What do Sheep and Quilts Have in Common?

No, this is not our place but one can't be sitting at a computer ALL the time! I do occasional volunteer work at a local farm.



Such a peaceful looking scene. But where is the herd dog when we need one! I even lost one of my slip-on deck shoes one time trying to head these guys off. Sheep are so funny sometimes but goats are more fun!

I continue to have a ball helping a local farmer. Winter 2009 I bottle fed two baby goats and even helped mid-wife, under the farmer's supervision, an ewe who was having a difficult labor. The details would probably be more than most would want to know about! And of course it's all quilt-related! Sheep help produce quilts, too --indirectly-- right?! Of course! Some of the batts we use are made of wool!


To the left are two lambs I managed to get my hands on spring of 2009 as we were moving them from one field to another along with their mamas. They had gotten trapped behind a gate so I had to rescue them. It was the only way I could catch them. They are so fast!

MARCH 2010 UPDATE:

It's almost lambing season again! Can't believe a whole year has rolled around since I helped Bruce with my so-called "untested" mid-wifery skills last year when there was an unexpected difficult breach birth. Bruce had tried twice but his hand was too large to manipulate the lamb in utero. I had never done such a manipulation before but he patiently walked me thru it step by step. The lamb was butt first and it was VERY difficult to get the legs unfolded so that we could pull him out feet first. It took three tries. I got him out but he unfortunately, he did not survive. Miracle of miracles, the mama did survive.





Here the grandkids are enjoying the other kind of kids. This was spring 2008 when Farmer Bruce got nine baby goats! No bottle feeding that year. It was all done by a nursery bucket that had multiple nipples on it.








Photo below was taken last spring. Surrogate Mama is doing her thing with one of the two Lamancha kids on the farm. (Last year there were nine!) Six weeks later they followed me around like a couple of...well....well bonded kids! I have really missed them since they grew up, though I do see them from time to time. But the bigger goats want all the attention so when I get into the field with them, the Big Guys butt me around if I try to get near the younger two. I am no match for a full grown goat!

UPDATE:

Now it is shearing time again. I didn't get to witness this last year but happened to stop by the farm the other day to buy some goodies at the farm stand, and shearing was in progress.








They look so naked without thier coats!