Filed under: June 2014 | Tags: draft horses, fertillity, Kahtadin sheep, Lambs, shepherd
The sheep boarding the trailer
June 19, 2014
After much consideration, thought and meditation, I sold our sheep flock. I have been a shepherd since 1999. I watched over, herded and took care of sheep for fifteen years. I spent countless hours watching baby lambs bounce around the fields of Riceland Meadows.
It is with a little bittersweet sadness that I close this chapter of our farming operation. I liked the sheep. They kept the pastures and fencerows neat and clean. They could mow around a building much easier than I, but I need to focus on other parts of our operation.
I raised my sheep and lambs on pasture. Lambing time came in May most years, when the demands for spring planting was licking at my heels. It followed closely the maple syrup season and pushed me hard to keep things in balance.
I want to do more farming with my draft horses. I want to focus here on my farm, giving up acres farmed for others. By sending the sheep to a new home, the need for hay and pasture will be less. I can focus on our cattle and hog operations.
The cattle are raised mostly to keep our family in beef. The hogs fit my busy life and the tillable acres of my farm. I can focus on the acres here, increasing fertility and the carrying capacity of our farm. Using the draft horses makes economic sense and pleases me very much.
My sheep have an excellent new home. I get to visit any time that I want. I will send my customers there next season. The lambs from this year will be fattened by me and fill orders already taken. I guess it is my way of “weaning” myself from having sheep. 😮
As I closed the trailer door after delivering the sheep, I realized that I had also closed a chapter in my life. I may one day have sheep again, but for now…. there are none.
Goodbye my friends.
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That’s so sad to have to make that decision. I’ll miss seeing the lambs in your pastures! At least you know they have a good new home. What’s your new border collie going to learn on?
Comment by Jacklyn June 19, 2014 @ 9:53 amJacklyn, I agree that letting go is very hard, but I must continue to do what is best for the farm and keep the balance that keeps me sane. I too will miss the little babies bounding around the pastures, but you just never know what may be coming next around here.
As for Max, he is doing well with a tennis ball and herding the cows from place to place on a long leash. Everything on the farm, comes to me when I call them…this makes for great confidence in a pup…and gives me peace of mind as well. LOL.
Comment by ricelandmeadows June 19, 2014 @ 4:46 pm