Sheep may safely graze
We have been having a lot of scary storms here lately. After the snowiest winter on record with over 100 inches of snowfall, the water table is already very high. Then after a wet spring, the Rock River (about 1 mile from our farm) is flooding all of the nearby towns. So we don't need anymore rain.
I took this photo last Thursday (6/12/08) when the the sky was looking particularly eerie as a big storm moved in. (By the way, this wasn't night. This was noon!) You can see the corner of one of our hay fields here. The little red square is our sheep trailer which is the smallest
H & S model.
We have been very fortunate that we are far enough away from the river to be unaffected and also that we are on high ground and a very sloping area. Our property backs up to a creek that has swollen to the size of a small river. But there a wetland area and forest next it before you get back up the hill to our back pasture.
There are sections of the pasture that are low and have had some standing water for short periods of time. I have been inspecting hooves/feet since the wet conditions are perfect for creating problems, but so far everyone has been OK. The mama-ewes and lambs are up in the front pasture near the barn which is quite dry. I haven't taken any photos of the houses near here that are flooded. You feel bad enough gawking as you drive by. It so sad that I could just cry every time I drive through there -- which is pretty much any time I go into town.
We had a downpour again on Friday and a brief shower yesterday, but it is supposed to be dry this week. That is good to help with the flooding and also because our first cut of hay is supposed to finally happen. Our hay is usually cut the first time at the very beginning of June, but it has been raining constantly. Rain is good for growing hay, but not good for drying it.
Here are a couple of photos I that took of the mama-ewes and their lambs on Saturday. The bigger lambs from the artificial insemination are about 2 1/2 months old. The younger, naturally conceived, lambs are about 1 1/2 months old.
Here the mamas and babies. It is really cute to see the babies grazing like big sheep! And even cuter to see them chewing their tiny baby cuds!!
Here is Katja leading the little flock back to the barn for a round of rest and cud chewing.
I took this photo last Thursday (6/12/08) when the the sky was looking particularly eerie as a big storm moved in. (By the way, this wasn't night. This was noon!) You can see the corner of one of our hay fields here. The little red square is our sheep trailer which is the smallest
H & S model.
We have been very fortunate that we are far enough away from the river to be unaffected and also that we are on high ground and a very sloping area. Our property backs up to a creek that has swollen to the size of a small river. But there a wetland area and forest next it before you get back up the hill to our back pasture.
There are sections of the pasture that are low and have had some standing water for short periods of time. I have been inspecting hooves/feet since the wet conditions are perfect for creating problems, but so far everyone has been OK. The mama-ewes and lambs are up in the front pasture near the barn which is quite dry. I haven't taken any photos of the houses near here that are flooded. You feel bad enough gawking as you drive by. It so sad that I could just cry every time I drive through there -- which is pretty much any time I go into town.
We had a downpour again on Friday and a brief shower yesterday, but it is supposed to be dry this week. That is good to help with the flooding and also because our first cut of hay is supposed to finally happen. Our hay is usually cut the first time at the very beginning of June, but it has been raining constantly. Rain is good for growing hay, but not good for drying it.
Here are a couple of photos I that took of the mama-ewes and their lambs on Saturday. The bigger lambs from the artificial insemination are about 2 1/2 months old. The younger, naturally conceived, lambs are about 1 1/2 months old.
Here the mamas and babies. It is really cute to see the babies grazing like big sheep! And even cuter to see them chewing their tiny baby cuds!!
Here is Katja leading the little flock back to the barn for a round of rest and cud chewing.
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