Yep, I decided I really wanted these new beauties. My spinner friend Angie said "I'd vote for that, they have yummy wool". I wanted sheep that would get a little bigger than Shetlands, while having a similar look, colors and patterns.
And I like it that they are polled, too.
I bought these registered Finn sheep from Gale Woods Farm, a Minneapolis-Metro area (Three Rivers Park District)farm demonstration park. The site manager has a flock of cluns, border leicesters, finn and icelandic sheep.
A light brown ram was available, I heard, and I picked a white ewe (we named Mari) and a spotted, light brown ewe we named Lassi. We're calling the ram Osmo, for Osmo Vanska, the conductor of a local Minnesota orchestra. It was one of the few Finn names we knew.
Other doings here include the usual summer vegetable gardening, some remodelling on the house, drain tile excavating being done. . . and we're selling the little horse we got last fall. We decided to spend the money his hay costs on lessons instead of feeding and watering the horse. More fun! So if anyone wants a little POA/Morgan cross who used to do barrel-racing, he's waiting for a job!
I've also been selling ewes and lambs (those who don't like me) to a young man from a nearby farm who is, apparently, smitten with the Shetlands. I'm giving him a very good deal, and I feel like I'M getting a great deal: these ewes can go on to lead productive lives at Andrew's farm while he learns about breeding our beautiful little sheep. So, I have no guilt, while keeping my flock size manageable.
I do have a number of little rams this year, and I hate to see the great modified genetics of FirthofFifth Don Telmo Bourbon go for naught. His beautiful mioget color will surely shine out of some of his descendants, if anyone needs a ram.
I had 14 ram lambs this year, and at least 5 were moorit/fawn/mioget (it's not apparent with many of the modifieds, for a while). These rams are out of Bourbon and Little Red Oak Amy, LRO April and LRO Mallow. Amy is fawn, April and Mallow are both friendly, great-looking moorit ewes. They are 3 very different lines. Their sons are all handsome boys I can barely tell apart. Here's one, hanging around while other lambs get lamb-lead class.
Also pictured is one of Minwawe Chicklet and Minwawe Equator's gray and white flecket sons, Mike or Ike; they are also available.
I hope everyone's having a great summer that included fireworks on the Fourth of July!
