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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

2008 - 2009 Willow Garden Flock Sires

WillowGarden Garnish, out of WillowGarden Equatoria (F1 Glayva) and WillowGarden Nelson (F1 Hornblower, F3 Timothy, F3 Greyling). Micron results ... AFD 23.91 ... SD 5.17 ... CV 21.6.
WillowGarden Crush, out of WillowGarden Cameroon (SheltrgPines Justinian X FirthofFifth Masala Chai) and Underhill Thelonius Monk (F2 Minder, F3 Holly, F3 Timothy). Micron results ... AFD 22.38 ... SC 5.60 ... CV 25.0.
Head shots of Crush and Garnish. Garnish appears to be scurred and will be bred to my poll carrying ewes.
WillowGarden Shake, out of WillowGarden Vistabella (F2 Greyling, F2 Minder) and Lugthart Starry Champion (F1 Greyling). Micron results ... AFD 22.53 ... SD 5.61 ... 24.9.
V Creek Leo, out of V Creek Von Diesel and Justalit'l Hollypop. Recent micron results are not yet available.
FirthofFifth Lassig, a Winter Time Black Forrest son. Recent micron test results are not yet available.
WillowGarden Juice (formerly Bitters), out of WillowGarden Chick Pea (F2 Greyling) and Lugthart Starry Champion (F1 Greyling). Micron results ... AFD 24.76 ... SD 6.06 ... CV 24.9. I think that this boy is Ag. If he is, then he is the darkest Ag grey I have ever seen.
WillowGarden Chill, out of WillowGarden Kasia (a Bramble Nick daughter) and WillowGarden Nelson. Micron results ... AFD 24.83 ... SD 5.16 ... CV 20.8.
FirthofFifth Aman, out of FirthofFifth Evidence of Autumn, and Heights Orian. Recent micron results are not yet available.

WillowGarden Zest ... SOLD

This little dude has a fleece type that the judge at Rockton Fair would have liked. Although I didn't send a sample for a histogram, he is soft, lustrous, and has a nice slightly wavy crimp coming in.
His dam is SheltrgPines Zimbelstern and the sire is a Todhill Glayva lamb ... so this guy has genetics that many don't likely have in their flock.
I'd consider a trade for an interesting ewe (lamb), or a lamb back out of this guy.
He has much to offer to our Ontario flock ... but ...
if he is not 'sold' by November 5th, then he will be going for slaughter ...
... at least that is the plan at the moment.

HURRAY! He is SOLD to a GREAT home!

WillowGarden Dash - RETAINING as Ram # 10

This awesome boy is out of WillowGarden Vistabella (F2 Greyling, F3 Minder) and Lugthart Starry Champion (F1 Greyling). I LOVE my Greyling sheep, but have two other ram lambs out of Champ.
Micron results are ... AFD 25.14 ... SD 6.80 ... CV 27.0.
I suspect that he is double patterned ... Ab/Ag BB/? SS/?.

This is one awesome boy!

WillowGarden Wedge

This little guy is out of WillowGarden Guinea (F1 Todhill Glayva) and V Creek Hummer (Dillon, Lightning, Minder, Greyling, Holly, Timothy genetics). Micron results are ... AFD 25.17 ... SD 5.80 ... CV 23.0.
He is Ab/Aa BB/Bb SS/?. He is CRIMPY and would make a GREAT flock sire!

WillowGarden Twist - SOLD

I was going to keep this guy and do some test breeding with him ... but I have too many rams that are better that I just HAVE to use ... so ... he is for sale.

Micron results are ... AFD 27.28 ... CV 6.34 ... SD 23.2.
This guy is out of Lizbet AKA Whistlestop 0429 AI (F1 Island Skeld, F2 Drum Jings) and WillowGarden Nelson (F1 Todhill Hornblower, F3 Timothy, F3 Greyling).
I STILL am not sure of his colour, but I suspect that he is white with a LOT of phaoe (sp).

He is a pretty spectacular boy!

WillowGarden Stir

Stir is a black spotted katmoget ram lamb out of WillowGarden Sahara (F1 Todhill Glayva) and WillowGarden Nelson (F1 Todhill Hornblower, F3 Timothy, F3 Greyling).
He has wide horns, excellent conformation, and great 'presence'.
At six months, he microned at ... 25.31 AFD ... 5.67 SWD ... 22.4 CV.
He is AB/? BB/Bb Ss/Ss. He'd make an awesome flock sire!

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

WillowGarden Bitters ... Back to Sheep!

Well I have spent a fair bit of time over the last few days handling and evaluation rams. I had 24 of them, and that was just too many for a flock of 45 ewes!

While fondling fleeces I came across this boy ... WillowGarden Bitters. He is out of WillowGarden Chick Pea, a bluish grey ewe out of WillowGarden Sophia Loren (Bitterroot Joshua and Windswept Alicia Spinet) and Lugthart Starry Champion, a grey F1 Greying ram. I thought that he was your typical grey ram lamb when he was born, but ... now I am not sure. I don't thing he is emsket since there are obvious black fibres. But the light fibres appear grey and not white. Interesting. The lightest sample is from his front 'arm pit' ... and the darker is mid side, last rib. It is very soft as well. I guess he'll stay for a while ... ;-)

This morning, 4 of the ram lambs went to visit 'Uncle Ted' and they'll come back shortly wrapped and frozen ... ;-).

I have a buyer who wants one of four that I have for sale. The ones that she doesn't take will also go to visit 'Uncle Ted' in two weeks.

That will have me down to 16 rams ... which is still WAY too many! I sent off fleece samples from the 10 ram lambs so that I can compare micron results before I chose the next lot for a visit with 'Uncle Ted'. I'd like to be down to 8 by Spring ... 'cause I'll have LOTS more lambs that I'll want to keep. A few of them will 'leave' after breeding season as I know that I'll have lambs from them that will likely be better than they are.

I wish that I had unlimited hay, pasture, barn space, and ENERGY ... so that I could keep all 24 until they mature at 3 years old ... but ... *sigh* ... reality ... IS.

:-)