Monday, March 29

Monday Late Night Dose of Lamb Cute: Just When You Thought They Couldn't Get Any Cuter (or Softer)

Technical note: In order to make the homepage load faster and also allow readers to more easily scroll past posts that aren't of interest, I've implemented an 'expandable post option' on posts that have several photos (which seems to be most of them lately). After the first or second photo, look for the 'read more' link. Just click on that link, and the post will expand so you can see the entire thing. Thanks for making this high tech move with me!
New visitor note: Welcome to the farm! We're so happy you're here. It's lambing season right now, which means this blog has been temporarily taken over by sheep. Rest assured, there's usually a lot more going on, including plenty of sweet and savory Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes. If you'd like to see something other than this annual profusion of bouncing baby cute, you'll find links to all the monthly archives since 2005 over in the left sidebar, and a rather disorderly list of all the recipes posted so far (I'm working on a recipe index!) in the right sidebar. Enjoy!
Newborn Spotted Girl 1
This Little Spotted Beast Pops Out

Sunday, March 28

Sunday Surprise Double Dose of Cute: A Sneak Peek

Eugenie and Her Newborn Twins
Eugenie, Her New Twins, and Bear (who loves lambing season)

More photos of these two little darlings soon. The plan was to actually put up a recipe post today—and I haven't completely given up hope yet!

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the ready or not, here they come foodie farm blog where lambing season has—a few days earlier than expected—officially begun! (Audrey's and Ava's lambs count of course, but we knew that these two recent, very pregnant additions to the flock would most likely give birth well before the rest of our ewes.)

Friday, March 26

Friday Night Quick Dose of Lamb Cute: Mama Love

Ava and Her Babes
Ava and Her Babes
For those of you who need a daily lamb fix this time of year.
© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the happy to be of cute service foodie farm blog where there may be only two sets of twins on the ground, but the lambing season pics are already piling up.

Friday Dose of Cute: Feline Philosophy

Taking It All In 1
Take all the good in. . .


Wednesday, March 24

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Canine Companions

Technical note: In order to make the homepage load faster and also allow readers to more easily scroll past posts that aren't of interest, I've implemented an 'expandable post option' on posts that have several photos (which seems to be happening much more often lately). After the first or second photo, look for the 'read more' link. Just click on that link, and the post will expand so you can see the entire thing. Thanks for making this high tech move with me!

Bear and Daisy 1

Bear and Daisy 2

Tuesday, March 23

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Baby's First Hay

Baby's First Hay 1

Baby's First Hay 2
One Piece at a Time
Want to see more of this Katahdin cutie?
© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the first lambs always get photographed the most foodie farm blog where Joe loves that this little girl has three spots on one side but none on the other (how cute is that one over her eye?!)—not that my tough and hunky farmguy spends any time adoring baby sheep.

Friday, March 19

Friday Dose of Cute: New Kids on the Block

Audrey's twins 1
Audrey Had Twins Yesterday! (Meet new flock member Audrey here)

Audrey's twins 2
About One Hour Old

Thursday, March 18

Thursday Dose of Cute: Chick Days Again?

Farmgirl Fare - new baby chick
Yep.
Want to see more chick pics?
© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the babies all over the place but too whupped and hungry to elaborate foodie farm blog where in the course of my farmly duties today (which were performed on only four hours of sleep), I somehow snapped a whopping 143 photos—nearly all of which captured some particularly cute moment. It definitely wasn't easy to choose just one. Lots more hopefully soon.

Wednesday, March 17

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Farmgirl Fare - Teddy wearing his Irish green
Who Says Sheep Don't Celebrate? Big Teddy is Ready!


© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the little bit of Irish (actually, at least one of us is quite a bit Irish) foodie farm blog where barnyard animals will use any excuse to party, no matter what their lineage.

Tuesday, March 16

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Disappearing Cat Trick

Farmgirl Fare - Disappearing Cat Trick Sarah Kate
Poof!

Want to see more of little Sarah Kit Kat Kate?

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the black and white foodie farm blog where this daylight after 7pm stuff is kind of freaking us out. Well, not all of us—but at least the ones who are used to catering to everybody else's needs (and putting off their own dinner) at a certain time of the day.

Sunday, March 14

Sunday Dose of Cute: How and Why We Added Katahdin Hair Sheep to Our Flock

Katahdin cute overload

It's a funny thing about our sheep shearer—he raises sheep that don't need to be sheared. They're Katahdins, and this hardy breed has hair rather than wool that, as you can see here, comes off each year on its own.

One of the biggest problems we face raising our mostly Suffolk meat sheep here in Missouri is internal parasites, specifically a blood sucking stomach worm known as the barber pole or wire worm. For much of the year it's wet and warm here, which, unfortunately, is Parasite Paradise.

Despite agressively using both commercial and natural wormers, we've lost numerous sheep over the years to worms—and we've been comparatively lucky. I know of one farmer who had most of her flock drop dead from internal parasites—the day after they'd been wormed.

It's terrible. And while there were many benefits to having that extra rain during the past two springs and summers, it made the parasite problem even worse.

Saturday, March 13

Saturday Dose of Cute: Just a Teaser Photo

Sea of Sheep Cute

So who are all these lambs and how are they related to our early start to lambing season?The whole story should be up tomorrow. No, really, I mean it this time. It's even all written, and I was hoping to finish it tonight, but today kind of got away from me—partly because the story ended up a lot longer than planned, and partly because I spent about six hours this morning working on a total blog makeover (so exciting, but what a time suck). And now that everyone else has been fed, it's time for us to eat!

Lambs not real high on your cute meter but still need a dose?

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the days flying by foodie farm blog where that freaky heat wave is thankfully over and we're back to normally cool weather again—which actually feels quite nice.

Thursday, March 11

Thursday Dose of Cute: The Perfect Lamb Dish


Not a Recipe

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the whupped foodie farm blog where between putting up a longer than planned kitchen garden blog post about growing onions (do you grow onions? come chime in!) and yet another trip to town (this time to spend a whopping $477 on new tires for the flatbed trailer that we only use a couple of times a year but are never able to use because it always has three flats), today's post is shorter than planned. Now there's a piping hot homemade pizza topped with homegrown beef pepperoni, a Harry Potter DVD, a comfy reclining loveseat, and an equally whupped hunky farmguy calling my name, so I'll see you (after yet another trip to town in the name of vintage tractor repair) tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 10

Wednesday Farm Photos: Our Misty Mornings Are Back





And They Always Feel So Peaceful

I know I promised an explanation today for our surprise early start to lambing season, along with more cute baby pictures (there's still just the one set of twins on the ground), but while I was out walking around this beautiful morning I started thinking that maybe some of you might also be feeling as if you're running in circles while being pulled in a million directions at once, yet hardly getting anything done (still unposted winter recipes, anyone?) and could use a quiet little moment of peace.

I'll be back later today or (more likely) tomorrow with the story and another dose of baby lamb cute (they are so cuddly). In the meantime, don't forget to stop and breathe it all in. And again. Doesn't that feel good?

I never get tired of the morning mist:
7/6/05: Misty Morning Sunrise
8/3/05:
Breakfast Under The Mist
8/10/05:
View Through The Dew
8/26/05:
These Misty Summer Mornings Feel So Peaceful
9/25/05:
I Can't Resist These Pink Sunrises
10/11/05:
Sheep Into The Mist
11/22/05:
From Out Of The Fog, A Little Beagle Dog
11/26/05:
October & November Same Scene, New View

2/19/06: Five Seasonal Views of the Haybarn
3/12/06:
Misty Morning Rose Lamb
5/13/06: Morning Mist Rising off the Wet Weather Creek
5/25/06:
Donkey In The Mist
5/29/06: Sun Hits Morning Mist
8/16/06:
Misty Morning Peace - Stop & Breathe It In
11/23/06:
Thankful To Call This Place Home

1/1/07:
Two Trees Dancing Under The Morning Mist
12/13/07:
Slow Traffic Ahead
12/14/07:
Good Next Door Neighbors

4/8/08: A Fresh New Day
8/17/08: Quiet for Breakfast
12/11/08: My Favorite View, No Matter What the Season

8/23/09: Morning Peace (one of my favorite series)
11/19/09: Misty Morning Light

Need a bigger farm fix today? (Some categories overlap):
Farm Landscape Photos
More Farm Landscape Photos
Handmade Fence Photos
Homemade Swing Photos
Hayfield Photos
More Hayfield Photos
Sunrise and Sunset Photos
Snow Photos
Same Scene, New View Photos (I need to get back to posting these!)


© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the sunshine and 70 degrees foodie farm blog where all the windows have been happily flung open, there's lots of fresh smelling laundry on the line, and a wonderful unexpected rainstorm last night has soaked into the fields and is now coaxing the grass to grow so fast you can almost see it. Just don't tell the sheep that hay feeding season lasts until the first of May—that is if the homegrown hay holds out!

Tuesday, March 9

Tuesday Dose of Cute:
The 2010 Lambing Season Has Begun!


(3:30pm) Welcome to Babyland







(5:30pm) Cute, Cute—and Hungry, Hungry!

The short version is that our lambing season has started several weeks earlier than originally planned, and this Katahdin hair sheep mama and her twin lambs, who were born just before we got back from town (of course), are doing just fine. The brown one is a boy, and the white one is a girl.

The longer version—in which I explain just what the heck is going on, and ply you with more lambie cuteness—will have to wait until tomorrow, as we're heading back out, in the opposite direction this time, to hunt down yet more tractor parts—for both of our vintage tractors.

The question is, Will there be more lambs waiting for us when we get home?

Can't wait for the cute? These should hold you over for a while:

Lambing Season 2006 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2006 Part 2
Lambing Season 2006 Part 3
Lambing Season 2007 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2007 Part 2
Lambing Season 2008 Part 1
Lambing Season 2008 Part 2
Lambing Season 2008 Part 3
Lambing Season 2009
Lambing Season 2009 Part 2

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the doubly cute foodie farm blog where 'vintage tractors' just sounds so much nicer than 'rattly old broken down tractors,' doesn't it?

Sunday, March 7

Sunday Dose of Cute: Sunshine and Snuggling Up


Comfy Cozy is She

I Love the Black Sheep Best! (except for my baby Cary, of course):
11/18/05: Frosted Snugglebunny
4/8/06: BB and Her Newborn Baby
4/28/06: Snugglebunny's Twin Girls Always Stay Together
6/27/06: Snugglebunny's Twin Girls Heading Out for Breakfast
7/10/06: BB and Her Mother Tana Are Always Together
9/30/06: Seeing Double

2/9/07: I Love Black Sheep! (Sheep Shearing Photos)
3/14/07: Tana and Her Baby Boy, First Morning Outside
3/20/07: All Booked Up at the Bonding Suite Inn!
5/13/07: The Tail of Two Mothers: A Mother's Day Story from the Farm
10/11/07: Living by the Light
12/5/07: Spy Sheep

4/4/08: Anybody Need an Experienced Sheep Dryer?
4/20/08: Raa Raa Black Sheep! Another Black Baby Lamb
10/2/08: Gossip Central
4/3/09: Black Babes for Black Beauty
4/14/09: Too Cute for Words?
6/9/09: Stop, Look, and Listen
7/15/09: Getting Ahead. . .

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the neatly sheared and ready for the heat wave (it's supposed get up into the 60s today!) foodie farm blog where some of the black sheep—including this squished-by-choice ewe—turn grey as they grow up, but I still think of them as black sheep. And yes, there are some seriously pregnant bellies in this picture!

Saturday, March 6

Saturday Dose of Cute: Sure You Want to Go in There?


Didn't Think So

How about a little meander down Donkette Memory Lane instead?
12/2/07: A Little Donkey Secret
1/1/08: A Donkey with a Sense of Humor
2/20/08: Our Resident Weather Girls
2/23/08: Please Don't Step on My Heart
3/2/08: How Do Donkeys Order Lunch?
5/3/08: Grooming Session
8/13/08: Meet the Dog Day
10/17/08: Baby Love?

5/4/09: What Donkey Girls Do During Lambing Season
7/7/09: Happy First Birthday Esmeralda!
7/12/09: Happy First Birthday Evie!
8/9/09: Broccoli Treats? Blech!
1/14/10: Soaking Up Sun in the Snow
2/20/10: Share and Share Alike

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the long-eared foodie farm blog where the only threat you'd probably face by going into that field (once you made it past our foolish attempt to make this gate impenetrable if you're a big white guard dog trying to escape, which so didn't work) is being loved to death by the Donkettes—unless of course you showed up without a bucket of treats.

Thursday, March 4

Thursday Dose of Cute: Hey! You Forgot Our Treats!


Yeah!



YEAH!

Sorry, kids, just homegrown hay tonight. But you love it:
First You Have to Put Up the Hay
3/11/06: Oh, Just Take A Seat Anywhere
3/14/06:
A Whole New Way to Start the Day
3/26/06:
I Told You They Have No Manners

3/2/08:
How Do Donkeys Order Lunch?
3/7/08: Waiting for Lunch (on Top of Breakfast)
3/26/08: Donkey Dietary Habits
4/18/08:
Cary is Too Hungry to Say Hi
5/7/08:
Daily Dose of Cute: All Day Hay Buffet
5/28/08:
Daily Dose of Cute: Back in the Hay Day
9/27/08:
Sheep Gone Wild!

1/23/09:
Feeding Frenzy
1/24/09: Keeping the Food Supply Safe
1/31/09: A Cold Breakfast Will Be Served in the South Pen
3/4/09: Food as Furniture
12/9/09: Eat Up, Kids!

1/12/10: You Shouldn't Take Chances with the Food Supply
1/22/10: Everybody's Safe
1/27/10: Man at Work
2/19/10: There's Always One

© 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the no way anybody around here is starving to death foodie farm blog where the flock has been split back into two groups after being sheared, and if you aren't very old or very pregnant, you now only get grain and alfalfa pellets and molasses every other day this time of year. 'Baaa! sounds a lot like 'yeah!' and just before I snapped these pictures Joe said, "Come on, let's get out of here before it turns really ugly!"

Monday, March 1

Monday Dose of Cute: Another Round of Hide and Seek


Can You Tell He Learned the Game from Dinky?

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the semi-invisible foodie farm blog where maybe this big Suffolk ram (whose temporary 2007 'D' name—yes, yet another poor sheep without a real name!—is Da Big Guy) was just trying to hide from the sheep shearer. Well, he didn't succeed, and he now looks mighty handsome with his new do. There'll be lots of Sheep Shearing Day photos posted tomorrow—though I'm sparing Da Big Guy's dignity and won't be including the ones where he was forced into decidedly unmanly-like positions while under the clippers.