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Saturday, January 16, 2016

On A Dreadfully Cold And Dreary Day

Here are some sunny shots from the other morning.


Maisie and Andy having a hay eating contest ;-).


I haven't noticed Baaxter's X in a long time, but there it is!  In real life it just looks like some random spots to me, but I guess the straight on head shot via the camera brings it out.  Sometimes you "see" less with the camera and sometimes you see more.  I'm glad to see the X :-).


Sadly, just a head's up....fleeces :-/.  We had a ton of trouble getting enough winter hay in the barn this fall.  The weather (mostly too much rain) was just against the local farmers all spring and summer.  The hay we normally buy (orchard grass) didn't produce well.  They hay we finally found (panic late in the fall) is a mixed grass...with a lot mixed in.

Orchard grass is a clean single blade with nothing to really grab and stick to anything, perfect for fleece protection.  This hay is a mix of blades, leaves, flowers, some weeds and even some prickly bits.  It goes everywhere; however, the sheep love it.  They eat nearly every single bit.  I've had waste as high as 40% with orchard grass in years past.

The denser fleeces are holding up pretty well.  Not much gets down through the thick coats of Blossom, Liddy, Chocula, Woody, Lila, Maisie and most of the Jacobs...  The long wools (Hershey, Murphy, B. Willard, Keebler, Rebecca Boone, Graham...) look awful.  The sheep, however, are all much happier and, bottom line, that's more important to me.  


So why is Hank sitting over here by himself?


So he can keep a close eye on those dastardly horses!  I cheated and tossed the horses hay over the fence at the sheep end of the barn the other day.  I was out of bales in the side shed.  Sorry, Hank.  I won't do that again.  You are a good dog.


13 comments:

RuusVerd said...

I have mixed grass (emphasis on 'mixed') hay too, and some bales are so full of tiny flakes I have trouble picking all the VM out of MY hair. :-o Those bales are the sheep's favorite, though. The messier the hay, the more the sheep love it.

MarmePurl said...

Ditto above.

Tyche's Minder said...

Yes, hay is a problem this year. Sigh.

Mary Ann said...

You guys are going to kill me, but there are hundreds of large bales in fields all around me here in Leavenworth County, Ks. :-(

Michelle said...

How can it be a dreary day when I see sunshine??? You don't know whereof you speak..... ;-)

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

Hay was a problem here in Virginia too -- But I'm glad the sheep are happy, and I've no doubt Hank is happy with or without your apology! :-)

Far Side of Fifty said...

Lots of hay still sitting in the fields here in Minnesota. Those big bales keep going through town on semis...mainly very large square bales probably from Canada. Hank is a good dog..and what fun to see Baaxters X:)

Shirley said...

Happy sheeps and sunshine- it's all good.

Suzan said...

Glad to see everything is doing well on the sheep farm!!

sophy0075 said...

VM or no, I love to see sheepy photos. And Baaxter's X. ;)

Susan said...

Interesting what you say re the mixed grasses. Interesting what the SHEEP say about it!! MORE mama, MORE. I am sure you have read this: http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2013/s3897704.htm and the story of Alice and how she healed herself. The mix may be better for them on some level...never mind your hair !! :)

Benita said...

Oh well. Monkey-grooming fleeces can be a great time for introspection and planning. It looks like I'll have plenty of time when I get Graham's and Hershey's fleeces this year. ;) At least Casper Belly's will be better.

karen said...

It has been dreary here, and there is snow heading your way and hopefully mine. Hank is a doll baby!

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