Because Someone Asked ... ;-)

Sweet and Sour Pickled Eggs

This recipe for pickled eggs is likely my favourite. They are very beautiful ... and have the seetness of apple along with the bite of cinnamon candy hearts.
The 'vinegar' solution is ...

• 1 1/2 cups apple cider
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups red cinnamon candies
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Heat this until all of the hearts are disolved. Stir it like crazy as the hearts stick.

Fill a 1 quart mason jar with LOOSELY PACKED peeled hard-boiled small eggs. They have to be loosley packed enough that they'll moved when you turn the jar, so that the eggs don't end up with parts that aren't pink.

Dump in the juice, put a lid on it, refigerate ... and then WAIT. Some folks say the small eggs are pickled in a week and large in four weeks ... But I recommend waiting the FULL four weeks to get full flavour!

Serve on a warm day with cold beer ... ;-)

Look What Is Parked Outside My Window ... :-)

THIS is a picture of my back yard taken a little while ago. The lawn needs to be cut ... but ... how long will THAT take ... hehehe

Life ... is so very good ... :-)

My New Roof

Some of you may wonder what my famous pickled eggs have to do with my new roof. Trust me, there IS a relationship ... :-)
My neighbours, who are experienced roofers are going to help me re-shingle my house ... :-). This will happen on Sunday, August 2nd. We picked Sunday because it is Pete's day off and we want him to join the fun!

Of course, It is my responsibility to make sure that we have adequate food and drink ... although MOST of the drink will be for AFTER folks are off the roof ... hehehe.

Anyway, my pickled eggs take a month to 'cure' so I am hard at making them today so they are ready for August 2nd. Above are 'Pickled Eggs With Beets'. These are my favourite and they are very pretty.

Next it will be 'Sweet and Sour Pickled Eggs', made with apple cider and cinnamon candy hearts along with other stuff. Tim liked these last time.

And, yes Chris, I am making some tradition 'Bar Style Pickled Eggs' for you ... :-)

NOTE ... Use small eggs as they pickle more quickly.

BORING POST ALERT ... ;-)

Here is a summary of the histograms for my flock. THIS will be boring to ALL non 'sheepy' readers of this blog ... :-)

The numbers listed are ... AFD ... SD ... CV

Averages for the entire 60 samples ... 26.6 6.4 23.9 . When I first started micron testing in 2005, My flock average was well over 30 AFD. I set my goal at having a flock where AFDs were below 27 ... SDs were below 8 ... and CVs were below 28. Four years later, I still have a few girls who need to move on, but my goal looks attainable. It may be time to adjust my goal numbers downwards soon ... :-)

Here goes with the individual results. Samples were taking prior to shearing ...

WillowGarden Absolut (2008 - out of Underhill Thelonius Monk and Shepherdwds Linga, an F1 Orion daughter) ... 23.8 5.6 23.7 ... NFS

FirthofFifth Aman AI ( 2007 - F1 Orion out of FirthofFifth Evidence of Autumn) ... 26.3 4.9 18.7 ... NFS

WillowGarden Amaretto (2008 - F2 Todhill Glayva out of an Iris daughter) ... 24.2 5.6 23.1 ... NFS

Harmony Marsh Anastasia (2007 - mostly domestic, but with strong polled genetics ) ... 29.8 9.6 32.1 ... NFS now, but subject to change

Harmony Marsh Ariel (2008 - out of a Bramble Nick X Lugthart Goldthread son and a Ahistlestop Lerwick daughter) ... Ariel 25.9 5.8 22.3 ... NFS

Harmany Marsh Autumn (2008 - emsket yuglet flecket with Lightning, Drum Jings, and Minder genetics) ... 22.9 5.9 25.7 ... NFS

Canterbury1 Bebe (2007 - mostly domestic grey ewe - bought for her excellent conformation and her even-ness of fleece) ... 32.4 5.4 16.7 ... FOR SALE exposed to North Wind Holiday this Fall (I am keeping her ewe lamb out of Holiday from this year)

WillowGarden Billie Holiday (2005 - spotted gulmoget out of a Tisket son and a Tisket daughter) ... 27.0 7.3 27.1 ... NFS

Dailley WH 85, known as Carmel (2005 - domestic, spotted, poll carrier ) ... 27.4 8.8 32.1 ... NFS

Great Plains Cherry (2000 - F2 Timothy, F2 Greyling) ... 27.7 5.3 19.0 ... NFS

WillowGarden Cherry Bomb (2008 - F2 Glayva, F3 Timothy, F3 Greyling) ... 27.0 7.4 27.5 ... dissapointing results, but NFS

WillowGarden Chick Pea (2006 - F2 Greyling) ... 27.3 7.5 27.5 ... currently NFS

WillowGarden Chocolatini (2008 - out of Underhill Thelonius Monk and SheltrgPines Irene - horned) ... 25.4 5.3 20.9 ... NFS

WillowGarden Fuji (2006 - out of WillowGarden Duke Ellington, a sft emsket scurred ram and an F1 Kightning Great Plains ewe) ... 29.3 8.6 29.2 ... currently NFS as I'll use her again for her polled genetics

WillowGarden Gin (2008 - out of V Creek Hummer and an F1 Glayva, F2 Minder ewe) ... 23.4 4.7 20.0 ... NFS

WillowGarden Grenadine (2008 - out of V Creek Hummer and an F1Glayva, F2 Minder ewe) ... 20.9 4.2 19.9 ... NFS

WillowGarden Guinea AI (2007 - an extension dominant ewe out of Todhill Glayva) ... 23.4 6.4 27.1 ... NFS

Harmony Marsh Lady (2008 - out of a Nick X Goldthread son and a domestic ewe) ... 28.0 7.2 25.7 ... currently NFS as I LOVED her dam!

North Wind Holiday AI (2002 - yes 2002 - F1 Greenholme Holly) ... 23.5 6.4 27.0 ... NFS

Dailley Iris (2002 - mioget doll - 100% domestic) ... 28.7 6.1 21.4 ... NFS

Great6 Plains Isabell AI (1999 - F1 Greyling) ... 26.3 6.0 22.7 ... NFS

WillowGarden Kagera (2007 - F1 Glayva, F2 Minder) ... 22.9 5.6 24.3 ... NFS

HopefulKaluha (2008 - low percentage Greyling genetics, double patterned for my next round of AI) ... 27.3 5.9 21.4 ... NFS

Hopeful Karen (2008 - low percentage Greyling genetics) ... 29.2 8.7 29.8 ... FOR SALE now, or as a bred ewe in the Fall (I am retaining her daughter out of Holiday.

WillowGarden Kazinga AI (2007 - F1 Glayva, F2 Minder) ... 26.9 6.2 23.0 ... NFS

WillowGarden Kurrant (2008 - out of V Creek Hummer and an F1 Todhill Hornblower, F3 Drum Jings ewe - extension dominant) ... 26.5 5.0 18.9 ... NFS

WillowGarden Kwando (2007 - F1 Glayva out of a gulmoget ewe - extension domiant so may be Ab/At) ... 26.0 7.1 27.2 ... NFS

FirthofFirth Lassig (2008 - out of Wintertime Blues, an F1 Jericho ram and a Wintertime Black Forest daughter) ... 23.6 5.5 23.3 ... currently NFS

WillowGarden Lemon (2008 - out of Kwando above and V Creek Hummer - extesion dominant) ... 24.0 6.5 27.1 ... NFS

V Creek Leo (2007 - TONS of UK genetics and lots of different ram lines) ... 25.8 4.5 17.5 ... currently NFS

WillowGarden Liberia AI (2007 - F1 Glayva out of a domestic, spotted ewe) ... 26.5 6.4 24.2 ... NFS

Harmony Marsh Lily (2008 - mainly domestic, with lines going back to my Bon Creek Cleome and Dailley Iris - likely a poll carrier) ... 21.2 5.4 25.2 ... NFS

WillowGarden Linyanti AI (2007 - fi Hornblower - extension dominant) ... 29.0 4.9 16.9 ... NFS

WillowGarden Macaroon (2008 - out of Bramble Nick and an F Lightning) ... 23.8 5.2 22.1 ... NFS

WillowGarden Mandella AI (2007 - F1 Hornblower, F3 Timothy, F3 Greyling) ... 29.0 6.7 23.1 ... dissapointing AFD, but NFS

Harmonay Marsh November (2008 - some UK genetics, and a poll carrier) ... 26.8 7.0 26.0 ... NFS

WillowGarden Nubia AI (2007 - F1 Hornblower, F3 Drum Jings, extension dominant) ... 28.5 5.2 18.3 ... NFS

WillowGarden Olive (2008 - F2 Glayva out of a Great Plains domestic ewe) ... 24.7 6.1 24.8 ... NFS

WillowGarden Opal (2008 - out of V Creek Hummer and an F1 Hornblower ewe) ... 25.3 5.3 20.8 ... NFS

WillowGarden Papaya (2006 - mainly domestic ewe with polled genetics) ... 24.1 4.1 16.9 ... NFS

Windwater Petunia (2006 - mainly domestic) ... 29.2 7.1 24.3 ... may be FOR SALE (I am keeping one of her ram lambs out of Holiday)

Veliraf Plum (2002 - domestic with a very even fleece) ... 32.5 6.1 18.9 ... did not lamb this year ... will likely cull

Windwater Rogue (2005 - domestic) ... 29.2 9.6 32.9 ... FOR SALE now, or as a bred ewe in the Fall

WillowGarden Rwanda (2007 - Bramble Nick X SheltrgPines Irene horned daughter0 ... 28.8 6.1 21.1 ... leased from Harmonay Marsh and to be returned

Great Plains Sara AI (1999 - F1 Lightning) ... 25.3 4.9 19.5 ... NFS

Hopeful Sarah (2008 - mainly domestic double patterned) ... 26.5 6.6 25.0 ... NFS

WillowGarden Schnapps (2008 - F2 Greyling, F2 Glayva, F4 Timothy, F4 Greyling) ... 25.7 6.7 26.2 ... NFS

WillowGarden Smirnoff (2008 - Bramble Nick X WillowGarden Billie Holiday) ... 24.6 6.6 27.0 ... NFS

Willowgarden Snickertini (2008 - out of V Creek Hummer and an F1 Greyling ewe, double patterned) ... 26.0 6.4 24.6 ... NFS

WillowGarden Sundae (2007 - mainly domestic, but with some UK genetics through Winter Sky Dainty) ... 33.6 7.1 21.1 ... FOR SALE now, or as a bred ewe list Fall

Windwater Therese (2008 - domestic) ... 29.4 8.0 27.1 ... FOR SALE now or as a bred ewe in the Fall

WillowGarden Tabasco (2008 - out of an F1 Glayva ram and FirthofFirth Marsala Chai who has tons of UK lines behind her) ... 28.9 8.1 28.0 ... currently NFS as she is Pete's favourite

WillowGarden Tootsie Roll (2008 - out of Underhill Thelonius Monk and an Island Brent daughter) ... 28.7 7.8 27.0 ... currently NFS as I'd like a Holiday daughter out the Brent line

WillowGarden TripleSec (2008 - out of an F1 Glayva ram and SheltrgPines Agnes of Rome) ... 26.5 6.6 24.9 ... NFS

Great Plains Tulip (2000 - F2 Jamie, F2 Greyling) ... 28.7 7.0 24.3 ... NFS

WillowGarden Tunisia AI (2007 - F1 Glayva, F3 Jamie, F3 Greyling) .. 29.8 6.2 20.9 ... NFS

UnderTheSon Two Bars (2008 - out of UnderTheSon Torvus AI and UnderTheSon Ellie) ... 22.8 5.2 23.1 ... NFS

WillowGarden Lake Victoria AI (2007 - F1 Hornblower, F2 Lightning - extension dominant) ... 29.1 7.1 24.3 ... NFS

Harmany Marsh Willow (2008 - mostly domestic out of an Iris son and WillowGarden Tracy Chapman) ... 22.2 5.6 25.4 ... NFS

WillowGarden Zambia AI (2007 - F1 Glayva out of Great Plains Tulip - extension dominant) ... 27.4 7.7 28.1 ... NFS

phew

Thanks to anyone who actually read this through to the end ... hehehe

We Interupt The Chat About New Rams For THIS Late Breaking Story ...

Look at what I just bought!!! ... hehehe.

It is a Kubota BX 2360 Estate Tractor, which makes me sound richer than I really am ... hehehe

It has a 54" mower deck, a front end loader, and a 48" front mount, two stage snowblower (coming soon).
There are lots of other attachments for it available as well, but I think these three will be a good start.

Life at Willow Garden, which is always good ... just got a little bit easier ... :-)

More New Genetics!

This is Lil'Country Greyson. He is a double patterened (At/Ag) ram. I desparately needed a double patterned ram for my extension dominant ewes and boy am I happy to be buying THIS guy!

I am buying him from Karen Valley and Meghan (Winter Time Shetlands), but he is from Juliann Budde's breeding again. He also adds a whole new line of polled genetic possibilities to my flock!

His micron results, in his second fleece are ... AFD 21.9 ... SD 4.9 ... CV 22.2. Pretty good as far as I am concerned!

So ... Greyson is number two ram coming from the US this Fall. I'll highlight number three soon ... and then tease you all with numbers four and five ... OH MY GAWD are four and five amazing acquisitions for Canada ... to have these guys here in Canada will be such a gift!!!!

Thank you Karen and Meghan for this opportunity ... :-)

More later ... ;-)

New Genetics

I thought I'd take a moment to introduce a new ram that is coming to Canada if he continues to develop the way that he is. He is from Juliann Budde's polled breeding program.His sire, pictured above is Sommarang Eragon S25849 . The link is to his NASSA pedigree. He has some interesting lines in his background. He is polled. He was micron tested in his second fleece ...AFD - 23.9 ... SD - 5.4 ... CV - 22.6.The dam, pictured above with my new little guy is Lil'Country Cleopatra .

Anyone who follows this blog knows that I have a very soft spot for pink noses ... :-)

Mr. Pink Nose, as Juliann calls him has not yet been named. I'm leaving that up to Juliann ... but it needs to be something better than 'Mr. Pink Nose'!

;-)

He is growing into an attractive ram. He should introduce some much needed new lines into my polled breeding program.

He won't be making the trip to Canada alone ... but you'll have to wait for introductions of the other(s) ... ;-)

Wellington Times Local Newspaper - Article

You'll have to click on the image to see it big enough to read.

Will, the budding sheep farmer that he is, looked soooo cute.

Grandpa, on the other hand ... Where DID he get all of those chins? ... hehehe

Open House, Sheep Shearing, Lamb Romp & 4H Barbecue

Once again, I got so busy with my shearing event that I forgot to take out my camera. Fortunately, my friend Greg came out from the big city and then emailed me the pictures that he took. Thank you, Greg!

My shearer is 6'5" and has always maintained that he didn't notice a difference when shearing my Shetlands. This year, he confessed that it is harder on his back bending way over for these little guys ... :-)

My friend, Elizabeth Ralston, came out and spun for the day. She had a display that showed the process from sheep to garment. She also bought a heap of fleeces. Thank you for taking the time to be part of the day Elizabeth!
Nora was totally NOT impressed with all of the people who came. She spend most of the day hiding behind the lilacs, but did come out to say 'Hi!' to Greg.

I think that the 4H kids did well with their barbecue, but I haven't heard an official figure yet.

We'll do it all again on the first Saturday in June, 2010.