of our animals and how consistent the fleeces are.

We have never had CL on our farm. None of our animals tested on other farms including my daughters goats have ever tested positive for any diseases. We fecal test sheep prior to their leaving our farm to insure you have a clean animal entering your premises.

And our prices are at the lower end of the spectrum for breeding stock of this quality. Delivery to lower Michigan and Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival(in 2011)is free of charge excluding a health certificate at the buyer's request.

You'll also find we do not hype our animals. We don't tend to throw adjectives around but just let photos, samples and micron tests help you determine if one of our animals will fit in your breeding program.

Contact us if you might be interested in something from our flock in 2011.

FALL & FENCING

2010-10-14T07:48:00.001-07:00

The old garden fence which keeps our UP deer somewhat honest and away from our groceries was listing badly after 17 years of winter, so it had to go. But it is the only barrier between the sheep pastures and our front yard, so care was taken to run the new lines (whenever possible)prior to removing the old posts and welded wire. It is always nice to have help and the first 50 feet I managed to find two stalwart young lads to assist. But it is hunting season, so Meghan and I are now working on this immense project by ourselves. Fortunately the weather has been perfect and things are progressing nicely.

Our flock grazing after being let out after one of our work sessions.

MOORIT BASED EWES--OCTOBER 2010

2010-10-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Maple Sugar(Wintertime Red Velvet X Wintertime Chiffon)--Yearling ewe lamb that was held over last winter. Her first fleece tested 20.9 AFD/4.5 SD/21.7 CV/8.2 CEM. She will be bred to Sommarang Hansel for a linebreeding on Roban Dillon with the chance for modified/polled lambs.

V Creek Princess Buttercup(Underhill Bartok X V Creek Satin)--Six and a half year old ewe who is the dam of Grasshopper. Her last fleece tested 28.4 AFD/4.4 SD/15.6 CV/6.5 CEM. She will be bred to Wintertime Black Forrest this fall.

Wintertime Chiffon(Firthoffifth Aman X Glenmore Crisp)Moorit twin two year old ewe that wasn't bred last winter, so she could grow out. She went through a really ugly phase but seems to have come into her own now. Her second fleece tested 22.1 AFD/4.6 SD/20.9 CV/9.2 CEM. Service sire not selected yet.

Wintertime Lizzie(Firthoffifth Thayu X Whistlestop 0427)--Twin modified(fawn?)coming two year old ewe that was kept open last winter. Her first fleece tested 20.7 AFD/4.8 SD/23.3 CV/9.1 CEM. She will be bred to Sommarang Hansel to increase fleece length and possibly produce something highly modified and polled.

Wintertime Ruby(Winter Sky Sandstone X Whistlestop 0427)Twin four year old ewe that has produced some outstanding lambs including Barqs and Red Velvet and Fudge(in S. Rouse's flock). Ruby's fourth fleece tested 23.7 AFD/5 SD/20.9 CV/9.2 CEM. She will be crossed one more time with Wintertime Forrest in the hopes of getting a gulmoget ewe lamb(on Meg's wish list). Her fleece has changed dramatically in color but is still buttery soft and finely crimped. We see these changes often in the Sandstone ewes.

Winter Sky Vogue(NCWGA)(Winter Sky Tennyson X Winter Sky Foxtrot)...my final ewe lamb sired by Tennyson and a surprise when we removed her coat. She's the most like her sire in fleece type of any of the lambs he produced. Well worth the wait for me. May expose her to my Forrest son this fall to see if she settles. If all goes well I'll be showing her fleece next year at the fiber events.

Winter Sky Kir Royale(Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Kristol)--Fawn katmoget/gulmoget ewe with beautiful structure and type. She always produces a ewe lamb for me but so far I haven't retained any. She'll be bred to my Forrest son. Her third fleece tested 26.8 AFD/6.1 SD/22.8 CV/12.7 CEM.

River Oaks Simone(River Oaks Greyson X River Oaks Hattie)--Polled lines and a very dense, short, crimpy fleece with lovely color on this ewe lamb. We will be micron testing her later this winter with the flock. Will probably be crossed with Grasshopper.

BLACK & GREY EWES

2010-10-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Alanis(Wintertime Fudge X Winter Sky Alafair)--Triplet black ewe lamb whose moorit horned brother(with an even better fleece) will be further evaluated and retained for next year. Very friendly. May be bred to Waterbug this fall.

Winter Sky Marrakech(Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Calypso--NCWGA)Two year old spotted grey ewe whose first fleece tested 19.0 AFD/3.7 SD/19.5 CV and 6.8 CEM. Will be bred to a polled Forrest son this fall.

Wintertime Ladybug(Sheltrgpines Bug X Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally)--Single black ewe lamb with a few traces of grey in main fleece. She'll be bred to a Bug son this fall.

Owl Hill Lady Grey--Twin possibly homozygous Ag yearling ewe whose first fleece tested 23.2 AFD/5.0 SD/21.4 CV/9.1 CEM. Her second fleece in fall tested 31 microns with 50% greater than 30 so she has been sent to a pet home. We won't breed with animals that have coarse fleece even if they have illustrious parentage or a high percentage of UK lines.

Fairview Farm Sweet Tart(Bono Creek Caper X Sheltrgpines Licorice)--Sweetie's dam is a shaela ewe and her sire is a ram my mom owned but never got the chance to use. Her fleece tests 24.1 AFD/5.2 SD/21.6 CV/11 CEM. She'll be bred to Grasshopper this fall.

V Creek Angel--Seven year old ewe that is listed as white but is actually grey. Her 2010 fall test was a respectable 26.3 AFD with a 4.7 SD and 17.9 CV. She is in with Wintertime Black Forrest this fall.

River Oaks Ebony(River Oaks Greyson X River Oaks Lana)--Black twin ewe lamb who is a bit on the wild side but very nicely put together and from extensive polled lines. Her fleece tested this fall in the more intermediate range(24.1 AFD/5.7 SD/23.7 CV), so she'll be bred to Waterbug.

RAM LAMBS--FALL 2010

2010-10-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Grasshopper(Sheltrgpines Bug X V Creek Princess Buttercup)--Twin spotted fawn katmoget.

Fall Texas A & M micron test 20.7 AFD/4.3 SD/21.0 CV/7.7 CEM.

From the back.

Headshot. He had potato chip thin scurs which have broken off.

Headshot of Sommarang Hansel(Undertheson Red Lion X Sommarang Elise).

Tail shot of Hansel.

Yocom-McColl fall micron test of 23.9 AFD/4.8 SD/20.2 CV with 8.5% fibers greater than 30.

Sideview of Hansel who appears to be a modified grey gulmoget. He'll be heading to Becky Utecht's farm after he is used on a couple modified/poll carrying ewes this fall.

Headshot of Wintertime Barqs(Wintertime Black Forrest X Wintertime Ruby).

His hindend and very correct tail.

Sideview of Barqs. Polled moorit gulmoget with some frosting and a more intermediate fleece style with nice length.

Texas A & M fall micron test of 23.1 AFD/6.0 SD/26.1 CV/10.9 CEM.

Wintertime Waterbug(Sheltrgpines Bug X Owl Hill Lady Grey)--Ag single ram lamb with numerous Greyling lines.

Texas A & M fall micron test was 21.5 AFD/4.5 SD/20.8 CV/7.5 CEM.

Waterbug from the back.

WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?

2010-09-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

Had fleeces shown at WI Sheep & Wool Festival. Our two Cormo X fleeces were first in both their classes(Jr. & Open Show)for natural colored fine-wools. Then Raggedy's fleece was GCH for natural colored Division in the Jr. Show. Gryffindor's fleece was RGCH for natural colored Division in the Open Show. Raggedy was third for overall fleece amongst the GCH winners in both shows. We look forward to next year when we will have some even nicer fleeces to show in more color variation.

Drove 1200 miles in 60 hours through the beauty that is northern Minnesota and met some very nice Nigerian Dwarf and Shetland breeders. Brought home a heavily moonspotted buck for Meghan along with a Cou Clair doe for my milker for next season. And two ram lambs for Meg's flock along with two lovely ewe lambs--all polled lines or carrying polled lines.

Pretty exhausted from the trip but did manage yesterday to spend seven hours ripping out 50 feet of old garden fence and front gate and replacing it with new posts and fencing to keep the deer out. New fence looks lovely in comparison and now I just have another 150 feet to redo.

Next roadtrip will be into WI on Sunday to deliver Bailleys to his new owner. Then I can get into the garden and start getting it ready for winter. Our firewood is in for the most part and the grass is still green so the sheep are happy and the Shetlands are getting ready for breeding season. The Cormo X's are already in with Gryffindor and Aly is already bred. Will have photos by the end of next week as we are going to pull coats, do feet and check out fleeces.

Speaking of which we got our fall test results back on Meghan's ram lambs and they did very well. I believe our average is 20-21 at last rib. Will be able to post the actual results when I remember to bring them into town with me.

MICHIGAN FIBER FESTIVAL 2010

2010-08-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Friday was an uneventful day of shopping and settling in some Shetlands we decided to sell on Thursday.

Then Saturday morning after little sleep things got a bit more interesting. First the fiber mill failed to bring my Cormo top order and for a little bit I was wondering if it was lost in the ether forever. But fortunately they do know where it is and will ship it up to me as soon as they return to their homebase.

Then on to the fleece show where I entered two Cormo X fleeces and one Shetland fleece(Bailleys)for Meghan. Because there was only one colored fine fleece in purebred the judge opted to put Gryffindor(who is a high percentage Cormo X)in that class, so he wasn't competing against Raggedy Ann's fleece(at first). They both won their respective classes for colored fine wools and Bailleys came in second in his larger class despite a soft spot(would have won if he'd had better hay in the fall).

Then the judge went on to judge various GCH and RGCH classes and all of a sudden he was doing BIS...but the fine fleeces were nowhere in site. Since I had been popping in and out of the show all morning I believed they had already been judged and deemed not good enough for BIS. But I decided to ask when the judge finished up and asked if there were any questions. OOPS!

Turns out they had just been going so fast they had failed to find all the winners for BIS and Raggedy and Gryffindor were pulled out and the class was rejudged. Gryffindor came out as the winner and won me a lovely chair which I sorely needed after all the morning footwork. Thanks Gryff. Looking forward to crossing you with Raggedy and Aly and seeing what I can produce next spring. Also bought myself a little present that won't be arriving until November but that is another story to be saved for the Cormocrossing blog.

So one more day and hopefully some of the lovely people I've met will return to purchase lambs. I've got one more fiber booth to finish up at as well. Just hope it all fits in the truck on the drive north.

JUNE SHEEP SHOTS

2010-06-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Bailleys--L'il Country Nightcap X Wintertime Ruby polled twin moorit yearling ram. For sale mid-November for $250. Very nice fleece and overall type if you prefer classic Shetlands.

Winter Sky Gryffindor--Charcoal grey Cormo X ram(75% ACSA Cormo background). Butter soft, long(6")fiber on this yearling ram. He'll be breeding our two Cormo X ewes(Aly & Raggedy)along with a few select Shetland ewes this fall.

Winter Sky Breakaway--Winter Sky Buster II X Winter Sky Breathe. Loads of spotting in this twin smirslet ewe lamb. She has a wonderfully soft, curly, rich moorit fleece and an in-your-face personality.

The grey in the middle is Wintertime Waterbug(Sheltrgpines Bug X Owl Hill Lady Grey). Ag scurred spotted ram lamb with lots of Greyling in his background and a very fine, consistent fleece. He may be for sale. We are still sorting through all the ram lambs we have available to use this fall.

The ram lamb on the right is Wintertime Barqs--moorit gulmoget polled twin ram lamb out of Wintertime Ruby and sired by Wintertime Black Forrest. His fleece is very fine & soft with tiny crimp and good density. Nice type and good disposition on this one. He is being retained in the flock.

Winter Sky Vogue--Tennyson X Foxtrot. Just a wonderfully fine-fleeced ewe lamb.

Wintertime Chiffon(lying down)with her yearling daughter Maple Sugar. Very similar, crimpy, soft, fine fleeces in a rich moorit color. Chiffon wasn't bred this past fall as she needed time to mature. She'll be bred to Wintertime Bailleys this fall.

V Creek Princess Buttercup with her Sheltrgpines Bug ram lamb Wintertime Grasshopper. He has small, flat, "potato chip" scurs and will be retained for now for Meghan's polled program.

Wintertime Ruby--Winter Sky Sandstone X Whistlestop 0427. The matriarch of Meghan's small flock and an extremely nice ewe in all respects. Not sure which ram she'll be paired with this fall.

Winter Sky Alistair--Cormo X twin ram lamb from January. He is being retained, as we just love his fleece which is like white satin ribbons and his personality(easygoing and will be anywhere led under the chin. He'll be used on some of Gryffindor's ewe lambs in 2011.

WINTERTIME BAILLEYS--SOLD

2010-06-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

A few photos of him post-shearing. He is for sale mid-November. Sire is L'il Country Nightcap(polled sired by polled). Dam is Wintertime Ruby(has had three polled ram lambs to date) and throws spots and modified colors.

A few photos of him post-shearing. He is for sale mid-November.

SALE SHEEP REVISITED

2010-06-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

Wintertime Black Forrest--For sale mid-November after he breeds one more group of ewes for us. Larger, half-polled, solid-sided black gulmoget ram with a delicious, locky, fine fleece. Nice disposition and will lead under the chin without a halter. $350

Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Secondhand Rose single HUGE ram lamb with smaller abberant horns. Frosted black gulmoget with large krunet marking. You can name him. Built like an Angus bull with an intermediate fleece that is around 3" already. $250. SOLD.

Wintertime Fudge X Winter Sky Alafair triplet black ewe lamb(NASSA pending) Smaller of the triplets but growing nicely. Dam has had two sets of triplets and is in great health at nine years of age. Fleece more intermediate in type. Very pretty head...nice overall type if you like refined animals. $100

Winter Sky Ani(NCWGA)Red two year old ewe with an intermediate locky fleece. Very refined and pretty with Heights Orion and others in her pedigree. Good first mom. $100

Wintertime Barqs(NASSA registered)Polled frosted moorit gulmoget twin ram. Very nice overall type and lovely, soft, fine, crimpy fleece. Good disposition. $300 OBO.

Wintertime Ladybug(NASSA pend.)Black(modified?)single ewe lamb with some minor white flecks on her poll. Very dense, consistent fiber and nice overall type. Sire is Sheltrgpines Bug and dam is Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally. $200. Available at MFF time.

Wintertime Bailleys(NASSA registered)Polled moorit twin ram with a lovely, crimpy fleece. Will be available mid-November after being in a breeding pen. $250.

Photos and fleece samples available upon request. Any of these animals can be delivered to Allegan, MI area free of charge.

PASTURES & SHEEP SALES

2010-05-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

Turned the sheep out onto their various fields this afternoon, because the weather is supposed to be very hot and dry for this entire week and I felt they needed to be out finding the shady spots where the breezes can blow. If I have to I'll start watering the fields, as they are already looking as though they want to dry up and turn brown. We just finished putting together a system to work an oscillating sprinkler from water we bring up from the stream. The Cormo X's are having the most trouble dealing with the heat and bugs. Fortunately our shearer is coming out Tuesday early in the morning to remove their heavy fleeces.

We have the following animals for sale:

Wintertime Garnet(NASSA)--Moorit twin ewe lamb sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Wintertime Ruby. Friendly, growthy lamb with a nicely developing fleece. Tail is longish. $200 OBO. SOLD.

Wintertime Barqs(NASSA)--Moorit gulmoget twin ram to above ewe lamb. Frosted sides. Lovely personality and polled. He is developing very nicely and has a soft, crimpy fleece. Price has been raised to $300.

Wintertime ?(NASSA pending)--Black(silvering)gulmoget krunet ram lamb with scurs. Sire is Wintertime Black Forrest. Dam is Winter Sky Secondhand Rose. Very squarely built, solid ram with dense fleece that is crimping. Good tail. $250. SOLD

Wintertime Fedora(NASSA pending)--Ag gulmoget twin ram lamb sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Sheltrgpines Isidora. Elegant, refined, crimpy, typey. Being retained until August for further evaluation.

Winter Sky Secondhand Rose(NASSA)--Six year old light moorit ewe with minor spotting on poll. Very nicely built ewe that isn't overly large. Only registered daughter of Winter Sky Skater Boy. Good mother. No health issues. $50.00. SOLD.

Sheltrgpines Bug(NASSA)--Moorit flecket scurred yearling ram with short, extremely soft, fine fleece. Good color. Excellent tail. Longer bodied. Hocks turn in slightly but his lambs aren't showing that trait. Nice disposition. $350 OBO. SOLD

Ganache--Cormo X dark brown two year old ewe with a very dense, soft, 4-5 inch fleece. Solid build and not overly tall. Good mother. Very laid back and easy to work with. $350 OBO SOLD

China--ACSA registered white Cormo yearling ewe. Beautiful 19.5 micron fiber that is very dense with good length. $350. SOLD.

Winter Sky Alafair--Black with some age-greying ewe with a great personality. Just had triplets and is taking good care of them. No health issues. 50% UK lines(Jamie/Holly). $50 to a loving home.

WOW!!

2010-05-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

Will have photos sometime soon of the lovely lambs I found down at Stephen's farm. The list of the best:

Twin Ag gulmogets sired by Wintertime Forrest and out of Sheltrgpines Isidora(North Wind Holiday daughter)--musket ewe and grey ram. Both with perfect, elegant, typey looks and marvelous personalities. Full of fun. Wintertime Isabella & Wintertime Fedora.

Moorit krunet polled ram sired by Wintertime Forrest and out of Winter Sky Khaya. Just perfection from head to tail. My Tennyson replacement. Now to find the perfect name.

Moorit gulmoget ram lamb with lovely horns developing. Sired by Wintertime Forrest and out of Winter Sky Ani. He may be for sale. Once again the build is all there...solid elegance with a lovely tail and typey head.

Forrest will be in a breeding pen again this fall as we are finding the right crosses produce some of the best lambs I've seen for type, style and fleece. He is aging beautifully. One would never imagine he was so gawky, leggy and dog-fleeced as a lamb. Sometimes one must be patient to find the gems.

I traded Raggedy Ann's daughter for a really typey black yearling Shetland ewe for Meghan's flock that is sired by Bono Creek Caper. He was a fawn katmoget ram I had briefly for a winter. I thought he had perfect type and a beautiful fleece but never had the opportunity to use him in the flock. Because I forgot to read the fine print and bring my own pen to the fiber festival on Saturday I made a new connection with a small Shetland breeder and found this ewe and some other lines I thought were lost. Fate steps in. Thanks Dan.

EWES FOR SALE

2010-04-20T07:16:00.001-07:00

Winter Sky Geneva(NCWGA Black Forrest daughter out of Underhill Loretta Lynn)--Two year old. Black fleece tests 24.6 AFD/6.1 SD/24.9 CV/12.8 CEM/82.7 CF. SOLD.

Winter Sky Foxtrot(NCWGA Orion F2 out of Winter Sky Calypso) two year old musket ewe.Fleece tested in January 27.8 AFD/5.1 SD/18.2 CV/9.5 CEM/71.9 CF. $100.00. Dam of Vogue. SOLD.

Wintertime Lizzie(NASSA registered daughter of Firthoffifth Thayu X Whistlestop 0427). Early June twin modified moorit twin yearling ewe that was left open this winter. First fleece tested 20.7 AFD/4.8 SD/23.3 CV/9.1 CEM/97.1 CF. No longer for sale.

NASSA REGISTERED LAMBS' UPDATE

2010-04-20T07:06:00.001-07:00

Sheltrgpines Bug X Owl Hill Lady Grey--"WaterBug"--Ag blettet ram lamb with small hornbuds. NFS at this time.
Sheltrgpines Bug X Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally(Blues X Salicional)--"LadyBug"--Black with some white on poll. May be retained.
"Garnet"--Wintertime Black Forrest X Wintertime Ruby moorit twin ewe lamb. $250.
"BARQS RB"--Forrest X Ruby gulmoget ram lamb with small button(?) scurs. $250
Another shot of "BARQS".
"Grasshopper(on left)" and "Moth" on right. Sheltrgpines Bug X V Creek Princess Buttercup. Grasshopper appears to be clean polled and is being retained. Moth has small hornbuds and is for sale for $200. SOLD.

HOMAGE TO TENNYSON

2010-04-20T07:01:00.001-07:00

I truly believe that Winter Sky Tennyson was one of the best moorit Shetland rams in North America at the time of his premature demise. Fortunately for me I had one ewe that settled to him prior to his death--Winter Sky Foxtrot(Orion F2 out of Winter Sky Calypso). And she presented me with this absolutely stunning moorit ewe lamb--Vogue. There are no unsoft spots on this lamb and she is full of Shetland vigor, personality and enthusiasm for life. Thank you Tennyson.

LAMB PHOTOS

2010-04-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Winter Sky Tennyson X Winter Sky Foxtrot--single ewe lamb "Vogue". NFS.

Wintertime Black Forrest X Wintertime Ruby--Polled moorit gulmoget ram lamb. NASSA registerable. For sale.

Full sister to above ram lamb. NASSA registerable. For sale.

Headshot of "Grasshopper"--Sheltrgpines Bug X V Creek Princess Buttercup. Twin spotted fawn katmoget ram lamb. NFS.

Grasshopper is being retained in the flock for now.

"Bust A Move"--Winter Sky Buster II X Winter Sky Breathe--Linebreeding on Winter Sky Sandstone. Polled smirslet twin ram lamb. For sale--not registerable. SOLD.

"Breakaway"--Full sister to above ram. NFS.

LAMBING UPDATE--PHOTOS SOON

2010-03-31T10:18:00.000-07:00

Breathe X Buster II--Dark moorit smirslet/sokket ram lamb(appears polled)"Bust A Move",
moorit smirslet ewe lamb"Breakaway".

Princess Buttercup X Sheltrgpines Bug(NASSA registerable lambs)--Fawn yuglet/sokket katmoget ram(polled)"Grasshopper", Flecket fawn kat ram(mostly white with probable scurs).

Kir X Buster II--Moorit gulmoget ewe lamb "Cinnamon", moorit gulmoget ram lamb(polled)"Rabbit".

Geneva X Buster II--Black ram lamb "Meatball".

Staccato X Buster II--Musket ram lamb "Meatloaf".

V Creek Sarah X Wintertime Fudge(NASSA registerable lamb)--Black ewe lamb

Wintertime Ruby X Wintertime Black Forrest(NASSA registerable lambs)--Moorit gulmoget ram lamb(polled), Moorit ewe lamb.

Foxtrot X Tennyson--Moorit ewe lamb "Vogue".

Alafair X Wintertime Fudge(NASSA registerable lambs)--Two black ewe lambs, moorit ram lamb.

Sheltrgpines Isidora X Wintertime Black Forrest--Black(Ag) gulmoget ram lamb,musket gulmoget ewe lamb.

Bramble Poppy X Wintertime Black Forrest--Twin black ram lambs.

Winter Sky Secondhand Rose X Wintertime Black Forrest--Black gulmoget ram with krunet.

We will have some very nice, select polled or half-poll ram lambs for sale from fine fleece lines. Also some mature stock and a few ewe lambs.

CORMO X SHEEP FOR SALE

2010-03-25T09:29:00.000-07:00

To in sure we have enough room in the barns for next winter the following Cormo X sheep are for sale. For more information please go to www.cormocrossing.blogspot.com.

Ganache--Two year old dark brown ewe with a 20.6 midside micron fleece and a very mellow disposition.

Quibble--Black wethered lamb with a very downy soft fleece and sweet temperament. On the smaller side.

Marly--Black/dark brown twin ewe lamb with a shorter, denser, crimpy, lustrous fleece. Leggy, tall, long-bodied ewe lamb who has been handled daily.

Alistair--White twin ram to the above ewe lamb. Brown ear tips and extremely sound conformation. Exciting lustrous white fleece and good disposition.

All of the above have had coats since birth and would make lovely additions to mixed fiber flocks.

FIBER TEST RESULTS FOR FLOCK

2010-02-18T12:17:00.001-08:00

Ganache(Two year old brown Cormo X ewe)--20.6 AFD, 4.2 SD, 20.2 CV, 98.0 CF. Glenmore Staccato(Musket eight year old Shetland ewe)--27.3 AFD, 6.7 SD, 24.4 CV, 69.9 CF.

Gryffindor(Yearling dark rose grey Cormo X ram)--18.4 AFD, 3.3 SD, 18.1 CV, 99.7 CF.

Wintertime Lizzie(Fawn/musket(?)yearling NASSA Shetland ewe)--20.7 AFD, 4.8 SD, 23.3 CV, 97.1 CF.

Wintertime Maple Sugar(Moorit yearling NASSA Shetland ewe)--20.9 AFD, 4.5 SD, 21.7 CV, 98.1 CF. Wintertime Ruby(Four year old NASSA Shetland ewe)--23.7 AFD, 5.0 SD, 20.9 CV, 90.4 CF.

Winter Sky Marakesh(Grey katmoget(?)Shetland yearling)--19.0 AFD, 3.7 SD, 19.5 CV, 99.8 CF.

Winter Sky Kir Royale(Three year old fawn gul/kat Shetland ewe)--26.8 AFD, 6.1 SD, 22.8 CV, 76.8 CF.

Winter Sky Foxtrot(Musket two year old Shetland ewe)--27.8 AFD, 5.1 SD, 18.2 CV, 71.9 CF.

China(white yearling ACSA Cormo)--19.5 AFD, 3.3 SD, 16.8 CV, 99.2 CF. Wintertime Chiffon(NASSA two year old moorit Shetland ewe)--22.1 AFD, 4.6 SD, 20.9 CV, 94.5 CF.

Owl Hill Lady Grey, aka California Girl(Light Grey Shetland yearling)--23.2 AFD, 5.0 SD, 21.4 CV, 91.9 CF.

Winter Sky Breathe(Four year old light moorit HST Shetland ewe)--27.8 AFD, 5.4 SD, 19.3 CV, 70.4 CF.

Wintertime Bailleys(Moorit NASSA yearling polled ram)--22.4 AFD, 4.5 SD, 19.9 CV, 95.8 CF.

Also tested but no fiber photos yet:

Aly(Four year old grey/brown Cormo X ewe)--21.9 AFD, 4.1 SD, 18.9 CV, 97.3 CF.

Sheltrgpines Bug(Moorit spotted scurred NASSA Shetland yearling ram)--18.9 AFD, 3.4 SD, 17.8 CV, 99.9 CF.

Winter Sky Geneva(Black two year old Shetland ewe)--24.6 AFD, 6.1 SD, 24.9 CV, 82.7 CF.

Winter Sky Kismet(Black ten year old Shetland ewe)--27.0 AFD, 7.3 SD, 27.2 CV, 72.7 CF.

V Creek Princess Buttercup(Six year old NASSA fawn katmoget ewe)--28.4 AFD, 4.4 SD, 15.6 CV, 69.2 CF.

Raggedy Ann(Two year old taupe Cormo X )--19.6 AFD, 3.1 SD, 15.8 CV, 99.7 CF.

V Creek Sarah(Grey five year old katmoget NASSA Shetland ewe)--23.7 AFD, 5.3 SD, 22.5 CV, 88.8 CF.

DUE DATES FOR NCWGA SHETLANDS

2010-02-01T10:11:00.000-08:00

Winter Sky Buster II(Moorit HST polled Tennyson grandson) bred the following ewes:

Winter Sky Foxtrot(F2 Orion musket)--Due 3/29/10

Winter Sky Kir Royale(Forrest fawn kat/gulmoget)--Due 3/30/10

Glenmore Staccato(Musket F2 Greyling)--Due 3/31/10

Winter Sky Tennyson hopefully bred the following two ewes prior to his death:

Winter Sky Breathe(Moorit HST Sandstone daughter)--Due 3/16/10

Winter Sky Geneva(Black Forrest daughter)--Due ?

Sheltrgpines Bug bred Winter Sky Kismet(Jamie F1 who will be ten this spring)and she is due 3/23/10.

Wintertime Black Forrest bred Winter Sky Ani and Winter Sky Khaya(both lovely moorits).

DUE DATES FOR NASSA REGISTERED SHETLANDS

2010-02-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

Sheltrngpines Bug bred the following ewes this past fall:

V Creek Princess Buttercup(Fawn katmoget)--Due 3/29/10

Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally(Dark emsket katmoget)--Due 4/19/10

Owl Hill Lady Grey(Ag katmoget(?))--Due 4/15/10

Wintertime Black Forrest spent his breeding season in with the following ewes this past October-late November:

Winter Sky Secondhand Rose(Moorit carrying spots)

Bramble Poppy(F1 Lightning black/grey)

Whistlestop 0427(Black Drum Ram F1)--Dam to Jazz, Blues and Ruby

Sheltrgpines Isidora(Musket Northwind Holiday daughter)

Wintertime Fudge was bred to the following ewes through November 10:

V Creek Sarah(Grey katmoget)

Winter Sky Alafair(F2 Jamie/Holly black)

Wintertime Ruby(Sandstone daughter)

INTERSPECIES KISS

2010-01-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

Billy Bob Thornton cat--our 12 pound rescue from the local shelter--meets Quibble--our little black Cormo X ram lamb for the first time. Quibble liked the kitty, but shortly after this shot Billy decided lamb breath isn't for him. Quibble is for sale for $150 OBO as a fiber wether. He is going to have a very soft, longer staple black fleece and will be kept coated as he develops. We also have a white unregistered Cormo X ram lamb with good size, bone and overall structure and a lovely, consistent, lustrous crimpy fleece for sale for $200 for crossbreeding.

SHETLAND EWES

2010-01-27T08:08:00.001-08:00

Winter Sky Breathe is hopefully bred to Winter Sky Tennyson for his final lambs. A larger ewe with a perfect tail who always produces lovely lambs--all rams so far. This cross should produced polled and spots. Wintertime Ruby bred back to Wintertime Black Forrest in the hopes of a ewe lamb that is as exceptional as Red Velvet or Fudge. Ruby has produced polled rams and spots. She is a Winter Sky Sandstone daughter. Winter Sky Kir Royale is my "champagne" gulmoget/katmoget ewe sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Winter Sky Kristol. She is bred to Winter Sky Buster II. A larger bodied ewe with a lovely crimpy, consistent fleece and that Shetland heartiness we love.

WINTER SCENES FROM AROUND THE FARM

2010-01-13T07:16:00.000-08:00

HAD A HARD DAY!

2010-01-10T10:26:00.001-08:00

At one hour old Aly's white ram lamb sired by Mars just couldn't figure out what to do with all those legs and feet. It didn't help that he was on our stone floor in the house drying out and hadn't had any colostrum yet. But by eighteen hours old he had things pretty much figured out. He and his black sister weighed in at a nice eleven pounds each. I just don't know where Aly was hiding them. More photos are posted at my cormo blog.

THE BLESSINGS OF 2009

2010-01-02T11:35:00.001-08:00

I am ever so grateful we were able to find a horse for Meghan to love and grow with. Sofie has moments of brilliance and moments of willfulness like all equines and is managing to teach Meghan to savor the good times. Everyone who meets Sofie loves her. We also managed to find the perfect boarding barn near enough to the city we routinely visit, so Sofie is well cared for whenever we aren't around. And she has her mare pack to run with.

I am also thankful for the numerous fiber/sheep customers new and old who made 2009 a very good year for us, so we could afford to upgrade our truck and make some much needed purchases for the new paddocks. I look forward to seeing you all next season at the local farmer's markets and pet swaps.

I appreciate my sheep more than ever for their ability to hang in their during droughts, blizzards and other weather phenomenon and still produce such gorgeous fiber and lovely lambs. Their adaptability is inspiring. This season I was able to bring in more Cormo X's and I now have a small flock of exceptionally fine-fleeced animals to work with. Natural colored top from our farm is in the offing.

My daughter is funny, intelligent, savvy and a real help around the farm. We find we don't even have to talk much anymore...just know when each thing needs doing and work together to get it done. I know that her experiences on the farm are going to help her in whatever endeavor she chooses in her future. I cannot believe I didn't want children!

And then there are the ducks. What other animal can find such joy in the gloomiest, wettest and nastiest of days...to sound off with such glad tidings at the sound of a bag of spinach being opened...or rejoice in a fresh pan of water.

I am looking ever so forward to 2010 and hoping that the peace we are finding in our own lives will somehow infuse others and spread.

AND A PEACEFUL NEW YEAR

2009-12-16T10:41:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-16T10:38:00.000-08:00

SHELTRGPINES BUG

2009-11-30T07:17:00.001-08:00

TENNYSON'S FINAL FLEECE

2009-11-03T08:32:00.001-08:00

Seven months growth...fifth fleece. And very, very soft for a mature ram who was overconditioned. He'll be sorely missed.

TENNYSON'S GRANDSON

2009-11-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

Tennyson caught his one intact horn on a manger overnight and wasn't in good shape when I found him Friday morning. I freed him and got him moving around and eating with his ewes out in the field, but when we came home from town later that day he was dead by the pasture gate. Since I didn't know if he'd bred any or all of his ewes I put Buster II(Tennyson's polled three year old grandson)in with the group. He bred Foxtrot yesterday and is following Breathe around today. Below is a side sample from his third fleece. He seems to be following in his illustrious sire's footsteps when it comes to crimpy/fine fleece.

UPDATE ON SOFIE

2009-10-30T09:52:00.001-07:00

We found out in July that Sofie's feet were not as okay as we had been lead to believe by our first farrier. In fact she had flat feet with no soles and was rushing around under saddle, because she was in pain. So for a month her feet were cast by a local natural foot trimmer and Meghan handwalked her for an hour a day. She grew soles and now has pretty wonderful feet. With the feet issue resolved Sofie figured out she had some body issues from trying to run off her feet. So she's been in rehab to develop better muscling and more connection between her front and back ends. She seems to be much more relaxed these days...enjoys her stretches and has been on some shorter trail rides without getting all gnarly. Everyone who meets her agrees she is a sweet horse who just needed a chance to be one person's partner. The chiropracter comes out on Wednesday to insure she is as straight as possible, and we will continue from there.

FLEECE SHOTS

2009-10-19T09:36:00.001-07:00

Tennyson's fifth fleece. I adore this ram.

Winter Sky Ani's second fleece. She is an Orion F2 ewe out of my "A" line. She is being bred to Forrest for NCWGA lambs in 2010.

Whistlestop 0427(Izzy). Her sixth fleece is growing in very nicely with loads of tiny crimp and good density and color. She is the dam of Blues & Jazz. This season she is being bred to Wintertime Fudge. The last time she was crossed with the Sandstone line she produced Ruby who has proven to be another wonderful productive ewe.

SOME OF THE 2009-2010 FLOCK

2009-10-19T09:05:00.000-07:00

Winter Sky Tennyson is back up north and in a breeding pen through mid-November. His fleece has remained beautifully crimpy, consistent and fine with very little britch. His temperament is outstanding. He lost a horn this summer, but both horns were symmetrical and clear his head nicely. He does carry polled lines and has thrown clean-polled sons. His third fleece tested 25.4/4.8/18.9. We will be testing him again in February.

Tennyson with two Black Forrest daughters(NCWGA registered). Geneva is the black ewe and a half-sister--her first fleece tested 21.6/5.2/23.9. Kir Royale is a fawn gul/kat. Her second fleece tested 23.0/6.0/26.0. Both ewes have amazing lock structure, crimp and fineness to their fleeces with high luster. We are looking forward to seeing what Tennyson can do with them.

V Creek Princess Buttercup is four years old and being bred to Bug with a back-up to Bailleys. She is a Bartok daughter out of Greyling lines that go back to Winter Sky Linsey. She's fine-boned with a lovely, crimpy, consistent fleece although we'd like to see less britch on her. She'll be tested in February with the rest of the flock. Thanks to Maureen Koch for allowing her to come to the U.P.

Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally--Wintertime Blues X Sheltrgpines Salicional--is a lovely, if somewhat wild, dark blue-grey katmoget ewe lamb. Meghan is leasing her for the winter to cross with Bailleys. I am looking forward to spinning up her fleece. She'll be tested in February with the rest of our flock. Thanks Stephen for giving Meghan the opportunity to use this really nice ewe lamb.

Winter Sky Kismet--Willowcroft Jamie X Rarebriar Kiss Me Kate. Kismet is nine years old and I was going to stop breeding her, but she seems to be into the entire "lamb" thing, so I am going to cross her one final time with Bug. She has produced spotted lambs in the past and I don't think his fleece type will hurt her more intermediate fleece. Her second fleece tested 27.1/7.5/27.8. Her last fleece was 29 microns AFD.

Winter Sky Breathe--Winter Sky Sandstone X Winter Sky Ready to Run--is one of my NCWGA ewes. Her fleece tested 25.9/6.4/24.7 as a two year old and has turned a glorious fawn. She always outproduces herself, so we are hoping for a ewe lamb this spring. Tennyson has been known to produce spotted/polled lambs from the Sandstone lines.

Owl Hill Lady Grey is linebred on Enfield Greyling. Her fall lamb fleece tested 24.2/5.2/23.6, so she is being bred to Bug this fall.

Wintertime Chiffon--Firthoffifth Aman X Glenmore Crisp--is a coming two year old. She is being given a year off from breeding as she produced a lovely ewe lamb her first lambing and then put everything into the lamb and nothing into growing up. Her lamb fleece tested 22.4/5.2/23.3 and the second fleece is coming in with lovely sheen, crimp and lock structure. Bailleys wishes we would change our minds and spends much of his time giving her kisses through their mutual fence.

Wintertime Maple Sugar is a Wintertime Red Velvet daughter out of Chiffon. She will not be bred this first year as she as a later lamb. Instead she'll be keeping Wintertime Lizzie(a Firthoffifth Thayu X Whistlestop 0427 fawn ewe lamb)and Winter Sky Marakesh company.

Winter Sky Marakesh is my final daughter out of Winter Sky Calypso(who died unexpectedly out in the field late in June). She was born this color and has a completely amazing fleece under that coat. Her sire is Wintertime Black Forrest.

THE COLORED CORMO EWES

2009-10-19T08:58:00.001-07:00

On the left is Aly--her fleece went GCH at Monterey last year. She is a four year old ewe bred to a large, black Cormo X ram named Mars. On the right is Ganache. Her sire is a registered white Cormo and her dam is a dark brown Cormo X ewe. She is just a year old with great depth and width already and an inquisitive personality. She is also hopefully bred to Mars. We are anticipating mid-winter lambs. Ganache's fleece is dark/dark brown and lustrous and dense and crimpy and soft from stem to stern.

Another shot of Ganache.

And last but not least is Raggedy Ann. BIS fleece down at Michigan Fiber Fest this summer and a coming two-year old. She may be due bred to Mars as early as January 8th.

Fleece samples from the girls. Raggedy's is on the left with a 16 micron test this spring. Aly's is upper right(she tested 21 microns at three years of age)and Ganache's lamb fleece is bottom right. We have one white ram lamb already reserved should we get one and a ewe lamb is reserved as well. We will have any ram lambs available for sale at weaning.

WINTERTIME BAILLEYS

2009-10-19T08:52:00.001-07:00

Lil'Country Nightcap X Wintertime Ruby polled moorit 2009 ram lamb.

We really like this ram. He'll be used for back-up breeding on the ewes that are presently down at Stephen Rouse's farm being bred to Wintertime Fudge and Wintertime Black Forrest. He will be bred to Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally....Wintertime Blues X Sheltrgpines Salcional(a dark grey katmoget ewe lamb). Thanks Stephen for leasing her to Meghan.

SHELTRGPINES BUG

2009-10-19T08:47:00.001-07:00

Fleece parted at last rib. Both shots.

Born in mid-May and than abandoned by his mother(for obvious reasons since he is definitely hyperactive)Bug was on a bottle for about three+ months. Unlike many bottle lambs, he has learned we have boundaries now that the bottle is gone and is a pretty decent ram to be around. He has short scurs(one of which broke off completely just this past week with minimal bleeding)and an amazing fleece. His sire is Wintertime Fudge and dam is Sheltrgpines Bengal. He'll be in a breeding pen soon with Owl Hill Lady Grey, V Creek Princess Buttercup and Wintersky Kismet.

MICRON TESTS FOR RAM LAMBS

2009-10-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Just got the fall test results for Wintertime Bailleys(polled moorit ram lamb out of Lil'Country Nightcap and Wintertime Ruby) and Sheltrgpines Bug(scurred spotted moorit ram lamb out of Wintertime Fudge and Sheltrgpines Bengal).

Bailleys--23.9 AFD, 4.7 SD, 19.7 CV and 7.8% fibers greater than 30.

Bug--20.8 AFD, 4.2 SD, 20.2 CV and 1.9% fibers greater than 30.

SOME OF MEG'S EWES

2009-09-29T11:11:00.001-07:00

Wintertime Ruby(Winter Sky Sandstone X Whistlestop 0427). Being bred to Wintertime Black Forrest this fall. Wintertime Maple Sugar(Wintertime Red Velvet X Wintertime Chiffon). Not being bred this season.
Maple Sugar about a month later.
V Creek Princess Buttercup(Underhill Bartok X V Creek Satin). Thank you Maureen for this lovely four year old katmoget. She'll be bred to Sheltrgpines Bug this fall.
Owl Hill Lady Grey(Owl Hill Kat X Owl Hill Queen Sarafina). Linebred on Enfield Greyling with Orion and Holly lines as well "California Girl" as we call her will be bred to Sheltrgpines Bug.

THE DUCK FLOCK

2009-09-29T11:03:00.001-07:00

MISC. FOR SALE

2009-09-29T10:51:00.001-07:00

Lil'County Velma--Large, black ewe lamb from polled lines ready to breed. She is very nicely built with good type but larger than we like to work with and somewhat wild in nature. Her fleece has BFL-type lock structure with loads of luster. $150.00. NASSA registered. SOLD.

Very sturdy skeinwinder with non-working counter. Some square nails. $40.00 OBO. SOLD.

Free after being bred--Sugarcreek Valeda Moth. Both parents are permanent CH's. Leda came to us morbidly obese and with sprung abdominal walls. She has slimmed down somewhat but will need watching to insure she gets through a pregnancy without going into ketosis or other metabolic issues. We will breed her to our black/white buckling(numerous Twincreeks lines and a very typey/dairy buck) and just want one pick of kid back. Delivery possible to lower MI or some areas of NW WI. She has been milked and has a socked on udder when in milk. She has a mellow personality.

Winter Sky Zanzibar--a final look-alike daughter of Winter Sky Calypso(who died unexpectedly when Zanz and her sister were six weeks old)sired by Wintertime Black Forrest. Fleece lines to die for. We are retaining her full sister, a half-sister from last year and her granddam Staccato. $100 NCWGA registerable only. Zanz was born in June and won't be big enough to breed this year. She is a very healthy, independent lamb. SOLD.

We also have a darker moorit ewe lamb(Sheltrgpines Aster) of good type and moderate fleece from polled lines available for $125.00. SOLD.

Raggedy Ann's Wild Weekend

2009-08-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

It all began Thursday night when Mars(a rather large, handsome black Cormo cross Char Epley owns)decided to take matters into his own hooves and break down the panels keeping him separated from Raggs and her supposed suitor Don Juan(a spotted taupey colored Cormo yearling). Guess Mars just wanted to show Raggs a good time and felt Don Juan wasn't? So we now await lambs due right around January 8th. We are also expecting Cormo X lambs just before Christmas, so it will be an interesting winter. Meghan is opting to wait to breed her Nigerians until the weather is very warm and the snow is melted, so that should help.

Then on Saturday I entered Raggedy's lamb fleece under colored fine wools at Michigan Fiber Fest. It was the only fleece I took, as I had limited room. The judge did comment I should have used a larger plastic bag as the fleece did an amazing expanding act after being released from its confines. With a score of 95 and a comment of amazing color and luster Raggedy won GCH and BIS. Hope Aly's fleece does equally well at its competition in California. Last year she won GCH at Monterey.

So here's to you Miss Raggs. We do look forward to seeing what you can produce this next season.

TAKING ADVANTAGE

2009-07-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

In April we had a heavy snowstorm that broke down some of our more vulnerable trees. I left this plum trees limbs for the sheep to eat and they've really enjoyed the leaves and blossoms. Rags(Cormo X on the left)has decided she is a "Shetland" and is now in the lead on many of the sprints across the field on cooler mornings. She'll be headed downstate this summer to be bred to either another spotted Cormo X ram or a white registered Cormo. My other two Cormo X ewes are currently in with a black Cormo X ram. We are hoping for mid-winter lambs to play with.

Meghan sat down for a moment and soon had Wintertime Ruby, Stinkbug(name still pending)and Bailleys in her lap looking for love and attention. Ruby will be bred back to Wintertime Black Forrest this fall for a repeat of the breeding that produced Red & Fudge. Meghan is hoping for that elusive moorit gulmoget ewe lamb she has always wanted.

A NEW BREED OF DUCK?

2009-07-01T09:34:00.001-07:00

Two years ago I purchased a black pair of Silky Bantam ducks--an extremely rare breed I was going to raise and promote. Unfortunately I found this breed had some major drawbacks. The eggs failed to hatch repeatedly even though I knew they were viable and could hear peeping. The ducks when I did manage to get a few to hatch weren't the best mothers, and the ducklings tended to be very aggressive towards each other to the point of bloodying wings. So I packed them all up and sent them elsewhere at a major loss. I did retain two pure black female Silky/Australian Spotted Bantam crosses, because we found them to be very lovely to look at and not as aggressive. These two crossbred ducks have proven to be very good layers and setters. One of them crossed with my Silverheaded Australian Spotted male prior to his disappearing one afternoon and we had one female duck born that is a gorgeous shade of blue-grey with darker edges to her feathers. We will be repeating this pairing with a Silverheaded son of the drake we lost and our two black females, as I just love the coloration.
Our blue-grey laced bantam duck(75% Australian Spotted/25% Silky).
The growing ducklings including a female Khaki Campbell(Soup)I got at the pet swap for winter duck eggs(Meghan's favorite breakfast). You can see the wide range of colors available in Australian Spotted Bantams. The lightest ones are Silverheads. The medium colored ones are Blue-head ducks and the darkest are Blue-head drakes. Below is our best layer in the flock. A blue-head who laid an egg a day from August through November last fall after also laying all spring and into July. Many of our ducklings are related to her.

And this is the last of our mature drakes in his nuptial plumage. The more spotting the better by breed standards, so we think he's pretty special. He is a blue-head.

SOFIE UPDATE

2009-07-01T09:26:00.001-07:00

On June 1st we moved Sofie to the barn where Meghan rode when she was leasing Tigger. It is a lovely smaller barn that is kept in immaculate condition. There are turnout paddocks and pastures and the horses get nothing but the best of care. Sofie shares the front paddocks with two other mares, and they all get along famously. There is also a nice indoor arena(if you don't mind pigeons occasionally swooping past)and a very large, grassy outdoor arena as well. In the future there will be trails through the woods in the back twenty, but for now Meghan and Sofie like to cool down out in the front yard. Meghan has been working on training Sofie to come down and seek contact on the bit. Sofie had an inverted neck when we first brought her home in April(loads of muscles underneath and not much on top). With the addition of a magnesium supplement to help lessen her tensions(since we don't know her history we aren't sure just what it is that makes her tense), she is starting to relax more under saddle and the result is a much nicer profile.
Here Sofie shows that she can actually bend at the poll and soften her jaw if asked nicely.
This is my favorite photo of late. Who couldn't have fun riding on a lovely coolish summer day with that backdrop?

HEADING OUT & BEING RETAINED

2009-07-01T09:08:00.001-07:00

Wintertime Red Velvet(Wintertime Black Forrest X Wintertime Ruby)is going to Canada to help improve fleeces in the polled lines there. He will undoubtedly be doing a little breeding on this side of the border prior to leaving, and Meghan does plan to repeat the breeding that produced him and his sibling Wintertime Fudge. It was a tough decision, but Meghan knows he'll be treated royally and given lots of loving and ewes to breed. Wintertime Maple Sugar(Wintertime Red Velvet X Wintertime Chiffon)is being retained. She was a late lamb, so she will be held over until next season for breeding.

And Lil'Country Nightcap is returning to Juliann Budde in August to produce some awesome polled rams and ewe lambs in her flock. Meghan is retaining his moorit polled son Wintertime Bailleys out of Wintertime Ruby.

NEW ADDITIONS TO MEGHAN'S FLOCK

2009-06-23T06:59:00.001-07:00

After a long drive to lower Michigan and then another long drive to lower Illinois I was able to bring home a couple new lambs for Meghan's NASSA flock along with two more colored Cormo cross ewes(more about them another time). This is Owl Hill Lady Grey. She is heavily linebred on Enfield Greyling with some Heights Orion and a dash of Greenholme Holly. She's a nice growthy, attractive ewe lamb with some spotting in her background. She'll be going into a breeding pen this fall. Thanks to Sue Kimball for allowing her to come East to us.
Last fall Stephen Rouse was looking for a finely fleeced spotted ram to bring into his flock. Meghan sent Wintertime Fudge to him. At the time Fudge was rather puny in comparison to his full brother Red, but his fleece is awesome and given time everyone felt he'd produce some nice lambs for Stephen. Stephen put him in with his ewe flock and unbred ewe lambs, because he couldn't compete with the mature rams figuring Fudge was too small to do anything. Guess again....

The above scurred ram lamb is a Fudge son out of Sheltrgpines Bengal. Bengal rejected him early on, so he is a bottle lamb learning how to be a sheep now that he has come north. We don't have a name for him yet, but "Stinkbug" seems to be his farm moniker for now. His fleece is as exciting as it looks in the photos, so Meghan is hoping he'll follow in his sire's footsteps and test out in the 17 range as a yearling. We are also hoping his gregarious nature will help him get some ewes bred this fall.

Thanks for giving Fudge a chance Stephen.

NCWGA Stock For Sale

2009-06-09T09:47:00.001-07:00

Black twin ewe lamb sired by Winter Sky Captain and out of Winter Sky Kismet. This ewe is very nicely put together with a lovely, typey look to her. Her fleece is consistent and has a nice handle to it. We are retaining her sister. Kibbitz is sold.

Winter Sky Sahra last tested 27 microns and produces flashy lambs. She has also produced polled ram lambs. She is a Winter Sky Sandstone daughter with a more intermediate fleece and gorgeous type. She has a musket moonspot on one side of her spine. $50.00.

Winter Sky Calypso also tested 27 microns her last test and has an awesome, crimpy, musket fleece and smaller build. She tends to be an easy keeper with good parasite resistance. She twins easily and takes good care of her lambs. She had twin ewe lambs sired by Wintertime Black Forrest this year and both are being retained for now. Calypso is $50.00.

Winter Sky Kodachrome is a yearling moorit smirslet/sokket ram with abberant horns that will need trimming just at the tips. He has a nice sweep and balance to his horns which are smaller in diameter. Perfect fluke tail and Orion F2 bloodlines with a fleece that is to die for. He dislikes human interaction and can be tough to handle even with his smallish size. Available for a lamb back to a fiber flock.

Winter Sky Captain is a yearling shaela gulmoget scurred ram who was at the bottom of the pecking order last winter, so he is on the smallish side and definitely not aggressive. He did produce three sets of twins last year. Available for a lamb back to a fiber flock.

Moorit ram lamb sired by Kodachrome and out of a black Wintertime Black Forrest daughter who has an amazingly nice fleece. This ram lamb has horn nubbins so is probably a half-poll. Fleece is coming in silky soft and consistent. Crimp is going to come in later. Sold.

DUCKLINGS EVERYWHERE!

2009-05-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Twinkie duck and her first hatchlings--Cupcake, Hostess, Little Debbie and Dingdong. They are about 10 days old now. All appear to be silver headed Australians Spotteds.Black duck(a Silky/Aussie cross)and her new brood hatched during our heatwave on Thursday. Several will be black like their mom. Three are Australian Spotteds, as I snuck some eggs into her nest.

Blue duck just hatched out her four eggs(this was the third try as the first two batches of eggs under her weren't fertile due to poor weather). She must have thought they'd never hatch as she's been on a nest for 42 days. We found out black duck managed to sneak two of her eggs into the nest. Oh well.

Susan is still working on hatching hers out and since she placed her nest at the base of one of the grain barrels I open up twice a day she is very upset much of the time. She will undoubtedly be rabid by the time her ducklings hatch out,and she's setting seven eggs.

SALE LAMBS

2009-05-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

NASSA registered Wintertime Sophia. Lil'Country Nightcap X V Creek Sarah. This black ewe lamb is very solid, correct and typey. Her brother is smooth polled, so she'd be an asset to any polled breeding program. Her fleece is more intermediate in nature...silky, curly and consistent from ears to tail. $200.00 with delivery to MFF possible at no extra charge.

NCWGA registerable modified moorit blettet ram lamb linebred on Heights Orion. Both parents are spotted. Fleece is extremely soft, fine and crimpy. Perfect fluke tail. $100 intact or $50 wethered to a fiber flock. SOLD.

Esther is a Finn/Shetland cross lamb that is moorit factored and carrying spots. Her Finn sire is shaela and she looks as though she may emulate him. Her fleece is still developing but has a very fine, silky handle to it. I don't know how much it is going to crimp over time, but her dam's fleece is very crimpy and locky with a 22.9 micron test at 3 years of age. Esther has the mellow temperament of her Finn sire with just a touch of the imp from her dam. $50.00.

NEW KIDS ON THE FARM

2009-05-22T06:33:00.001-07:00

Meghan's goat herd is down to a select few for next fall's breeding season. This pair of flashy kids sired by Twincreeks CAS Troubador just came home yesterday. Minstrel the buck on the left is going to live on a nearby farm with a couple other bucklings. He is out of one of Meghan's nicest mature does Dancing Angels Little Voice. Look for her at a major show in Minnesota this summer. The doe kid on the right--Madrigal--is out of Little Voice's daughter Masquerade who will also hit the show circuit this summer. Many thanks to Julie Shere for helping us add these bloodlines to Meghan's herd.

FAVORITE NCWGA RAM LAMB

2009-05-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

This is Winter Sky Maestro. Sired by Lil'Country Nightcap and out of Glenmore Staccato. He's headed to Missouri. Staccato is being retained and crossed with Bailleys for a ewe lamb next time around. LOL.

LAMB UPDATE

2009-05-04T12:29:00.001-07:00

Wintertime Bailleys--Lil'Country Nightcap X Wintertime Ruby. Smooth polled modified moorit ram lamb being retained in my daughter's NASSA flock.
Winter Sky Loverboy--Winter Sky Kodachrome X Winter Sky Diva. F2 Jericho/F3 Orion smirslet fawn katmoget ram lamb sold to a fiber flock in the eastern Upper Peninsula.
Winter Sky "Maestro"--Lil'Country Nightcap X Glenmore Staccato. Moonspotted blettet musket ram lamb with scurs. Headed to Missouri sometime this summer.
Winter Sky Reeses--Winter Sky Captain X Winter Sky Breathe. Smooth polled modified moorit gulmoget ram lamb. Reeses is sold.
Wintertime Sophia--Lil'Country Nightcap X V Creek Sarah. Black ewe lamb with a very consistent, curly fleece and nice overall look. For sale. $200. NASSA registered intermediate fleeced ewe lamb with full polled brother. Her fleece is growing out and is starting to develop lovely fine crimp throughout.
Wintertime Bond--Lil'Country Nightcap X V Creek Sarah. Smooth polled grey katmoget ram lamb linebred on Roban Dillan and Walnut Rise Sadie. Very sharply put together and a lovely, consistent, finely crimped fleece. He is being held for now. His sire has been sold and is headed to Oregon by this fall. Meghan hanging out with some of the lambs on one of our first truly warm, sunny days.

SILENT SATURDAY

2009-04-18T07:59:00.001-07:00

HORNED RAM LAMBS--2009

2009-04-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

Winter Sky Foxtrot(Orion F2)bred to Winter Sky Kodachrome(Orion F2)produced this blettet moorit ram lamb with a very fine, crimpy fleece. Once she gets over being so protective or her firstborn I'll get some more photos of him. He is tiny, but vigorous. NCWGA registerable $125.00. Winter Sky Diva(Jericho F1) bred to Winter Sky Kodachrome(Orion F2)produced this very colorful and finely fleeced fawn smirslet katmoget ram lamb. He has large hornbuds and spends most of his day springing around, bothering all the other ewes. He is for sale. NCWGA $125.

Winter Sky Staccato bred to Lil'Country Nightcap. Scurred musket ram lamb with some marbling on his sides and an odd patch of a different color along his spine. This line produces beautiful fleeces and nicely put together animals. Greyling linebreeding. NCWGA $125.00.

POLLED RAM LAMBS--2009

2009-04-18T07:44:00.001-07:00

This is Wintertime Bailleys--Lil'Country Nightcap X Wintertime Ruby. Both parents have amazingly fine fleeces that are consistent from front to back. Lots of modified colors in his background and we aren't sure yet just where on the color spectrum he'll end up. He is being retained in the flock and is NASSA registerable. His sister has already been sold. His sire is available.

This is Wintertime Bond--Lil'Country Nightcap X V Creek Sarah. Sarah has produced three clean polled ram lambs bred to three different sires. Sarah's third fleece tested in the 25 range. She's 75% UK bred. Bond is for sale, as is his sire.

This is Winter Sky Reeses--Winter Sky Captain X Winter Sky Breathe(NCWGA). He is still being evaluated but may be for sale. His dam is already sold.

SOFIE

2009-04-06T06:32:00.001-07:00

LAMBS

2009-04-06T06:19:00.001-07:00

Bailleys & Scarlet--Lil'Country Nightcap X Wintertime Ruby. Bailleys is polled and will be retained. Scarlet may be for sale. These lines have tested in the low 20's at last rib.
Kismet's final lambs as she is being retired at the age of nine. Kismet is a Jamie F1 and these lambs were sired by Winter Sky Captain(NCWGA). Both ewe lambs are being retained for now to evaluate them over time. One may be for sale later in the summer.
Meghan's favorite ewe lamb sired by Captain and out of Halla. Halla is a fiercely protective mother and doesn't like to let her babies be accosted by anything including digital cameras. We think Halle is a modified black gulmoget. Her sire and dam are both shaela, so we shall see. She has a black brother who will be going to a pet home. Halla is for sale for $100.00(NCWGA).
Winter Sky Breathe's twin ram lambs. Black ram is going for meat. Modified polled moorit gulmoget boy is being held for evaluation and may be for sale. We will be keeping either him or Captain(NCWGA). Breathe is a beautiful, larger, HST moorit ewe with a nice fleece that does fall off at the hip and beyond. She is friendly. For sale for $100.00.
Wintertime Ruby's twins sired by Lil'Country Nightcap. This line is outstanding for fine fleeces and polled lines. Bailleys on the right is polled and is being retained. Scarlet may be for sale depending upon how many other ewe lambs Meghan decides to retain. Nightcap is for sale. He's been micron tested and has produced two sets of lovely twins for us so far.
V Creek Sarah(poll producing Roban Dillon F1 ewe)is NASSA registered and for sale. We have her latest micron test which was 25.9. Her polled darker grey katmoget ram lamb sired by Lil'Country Nightcap is for sale--"Bond". His black full sister is being retained for now.

NICE ENDING TO A GOOD MONTH

2009-03-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

Wednesday last Meghan found out she won a short story contest for the local monthly periodical. There were 47 entrants and she was judged by professors, published authors and last year's winner.

Then on Thursday Meghan's new horse Sofie arrived at the barn where we will be working off her board every month. Sofie is an overweight grade paint mare with a build like a Mac truck who is good for trail riding and seems to be very sensitive to Meg's cues when ridden English. She likes to go forward and seems to have a pretty good, rhythmic working trot already--no peanut roller.

And when we got home from settling Sofie into her new digs, we found a pair of lovely moorit lambs running about in our back paddock with our very pregnant older ewes. Ruby is the proud mother and the sire is Lil'Country Nightcap(polled). The ram lamb has a very short, soft, crimpy fleece and lovely elegant look to him...and it appears he is clean polled. The ewe lamb has a slightly longer, crimpy fleece that is also butter soft. Both lambs are doing well and already giving the rest of the ewes which are due anytime now fits.

Then the test results on our two newest ewes arrived from Yocom. Rose is 23.9/6.7/28.2 and 16.1% as a five year old ewe at the last rib. Heffe is 22.6/6.7/29.5/13.4% fibers greater than 30 at the last rib as a three year old.

So March is ending on a high note. And we still may have some lambs to come before it ends. YEAH!!

THE NEW GIRLS

2009-03-14T10:44:00.001-07:00

Due to the untimely death of a nearby farmer and friend we have recently added two new ewes to our flock. On the left is "Heffe" a two year old daughter of Sandstone out of a Skater Boy ewe. We will be sending her very nicely crimped fleece in for testing during our next round of CD/T shots.

On the right is Winter Sky Secondhand Rose who is one of the last registered daughters of Winter Sky Skater Boy(one of the first spotted katmogets born in the U.S.). Rose has a very short crimpy fleece and a wonderfully mellow personality. She likes to hum in the mornings when I am bringing them their hay.

Both ewes are bred to a shaela colored Finn ram for May lambs. This fall if their test results are good they'll be A.I.'d to Heights Orion with a back-up breeding to Forrest or Red for Rose and Tennyson for "Heffe".

The Boys Mid-Winter

2009-01-28T08:08:00.001-08:00

Red and Kodachrome in the back. Nightcap(aka Bailleys)and Captain in the foreground. Wintertime Red Velvet--Forrest son out of Ruby. He has an incredibly soft, fine single-coat. We think he may even be better than his sire who tested 21 as a two-year old. We shall see.
Li'lCountry Nightcap--Dillon/Holly/Timothy lines and appears to be modified moorit in color. He has a very fine/crimpy/locky fleece that is consistent. He may be for sale this summer to make room for another Little Country polled ram.
Winter Sky Captain is a son of Forrest and out of Winter Sky Amaretto. He has an amazingly soft(97.0 comfort factor), locky, crimpy, fine shaela fleece.

Freedom After The Deep Freeze

2009-01-28T07:55:00.000-08:00

V Creek Sarah is an F1 Roban Dillan, F2 Holly ewe that produces clean polled ram lambs. She is bred to LilCountry Nightcap for April lambs. She'll be for sale after her lambs are weaned.
Wintertime Ruby is the dam of Wintertime Red Velvet and has a very fine(21 micron)moorit fleece. She is bred to Nightcap for April lambs and will be used for LAI next fall.
Winter Sky Kismet is an F1 Willowcroft Jamie ewe. She is the matriarch of the flock at age ten and has the "look" I love. She is bred to Captain for late March lambs and may be slated for LAI if she holds her condition well this summer.
Glenmore Staccato was purchased from Louise Hooper's flock as a lamb. She's going to be seven and is a true musket Greyling F2 with a lovely fleece. She is bred to Captain for April lambs.
These two modified moorit girls are Orion F2's from different sires and dams. Chiffon in the background is bred to Red for late April lambs. Ani in the foreground was kept open this year.
And not to be left out of the flock pictures is Raggedy...our colored Cormo X ewe lamb who is also open this year.

WINTERTIME RED VELVET

2009-01-24T08:29:00.001-08:00

Red is maturing nicely this winter. He's my daughter's polled moorit gulmoget Shetland ram whose first micron test mid-side this fall was 21.7 AFD, 3.8 SD, 17.7 CV with a 98.6 comfort factor. His dam Wintertime Ruby is pictured below. She was bred to Li'lCountry Nightcap(polled fawn ram lamb)for early April lambs.

RAGGEDY ANN

2009-01-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Raggedy Ann(a colored Cormo cross) came to our farm in November after travelling all the way from California(thanks Sue)to Kentucky and then up to lower Michigan(thanks Char). She was born last March and will be bred next fall, as with all the travelling she seemed stressed and not in the best condition. She spent November up at my farm in a pen with two little Shetland ewe lambs that I kept open this season and almost immediately won us over with her big sweet eyes and calm disposition. Butting heads is a game she doesn't quite "get", but she does her best to accomodate her Shetland buddies when they get going in the mornings.

Her fiber tested 17.6 AFD, 3.2 SD, 17.8 CV with a comfort factor of 99.9%. She's consistent from front to back. We plan to add at least a couple more colored Cormo crosses to our flock this next season and breed them in the fall to the finest colored/white rams available for use. We will have lambs for sale in 2010.

TAGGED--I'M IT.

2008-12-03T07:04:00.001-08:00

Thanks Stephen...I think?

Favorite Foods: Ice Cream(except mocha)

Fresh sun warmed berries of all types and colors

Shelled peas lightly steamed

Chocolate(except when coffee beans are involved)

Pecans(actually I've never met a nut I didn't like)

A really good burger(locally purchased grassfed Highland)

Fresh fish(we have whitefish and trout fresh from Superior)

Potatoes dug in the spring

Favorite restaurants: Border Grill

Oakland Bistro(in Kalamazoo)

Tu Kaluthia(Greek cafe in our library)

Babycakes Muffin Shop(good wraps and soups)

Red Lobster(truly remarkably "hot" waiter)

Any place where I do not have to do the dishes...

What I did on November 26th: Got the fire going in the wood cookstove.

Spun yarn for the farmer's market on Sat.

Got all the barns opened up and the animals out in the paddocks with their hay ration for the day.

Shot, sheared and necropsied a ewe lamb that I suspected had acute liver fluke. She'd been doing poorly for several weeks despite numerous treatments and I vowed if she started not rallying and showed signs of pain I wouldn't let her suffer. She was grinding her teeth and unable to rise this morning. She did have liver fluke but fortunately the rest of the flock is fine.

Nailed horizontal boards up along the back paddock fence to improve its height and hopefully keep predators out. I rebuilt all the paddocks this fall and am just finishing up now.

Put the critters to bed.

Fixed spaghetti for supper for Megs.

Got into my pj's and settled in to watch Grey's Anatomy which we rented.

Favorite stores: TSC(they just opened one about an hour south of us)

Target(because they don't have muzak)

Super One Foods(I've been shopping there since moving north and everyone knows me there.)

Farmer Q's(they sell me 45# boxes of apples for $5.00 for the sheep and these are high quality apples--sometimes even three for one)

Mares-Z-Doats(our local feed store)

Wish List: A calmer/saner world

A healthy planet

Contented people living with less "stuff"

Cars that run on hydrogen and have air flow instead of tires

A biodynamic way to fight parasites in livestock

A mild winter and early spring

A truly wonderful life for my daughter

Growing old gracefully and with a good sense of humor

Things I like to do with family: Sit with the sheep

Watch Casino Royale over and over again

Laugh

Clean barns

Watch my daughter ride

Go somewhere out of the ordinary

I believe everyone whose blogs I read have already been tagged?

REAL OR RESIN?

2008-10-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Meghan has been "painting" and customizing resins for the past six years and is becoming very competitive in the model horse show circuit. This is her major project from this season--she has to work around the weather and spray her models outside to "fix" them, so it takes some time and effort. She usually only does smaller scale models, but this one caught her eye so she just had to have him. She does commisions and enjoys doing micro-minis which are the size of the change in your pocket.

EWES & DOES AT BRIGHT ANGELS' FARM

2008-10-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

Winter Sky Diva is a Jericho F1 spotted katmoget out of Winter Sky Calypso. Her yearling micron test was 23.5 AFD, 5.6 SD, and 23.8 CV. She will be crossed with Kodachrome this November.
These two daughters of Wintertime Black Forrest are Elle(the black gulmoget)and Kir(the fawn gul/kat). Elle's fall lamb test was 23.5 AFD, 4.7 SD and 19.9 CV. Kir's yearling test was 19.5 AFD, 5.1 SD and 25.6 CV. They are both being bred by Kodachrome this November.
The moorit smirslet ewe in the back is Winter Sky Breathe. Her two year old micron test was 25.9 AFD, 6.4 SD and 24.7 CV. She is being bred to Captain this November. Thistlekeep Aquilegia is the black 6 year old ewe in the foreground. Her micron test this fall came back 24.6 AFD, 5.7 SD and 23.1 CV. She is being bred to Wintertime Red Velvet.
This lovely fawn gulmoget ewe lamb is Winter Sky Kahlua. Her sire is Winter Sky Cointreau and her dam is Winter Sky Kir. Her lamb test this fall was 20.9 AFD, 6.6 SD and 31.4 CV. She has a very long, silky fleece. She isn't going in a breeding pen this fall as she was a later lamb and is the smallest on our farm.
These colorful does are my daughters AGS registered Nigerian Dwarf goats. She maintains a very small(seven)number of does and all but one are bred to Twincreeks PDF Megapixel for next March. Megapixel is the son of two permanent champions who both appraised excellent. He has a lovely temperament and is long and stretchy and dairy. Kids will be available from this cross for competitive prices.