Saturday Dose of Cute: Tiny Tussle

Okay, You Two, Break It Up

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the ram tough (and ewe tough!) foodie farm blog where little lambs learn early that their foreheads are as hard as rocks—and that bashing them into other babies is bad.

Thursday Dose of Cute: And She Sleeps

Annette and Her Twin Ewe Lamb (taken 4/5/09)

New around these parts? Here's a look back at lambing season:
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
4/26/09: Lamb Whisperer
4/26/09: An Important Message from the BABS
4/30/09: Reading Lesson
5/1/09: May Day! May Day!
5/21/09: Rest Stop

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the always up for a nap foodie farm blog where we just came across an entire file of forgotten cute lamb photos that were never posted. The last lamb of the year may have been born several weeks ago (where does the time go?), but that doesn't mean the baby pictures have to stop anytime soon!

Thursday Dose of Cute: Rest Stop

Hanging with Mom and Watching the Grass Grow

In the middle of a massive cute craving? These might help:
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

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the lush and lovely little foodie farm blog where life when you're a one month old lamb in late May is about as good as it gets.

Friday Dose of Cute: May Day! May Day!

We Have a Situation Involving Extreme Cuteness in the Barnyard—Approach with Caution

Maaaaaaaaaaaa!

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the leafing out all over foodie farm blog where it's hard to decide which is cuter—the biggest pink nose on a little lamb we've ever seen, or those black spots on the tips of her ears. Oh, the difficult decisions we're forced to make on the farm.

Thursday Dose of Cute: Reading Lesson

See Spot.



See Spot Run.

Current Lamb Count: 19. Ewe lambs: 15. Ram lambs: 4. Total number of ewes who have given birth so far: 14. Sets of twins: 5. Number of first time mothers (who all did a fabulous job): 4. Number of previously 'proven' ewes who were bred but, much to our surprise, didn't seem to get pregnant this time around: 2 (though there's still a slim chance they might be). Number of pregnant ewes left: Except for the two just mentioned, we're done! (We cut way back this year, but don't worry, the lambing photos and reports aren't over yet.)

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the mostly literate foodie farm blog (not all of us read around here) where after cracking up over these captions for the last couple of days (I'm very easily amused), I'm now wondering how many people will actually get this dated reference. Did you have fun with Dick and Jane?

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.

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Oops

I'm Fine

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the slightly stuck foodie farm blog where we think being graceful is highly overrated—but being cute and brown (no matter what your predicament) is priceless.

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.

Monday Dose of Cute: Morning Traffic Report

We Have a Five Lamb Pile Up in the Barnyard Hut, with One Mother on the Scene

Current Lamb Count: 15 (we're in a rest lull period). Number of lambs in the photo above who are twins: All 5 (one set is on the left, one set is in the back, and the black one's matching sister wasn't involved in the crash).

Need more cute for Monday?
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

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the fender bender foodie farm blog where this is the time of year when our inexperienced pack of little wooly racers gets out of control, careening around and around the barynard at top speed until someone crashes right into a very surprised mothers' legs.

Thursday Second Dose of Cute:An Amendment to Today's Earlier Lamb Count

This Little Guy Needs to Be Added to the Tally











Lucky Cherry's Lucky Little Boy

Current Lamb Count: 15. Ram lambs: Just 4. Number of new mothers so far: 10. Sets of twins: 5. Number of still expectant mothers: Should have been 2, but is probably more like 8 or 9 (that story will be forthcoming).

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the suddenly spotted foodie farm blog where this time of year there's nothing better than strolling down to the barn in the early afternoon and finding a healthy newborn lamb soaking up the sunshine and already up and looking around for lunch—except doubling the fun with twins. And speaking of the barn, it's time to head back down there for one last check before bed.

Thursday Dose of Cute: Smile for the Camera!

Silly Wendy's Baby Girl, One Day Old (and the side of Silly's still big belly)

Want to see more Silly photos?
3/4/06: Is She Next?
9/7/07: A Wooly Look Back at Lambing Season (and why the wool's gone)
3/20/08: Oh Baby Baby! A Sight for Stressed Eyes
3/25/08: Silly's Twin Girl, Five Days Old
3/27/08: Silly's Twins, aka Future Organic Hay Eaters of America
3/30/08: Just Hangin' with Mom

Current lamb count: 14. Baby chick count: 8. (Pictures and an update hopefully coming soon!)

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the pink and white foodie farm blog where, as I've mentioned before, all you have to do to jumpstart a lagging lambing season is leave the farm for 12 somewhat worrisome hours. Sure enough, after finally arriving back home near midnight, a mad dash down to the barn thankfully found everybody hungry (especially my bottle lamb!) but fine, and 7 year old Silly Wendy (who received the second half of her name back in 2005 during the now infamous Name That Sheep Contest) happily bonding with her healthy and darling baby girl—the first lamb born in a week.

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Too Cute for Words?

Apparently She Is, Because I Can't Seem to Come Up With a Caption

Current Lamb Count: 13. Baby Chick Count: 6. Number of massively purring black cats taking up my entire lap and then some while I'm sitting here trying to type: 1.

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the back in black foodie farm blog where there's a good chance BB's twin girls will remain jet black since BB is a true black sheep (though her wool used to bleach in the sun to brown and now tends to grow out as grey after being sheared) and her babies are half Katahdin, a breed of hair (as opposed to wool) sheep whose beautiful colors don't tend to fade. Yes! You know I love the black sheep best—except for Cary of course (who is doing just fine).

Saturday Dose of Cute: This Baby Rests Easy

She Knows the MomDefense and Snugglebunny Backup Are in Place

Current Lamb Count: 13. Number of "Oh my god these lambs are so cute!" moments: Too many to count.

Just joining us for lambing season? Catch up here:
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

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the itty bitty foodie farm blog where every lamb knows that the better you nap, the bigger you get—and the more energy you have to race around and around the barnyard with your friends, having fun and making your mother dizzy. (And for those of you wondering why there's a car axle sitting in the barnyard, it's a hog toy leftover from Joe's pig raising days—the enormous sows would push it around for fun, when they weren't playing with their bowling balls.)

Thursday Dose of Cute: Oh, You Big Baby

Serena and her baby girl, about three hours old on Tuesday afternoon.




And the Whole Picture

Current Lamb Count: 13, including a set of Katahdin twins born this morning. Number of stock dogs happy beyond belief that it's baby time again: 1.

Lucky Buddy Bear, who is an English/Australian Shepherd, cares for all his sheep, but he definitely loves lambs the best:
3/5/06: You Can Add Babysitting to Bear's Job Description
6/18/06: What Happens After a Rainstorm
8/17/06: The Destructive Duo (aka Cary and The Nanny Bear)
10/1/06: He Looks More Like a Bodyguard than a Nanny Bear
12/6/06: On Duty in the Kitchen Garden

3/15/07: Gang Activity
3/27/07: A Lot of Love on the Farm
4/22/07: Dog Inspection (and how Bear and I tuck in the sheep at night)
9/30/07: It's a Stock Dog's Life

4/11/08: A Tender Scene—and the Whole Picture
4/18/08: Cary and The Nanny Bear in the Greenhouse
4/22/08: Bear the Babysitter (Among Other Things)
5/20/08: Bear Loves Babies!
5/21/08: Better Than Kisses
6/10/08: Another Bear Inspection
10/29/08: Lookin' for Love

1/13/09: Stand by Your Lamb
4/2/09: Lambing Season Has Begun! (and The Nanny Bear is ready to assist)

© FarmgirlFare.com, the spring loaded foodie farm blog where cuddling irresistible baby lambs can take a pretty good sized chunk out of a farmgirl's day—not that she minds in the slightest.

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Think Pink

Katahdin Twin Girl, Four Days Old

Current lamb count: 11. Ewe lambs: 9. (Just what is going on here?)

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the nearly all girl foodie farm blog where this snow white Katahdin hair sheep lamb (no shearing required!) is making the rest of our mostly Suffolk 'white' flock look a little dingy.

Monday Dose of Cute: Whispering Sweet Nothings?

Or Tattling on Her Twin Brother?

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the nippy little foodie farm blog (lows in the 20s tonight and surprise flurries today!) where the mama sheeps' heads always look extremely large this time of year.

Saturday Dose of Cute: Spotted Beast?

Or Cutie Beauty? Annette's Twin Girl, Four Days Old (First day outside today!)

Current Lamb Count: 10. Ewe lambs: 8 (!)

Need more cute than this? Try these:
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

© Copyright FarmgirlFare.com, the nearly cute overloading foodie farm blog where it's so far past our bedtime we can't think of anything clever to say—or maybe we're just exhausted from spending too much time cuddling all those incredibly snuggable baby lambs.

Friday Dose of Cute: Black Babes for Black Beauty

BB (aka Black Beauty) and Her Newborn Twin Girls Very Early this Morning

During the winter our sheep eat organic homegrown hay supplemented with natural grains—usually oats and alfalfa pellets tossed with some dried molasses (yes, that would be livestock candy), along with kelp, a calcium mineral mix, garlic and onion powder, and diatomaceous earth which is a natural wormer.

It's especially important for pregnant ewes to have grain during the last six weeks of their five month gestation period because as the growing babies inside them become bigger, the ewes' four stomachs become smaller, and it's physically impossible for them to ingest all the calories they need from hay alone.

We feed grain in the late afternoon or early evening because I once read that will promote daylight births. So far this year it isn't working. For the second night in a row, I went down to the barn at 2am to do a preg check and found a new set of twins, this time BB's. I didn't get back to sleep until around 5:30, but mother and those stylish black babies are doing just fine.

Current lamb count: 9. Number of ewe lambs: 7 (!)

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the back in black foodie farm blog where we're always grateful when a ewe gives birth to twins all by herself without any problems, but we still can't help wondering why they don't have them at one in the afternoon instead of one in the morning.

Thursday Dose of Cute: Baa Baa Baby Baa Baa! Lambing Season 2009 Has Begun!

Annette (Cary's other mother) and her newborn twins

In keeping with the old saying, March on the farm came in like a lion and out like a two three lambs. Tuesday evening while Joe and I were maneuvering poor old (and heavy!) Sweet Pea—my beloved pet wether who is unable to get up and walk anymore—into the barn for the night, Annette had two lambs lickety split.



Chocolate Chip Biscotti's newborn girl

When we went down to make sure the three of them were resting comfortably in their bonding suite before going to bed a few hours later, a quick check of the rest of the prego flock revealed that Chocolate Chip Biscotti had just given birth to a beautiful black girl out in the barnyard—with the cutest little pink nose.

She also has one inverted eyelid, which causes irritation and tearing, and I'm trying to fix it by simply pulling it into place several times a day, rather than resorting to a more complicated procedure. It's worked for me before, so I'm hopeful.

Wednesday morning Amy had twins, and last night sometime between the 10pm check and a 2am check, one of the two still unnamed Katahdin ewes we bought last year from our sheep shearer had twin girls way out in the barnyard.

At 3:30 this morning I finally crawled back into bed, reassured that the three of them were safe and sound in a bonding suite, and while only one of the lambs had nursed, both had drunk a little colostrum from a small syringe that I'd miraculously been able to milk out of not-real-friendly mama.

This morning both lambs were up and seemingly full of energy, but for some reason mama has decided that she only had one lamb, not two, and keeps knocking away the other one every time it gets near her and tries to nurse. Talk about a heartbreaking (and frustrating) sight.

If things don't improve soon, my plan is to see if I can trick the next new mother who has a single lamb into thinking she actually had twins by rubbing the birthing fluid from the newborn baby on the rejected lamb and hoping the mother will accept her—and the lamb (who has already imprinted on her birth mother) will also be amenable to the plan.

If that doesn't work, I'll bring the rejected baby up on a bottle—but unlike Cary (who is doing great by the way), I don't think she'll be let into the living room!



Of course the Nanny Bear is always ready to assist.
Oh, baby baby. And so it begins!

Current lamb count: 7. Ewe lambs: 5. Ram lambs: 2. Hours of sleep one of us has had in the last two nights: There are certain things it's just better not to count this time of year.

Can't wait for more baby pictures?
Lambing Season 2006 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2007 Photos & Reports
Lambing Season 2008 Part 1
Lambing Season 2008 Part 2
More Sheep Stories & Photos
Farm Stories & Farm Life Tidbits

© FarmgirlFare.com, the bouncing baby foodie farm blog where this is the first year we bred—in an attempt to build up some parasite resistance—our mostly Suffolk ewes with a Kathadin hair sheep ram (you don't shear this breed's coarse, furry 'hair') and the resulting little hair balls, as I've fondly started calling them, are cute as can be but look so different than what we're used to! (Chocolate Chip Biscotti's black lamb above was bred with a Suffolk ram so she's 100% wool sheep.)