Wednesday Quick Dose of Cute: The Katahdin Cabin

aka the Hair Sheep Hut (the Katahdin ewes lay claim to it every year)

The Daily Donkey 67: Dan in Green Land

© FarmgirlFare.com

Friday Dose of Cute: So Close, and Yet So Far

Edward and Dee Dee

We've been busy getting ready for sheep breeding season.

Saturday Dose of Cute: One Safe Little Sheep

One Sacked Out Great Pyrenees Livestock Guardian

Sunday Dose of Cute: Hanging Out on Mom

Ava and her Twin Ewe Lamb (taken 5/11/10)

Want to hang out a while longer? You'll find links to all of this year's lambing season photos here. And you can learn about our new Katahdin hair sheep (Ava and her lamb are both 100% Katahdin) here. More photos of Ava and her twins are here and here and here and here. (When you're born first, you get to be in a lot of pictures.)

© 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the cuddly little foodie farm blog where if you can't find a lap, you make do with what you've got.

Thursday Dose of Cute: Nighty Night

Sleep Tight

Emmy Lou's little twins are Katahdin hair sheep. You can read more about our Katahdins here, and you'll find lots more cute lamb photos here.

© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the ready for bed foodie farm blog where farm life is fun but exhausting—and sometimes I really miss the luxury of ordering takeout. (We can't even get our mail delivered out here, let alone a pizza). Time to find some dinner and then snuggle up under that quilt!

Friday Dose of Cute: Surrounded!

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Snuggle Up

The Family that Lays Together. . .

Thursday Dose of Lamb Cute: Those Ears!

Baby's First Minerals

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Baby's First Hay

One Piece at a Time

Want to see more of this Katahdin cutie?

3/9/10: The Spring 2010 Lambing Season Has Begun!

3/11/10: The Perfect Lamb Dish

3/14/10: How and Why We Added Katahdin Hair Sheep to Our Flock (scroll down for lambs)

3/21/10: One Very  Disappointed Onlooker

© 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.

Sunday Dose of Cute: One Very Disappointed Onlooker

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 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?

The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6
Daily Doses of Cute Part 7
Daily Doses of Cute Part 8
Daily Doses of Cute Part 9
Daily Doses of Cute Part 10
Daily Doses of Cute Part 11
Daily Doses of Cute Part 12
Daily Doses of Cute Part 13

© 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.

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?

Saturday Dose of Cute: Weekend Plan

Keep cool. . .



And close to mom.

As for my own weekend plan, I haven't had a chance to chill out in my cool new retro chair yet, but I figure I still have a day and a half to fit in some serious shade time. The dishes are mostly done (how in the world can two people create thousands of dirty dishes?), the drooping kitchen garden has been watered (and even a little weeded!), and I think everyone's bellies are full—at least for now.

It's time to turn on the oven and bake up a big batch of chocolate chip cookies before roasting tonight's chicken—or else curl up and take a nap.

I hope you're having a relaxing weekend!

© FarmgirlFare.com, the siesta sounds good right about now foodie farm blog where, if she's not hanging out with Lucky Buddy Bear, this sweet Katahdin lamb—who almost always wears a little smile and is so friendly we named her Friendly—is stuck to her mama (who also adores Bear) like glue. Must be love glue.

Wordless Wednesday Dose of Cute

More photos below. . .

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Stripping Down for Summer

Our New Katahdin Hair Sheep Don't Need To Be Sheared Like Our Wool Sheep Do



Their Winter Coats Comes Off All By Themselves



It Can Look A Little Silly Sometimes

But I Bet She Feels Great!

Catch up with our cool Katahdins:
10/29/08: Lookin' for Love
4/7/09: Think Pink
4/21/09: Snack Time!
4/26/09: Lamb Whisperer
4/26/09: An Important Message from the BABS
6/1/09: Learning to Fly
8/12/09: Wordless Wednesday Dose of Cute
8/15/09: Weekend Plan

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the sweltering, feels like we jumped from mid-June to mid-August, 106 degree heat index with no relief in sight foodie farm blog where the only way to temporarily beat the blast furnace that is our life is to strip down and plunk ourselves into the pool (aka a 100-gallon Rubbermaid stock tank borrowed from the sheep and filled with nice cold water from our deep well)—and putting up the hay (which desperately needs to be done!) has had to be temporarily put off due to the dangerous working conditions outside.

Monday Dose of Cute: Learning to Fly

And the winner of The Laws of Harmony by Judi Hendricks


Or At Least Kick Up Her Heels

Okay, I admit it. One of the reasons I like to hold book giveaways is purely selfish. I always make you answer a specific question in order to enter because I know I'll love reading your responses—and once again you didn't disappoint.

For The Laws of Harmony giveaway, I asked you to share a favorite novel that somehow features food. You not only mentioned several of my favorite novels (including Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy the caterer culinary mysteries and Like Water for Chocolate—which has been sitting on my nightstand waiting to be reread for months) but you've also given me a whole new list of books I can't wait to read—especially Blessed are the Cheesemakers by Sarah-Kate Lynch since I really enjoyed her quirky second novel, By Bread Alone. Thank you!

The random winner of the signed copy of The Laws of Harmony is Gen, who said,

When I was a child I would read Little House on the Prarie every summer. I remember the food that was written about very well, it was homemade & homegrown most of the time.

I've just heard from Judi, and she's starting the California leg of her book tour. If you'd like to meet her in person, check out her Events Calendar to see if she'll be in your area. And I hope you'll let me know if you read and enjoy The Laws of Harmony!

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the high kicking foodie farm blog where, unlike our Suffolk sheep, these new Katahdin hair sheep get to keep their long tails (rather than having them docked), which means they swing around and around in hilarious circles any time the little lambs—or their mothers for that matter—pick up speed.

Sunday Second Dose of Cute: An Important Message from the BABS (Baby Alert Broadcast System)

Lamb #19 Is Safely on the Ground! (and less than an hour old here)

Current Lamb Count: 19. Number of ewe lambs: An unbelievable 15. Number of hours before I need to go back down to the barn: Not many. Number of hours ago I probably should have been asleep: At least 2.

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the baby booming foodie farm blog where your imagination isn't playing tricks on you—those really are little horns poking out of that Katahdin mama's head. They actually used to be a lot bigger, but she managed to somehow break both of them off within a few weeks of each other. The vet has told me that, just like fingernails on people, her horns will keep growing back, but after being broken off they won't necessarily grow back in the right direction—they may even curve around and grow into her head. It's too early to tell for sure, but from the looks of things, so far so good up!

Sunday Dose of Cute: Lamb Whisperer

It's Secret Twin Stuff

Current lamb count: 18, including one born about 2:00 this morning and one born about 3:00 yesterday morning. Baby chick count: Holding steady at 8, but with one broody hen remaining there's still a chance for more. Number of lamb and chick and flower and farm and dog and cat and donkey and whatever else photos (not to mention recipes) piling up: Lots!

Want a little look back at lambing season so far?
4/2/09: Baa Baa Baby Baa Baa! Lambing Season 2009 Has Begun!
4/3/09: Black Babes for Black Beauty
4/4/09: Spotted Beast?
4/6/09: Whispering Sweet Nothings?
4/7/09: Think Pink
4/9/09: Oh, You Big Baby
4/14/09: Too Cute for Words?
4/16/09: Smile for the Camera!
4/16/09: Amendment to Today's Earlier Lamb Count
4/20/09: Morning Traffic Report
4/21/09: Snack Time!
4/22/09: Oops

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the dark and late night foodie farm blog where last night as I stopped to open the front gate on the way home from laughing (and bidding!) non-stop for two hours at a benefit supper and auction for our new fire department and community center, I was surprised and thrilled to see that the fireflies are already out. I can't remember if they always arrive this early, or if it has something to do with this heat wave—but fireflies or not, there's something that just feels weird when it's 70 degrees outside at 4am in April.

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Snack Time!

Boys on the Left, Girls on the Right

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the starving foodie farm blog where lambs love their milk, but I can't stop snacking on the scrumptious lemon coconut bread I made the the other day—and you might not be able to either once you've tried the easy recipe I hope to have up later this week.