Live Simply ~ Live Well
Life off the grid in NW Washington.

Our Soay Sheep | Soay For Sale | Soay Meat Sales | Site Index | Saturday Market | Home

Wind River Farm Journal

April 15, 2008
Taking care of an orphan lamb. Yikes! Takes a bit of time :) She is beautiful and worth it though.

-------------

April 8, 2008
A neighbor came up yesterday looking for a lost dog. Told us there have been 2 cougar sightings within 5 miles of our place, and that the coyotes are coming up on her deck during the day trying to get her dogs.

Joe is putting lights up in the pastures tonight. Being off grid we can't leave them on, but we can sure turn them on if the sheep get spooked.

-------------

April 6 , 2008
Another set of twins yesterday! First time Cashmere has twinned and she had a beautiful ram and ewe. Named them Chaplin and Channing.

But I was right - she waited for a rainy Saturday morning rather than lambing on one of the sunny 60 degree days we just had.

-------------

April 4 , 2008
No lambs the past two days when it was sunny and 60. We are supposed to have rain for the next few days, and it's gray and cold this morning - so we're sure to have lambs.

Flowers are blooming all over. Daffodils and grape hyacinths. The salmon berry bushes are blooming in the woods. Spring is on it's way!

April 3 , 2008
A beautiful sunny morning! Supposed to be close to 60 today - a great day for lambs.

Six ewes have lambed and we have had four sets of twins. One of the twins didn't make it - breech birth of a very large perfectly formed full term ram that didn't survive the turning and assisted birth. Interesting statistical anomoly with so many sets of twins though.

-------------

March 27, 2008
Three ewe lambs born yesterday!!

The forecast was calling for snow and sleet and Turmeric and Gazelle lambed late afternoon - the first time ever we've had lambs born after 10 AM.

Turmeric's was first about 4 PM. A beautiful little ash gray girl we named Taylor.

Gazelle's twins - Garbo and Grable were born just before dark - we weren't sure they'd make it through the night - but they did! All frisky and running around this morning.

-------------

March 25, 2008
It's a blustery day out - but at least there is sun.

We had twin ram lambs born Easter morning. That was neat. Named them Laurel and Hardy. The dam, Caroline, was looking large but not as big as some of the others so we weren't expecting her to go first - or to have twins!

Ruth, Savannah and Cashmere look downright uncomfortable. Cashmere is out there right now scratching her bottom and sides on the trees... I'll keep a close eye on her this morning.

-------------

March 21, 2008
First day of spring yesterday - feels like winter again! I love the cycle of the seasons. There are tiny pink flowers bursting out over a shrub down in the valley and a green haze is creeping through the forest as leaf buds start opening.

Cannot see Mt. Walker this morning... clouds tucked in to the edge of our valley.

No lambs this morning.

-------------

March 18, 2008
Built a new shelter for the woods yesterday.

Didn't get it painted, that will have to wait for warmer weather, but at least the girls have more room. I think it will take them some time to get used to it as when I went out today to take pictures they had not used it. First heavy rain will drive them into it - or the first one to lamb in that group will break it in.

-------------

March 14, 2008
Lambs have started!

Our first lamb arrived on Monday the 10th - have to get pictures of him on my site. He seems frustrated that there are no other lambs to play with and tries to get his mom and other adults interested in a romp... to no avail.

-------------

March 7 , 2008
Cold and gray here today.

Hope the girls hold off a couple more weeks with their lambs.

Chamois continues to behave like the Alpha male that he is. I keep telling him his hide is going to make a great rug - he remains unimpressed.

-------------

February 24, 2008
Have a few ewes out there that look like they've swallowed watermelons. They must have gotten pregnant within minutes of the rams joining them in their breeding groups.

Starting on the new mini-barn today. Clearing the area for it. That will be nice to have.

-------------

February 19, 2008
Didn't get the soay shelters built as planned, but did have a few wonderful neighbors come and help get our roof on! Yippee!

Have the new fencing stretched, and the posts ready to pound. Spring is on it's way.

-------------

February 16, 2008
Building new sheep shelters this weekend. Need a few extras for when the lambs start to arrive.

Moving fencing around as well. It will be nice to get out and work outside, around the Soay.

-------------

February 12, 2008
Beautiful day at our Soay heaven in NW Washington.

Red tailed hawk and an eagle were in trees at the bottom of the hill. Very curious about why I was there.

Also saw the bobcat run across the highway on my way back from town. Lambs on the way means we may be backed into shooting to kill rather than shooting to scare. Also had a huge raccoon up here. If they can cart off an eight pound duck they won't have any problems with a 4 pound lamb.

February 11, 2008
Busy day. Clean bedding down for all the sheep.

Found a great easy up - easy down sheep shelter!

Supposed to be clear, sunny and 50 later this week. Time to work on moving fences and set up new lambing shelters. We are breaking breeding groups apart this weekend, breeding rams back in with non-breeders. Moving ewes into their lambing groups.

-------------

February 9, 2008
Just created the pages for the site on breeding Soay sheep. Made me realize how much I've grown as a breeder of these precious little sheep.

Went out to feed and chuckled at our daily routine. As soon as the rams hear my voice saying hello to everyone they come thundering out of the woods to their feeding area and start tussling. Then Jack, who is in a breeding group, starts bumping his head against a stump in their paddock... like an impatient five year old.

-------------

February 8, 2008
I derive much comfort from our Soay. As is so common when you are edging up on your 60's ... friends and family start passing away.

I go out to the sheep and they bring peace and order to the chaos. Their needs are so simple - food, water, a bit of companionship -and the companionship is mostly for us. Each of the sheep has their own "voice" and call out to me.

Caribou is always there smiling or doing something cute that brings me back to center. Soay remind me daily that the only point there is - is to find meaning and joy in each day. That food, water and a good friend is truly enough.

-------------

February 7, 2008
Beautiful sunny day at Wind River Soay Sheep Farm today!!!

The solar panels got their work out today - provided all of our power for the day. Yesterday when it was so windy the wind turbine power would have lit up Seattle. Need to get that wind turbine in.

----------------

February 6, 2008
Our Soay are as tired of the long wet winter as we are.

Lambs will be coming soon and have so much to do! Have some new shelters to put together - want more birthing room for the girls this year. Time to move the rams around too.

New pastures to fence in the next few weeks as well.

February 5, 2008
Well, a short bout with a 36 hour flu shot my weekend.

Yikes! Mom is coming for a visit - her first in 28 years - have lots of fencing to get done, paint on the cabin, hope to get the flower beds cleaned up and the "garden boats" in place and planted. No pressure though.

-------------

January 30, 2008
I'm noticing a refrain in my journal entries about the weather. Going to give it a break.

We're getting Buckeye chickens in the spring. We're going to have to figure out how to get the chicken coop in with the rams - our old chickens loved hanging out with the sheep and vice versa.

----------------

January 29, 2008
We had an inch of snow this morning. The sheep were all milling about with evil looks on their faces - at least those that had ventured out of their shelters. Our Soay sheep do not like snow at all.

Caribou was jumping and sproinging about - her antics chased the gray away. Spring cannot be far behind.

The girls are all starting to look pretty pudgy out there ... nothing more fun than Soay lambs in the spring.

----------

January 28, 2008
Saw a neat toss ball at the feed store today. It looked like a lime green tether ball with a handle on the top. Apparently it was designed for horses to pick up and toss but it would also be great for tying into the trees for the sheep to play with. We have a number of boat floats and those bumper things that we are going to use - it will give them something to do since they don't have to run from predators or be constantly looking for food and water.

----------

January 27, 2008
Winter has lasted forever this year. Started early - but the Soay warned us. When they started getting their winter wool on in August we should have dropped everything and processed more firewood.

We got down lots of fresh bedding before this last snow - and they hate coming out of their shelters now into the ice and snow. Had to haul water in 5 gallon buckets for them as the lines all froze. But on the bright side I did hear a spring bird the other day.