Hey, you old timers--some of you whom I bought my sheep from! How did you do it? Sell those sweet girls and boys away?
A beginning shepherd is buying some of my sheep this week, so I find myself out in the pasture, taking "last" pictures of a sweet ewe, Twin Brooks Nugget, and cute ones of some lambs about to go.
Nugget is a great old girl, I simply have too much musket in my flock. So she goes to enrich a spinner's fleece basket.
Jellybean, Juicyfruit (I mean Serendipity)'s twin, is going with Nugget, as well as 2 other lambs and a lucky wether or two. Those boys are so soft, they deserve to go to a spinner's flock.
Here, Jellybean is carefully watching THE CAT! That cat knows enough to stay on the other side of the gate or be chased all over by curious sheep.
I'm finding sheep, gardens and child management to be a full time job.
This week, my daughter entered about 10 items in the Carver County Fair. She has worked half the summer on these projects.
She knows she got 5 blue ribbons in 4H, but what of the general exhibits? (Drum roll...)
We'll go on Friday to find out! (And Saturday to staff the 4H building, and Sunday to pick up exhibits. Pshew!)
We entered no livestock at all, not even chickens-- which is a first for us since we moved to Carver County 4 years ago.
Emily did some halter training on a wether (it had to be a lamb she wouldn't miss if it got sick at the fair) but let it go weeks ago. . .
I am still not wild to show sheep, though I knew I would love talking up the breed to folks, just visiting with sheep people in general. My sheep are all so darned healthy this year, I'm treasuring the ease of care. I didn't want to lose any I loved, either.
Maybe I'd show next year.
Enjoy August, as the garden's fruits and vegetables ripen up! Today we gave summer squash to the town librarian, the McDonald's window clerk who cashiers, and the one who gives you your order!
4 comments:
It's always hard to sell sheep you really like but it really helps to know they are going to a good home. One year I shipped some ewes to the stock yard, that I still can't forgive myself for. I will never do that again. That was the hardest, Hey, lets see some pictures of Bluebell and her lambs.
Jane
This 'old timer' cried so hard, for the first three years that she sold lambs, that my husband suggested that perhaps I should not be in the breeding stock business. I would, literally, sit on the front steps, sobbing uncontrollably, when my little girls left for their new homes. I was OK with the boys ~ I was always happy to send them on to a breeding home. But, oh how those little girls tore at my heart. When they were gone and my sobs had subsided, I'd go sit out in the ewe paddock and cry all over again because I felt so guilty for the mothers, who's lambs I had sent away forever.
Now I'm happy to send them off to good homes and get the money!!!!
I had to laugh at you giving squash to McDonald's workers! I share some with friends, but we eat a LOT out of the garden in the summer. It is so hard to get re-acquainted with the produce section of the grocery store again come fall....
I've only sold one sheep so far, a ram lamb last year, and that was hard enough! Next spring I may have a LOT of lambs (for me), but with my limited space there will be no question of keeping them. I'm hoping to sell two before winter to make room for the coming lambs; wish me luck. I want to know how those who sell successfully find good homes for their stock!
Oh, that makes me feel better, "old timers", thanks for your replies. I am getting more attached to good old ewes who are nice, like Twin Brooks Nugget. Some of 'em don't like me at all, and they are not hard to sell. And lambs I don't really know yet aren't too hard to see go. . . But I do want to see how lambs turn out, so I hope to hear from buyers in the future!
Jane, that's why you want to see Bluebell! So let me see what i can find to post.
Michelle, since I am new at selling, too, my experiences: I sold a trio (mom and twins) to a couple off a flyer I posted at the feed store. No pedigrees desired, there, sold pretty cheap. But gone early in the season! These days I count hay or pasture not fed as income, if you know what I mean. I also posted on a site called "Best Farm Buys" and am selling a starter flock from that ad. The Star Tribune newspaper ad brought one, go-nowhere nibble. I think this blog has sold lambs to other breeders.
Surprises on all these methods.
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