Barter

If you follow my blog, you know that I live in a fairly small space ... which I love ... and that I share it with my friend Peter, and I am pretty fond of him as well ... ;-).

Well ... recently I met a young woman named Meagan, who has Shetland sheep and wants more. But Meagan has the COOLEST parents ... Steve and Sylvie ... who approached me with an idea for a barter. I LOVE barter!

Today, Meagan left here with four AWESOME ewes!

This is part one of the barter ... hanging over my dining room table. Is it not beautiful!
Here it is without the flash ... and with the camera held in my shaky hands.

There is also a beautiful window panel that won't get hung until I am home from Kellowknife ... and a smaller shade that will go on a bedside/night light lamp.

I am so happy with this barter ... and I am sure that my ewes that were sold in exchange are as well.

Off to begin the trip to Yellowknife in 21 hours ... woo hoo!!

New Cattle

First up is Hope. Hope will need to be tamed down a bit as the first time someone went near her paddock ... she went over a fence ... and then another fence ... and finally a third fence that got her back in with her friends. She is going to live with my friends Heidi and Steve, along with Razzle Dazzle, who is 'in with the bull', and Millie, who was 'in with the bull' about 8 months ago. They are all leaving for their new home in later September. Hope will be tamed down by then ... we all hope ... hehehe
These two are mine. In front is Valean Kerra's Promise. Behind is Valean Faith's Joy. They are out of old dun cows and they are much tamer than their friend Hope!
Of Course, girls will be girls ... and the rough and tumble play between heifers that were already here ... Whiskers and Winka ... and the new girls ... is in full gear! That is Winka in front. She has put on some weight and appears to be in pretty decent condition.

16 year old Valean's Faith also came ... but she didn't like being confined ... and managed to get in with the main herd ... and the bull. Seems that she was cycling and thus had NO interest in staying where I wanted her to be. More about her later.

For those who are keeping count ... I will overwinter five cows and 4 yearling heifers here at Willow Garden ... along with a yearling bull, a bull calf, and a steer calf.

Sale List - Rams

Well ... I don't have pictures yet, but I have had a LOT of interest so I am listing what I have / had available.

• WillowGarden Toronto, the double gulmoget out of Canadian and Dillon lines ... is sold.

• WillowGarden Subury, the awesome black out of WillowGarden Absolut and North Wind Holiday ... is sold

• WillowGarden Ingersoll, an AWESOME black katmoget ram lamb out of WillowGarden Grenadine and Wintertime Red Velvet ... scurred ... amazing fleece ... could be for sale ... although I'd want first right of refusal on his lambs ... $350

• WillowGarden Richard Geere is an awesome yearling black katmoget scurred ram. He was the ONE that I kept over from all of the ram lambs born last year. He is smaller, with perfect conformation and an amazing fleece. He is out of WillowGarden Gin and North Wind Holiday ... SOLD

• WillowGarden Picton is a wonderful black katmoget lamb out of a LOT of UK genetics. He is fully horned, has great conformation, and a wonderful fleece. He is out of WillowGarden Helen Hayes and V Creek Leo ... $250

• FirthofFifth Leo, is my finest mature ram. He has close horns that are clearing. He is NOT a clearance rpiced ram! He is a Dillon gulmoget without the side fading. He is shorter but very square and solid. If you buy him, you have to have or buy at least three of my ewes to breed him to ... and you have to bid on him. Something close to $500 will clinch the deal. Can you tell that I need cash to upgrade the Dexter herd? ... they need a less secure pasture ... and I love them as much as my Shetlands.

Sale List - Ewes

In order to guarantee adequate secure pasture for my flock, I have to reduce numbers yet again!

Here is a list of what is currently for sale. There is a $25 per animal discount if three or more are purchased.

My ram sale list is available upon request.

WillowGarden Snicketrini (S 28264), a 2008 grey gulmoget katmoget ewe ... out of Great Plains Isabell (F1 Greyling) and V Creek Hummer. This is a lovely quiet ewe, out of a favourite line ... $250 ... SALE PENDING
WillowGarden Vanessa Redgrave (to be registered), a 2009 ewe out of Dailley WH 85 and North Wind Holiday (F1 Holly). What a pretty and very correct ewe she is! ... $300 ... SALE PENDING
WillowGarden Napean, a 2010 moorit katmoget ewe lamb ... out of Spring Water Eve (S 30728) and Wintertime Red Velvet (S 27103). This little girl is out of two of the softest sheep I have ever owned. I am retaining her twin sister. ... SOLD
WillowGarden Milford, a 2010 black (may be emsket) ewe lamb with awesome fleece and conformation, and minor spotting ... out of HarmonyMarsh Willow (S 28967) and V Creek Leo (S 26365). This ewe carries spotting and modified colour genetics. ... RETAINED
WillowGarden Liberia (S 25719), a 2007 fawn (modified colour) katmoget ... out of WillowGarden Dorithy Lamour (spotted) and Todhill Glayva (through AI). A great opportunity to add Scottish genetics to your flock at a reasonable price. ... $250
WillowGarden Kitchener, a 2010 black katmoget ewe lamb ... out of WillowGarden Gin (S 28266) and V Creek Leo (S 26365). This is an awesome ewe lamb in every way ... $350
WillowGarden Jodi Foster (to be registered), a 2009 black ewe ... out of Hopeful Karen (S 28355) and North Wind Holiday (F1 Holly). This ewe doesn't have the softest fleece, but she has no white fibres, great conformation, and beautiful lock structure ... CULLED
Fibre Works Highwood (S 25423), a 2006 mioget flecket ewe ... out of Fibre Works Glissande (S20623) and Valley Road Jarrett (S 20590). This little girl will add wonderful things to any flock ... $250
WillowGarden Guelph, a 2010 grey gulmoget katmoget ewe lamb ... out of WillowGarden Opal (S 28270) and Wintertime Red Velvet (S 27103). This ewe carries moorit and will throw either a gulmoget or a katmoget lamb every time. She is a lovely ewe. I have retained her twin sister ... SOLD
WillowGarden Grenadine (S 28267), a 2008 black katmoget ewe ... out of WillowGarden Kazinga (F1 Glayva/F2 Lightning) and V Creek Hummer (S 23500). This is a larger, perfect ewe. She would be a great foundation ewe ... SALE PENDING
WillowGarden Gin (S 28266), a 2008 black katmoget ewe ... out of WillowGarden Kagera (S 28265) an F1 Glayva/F2 Lightning ewe and V Creek Hummer (S 23500). This is another tremendous foundation ewe with awesome genetics behind her ... SALE PENDING
WillowGarden Blythe, a 2010 black gumoget ewe lamb (Dillon lines) ... out of WillowGarden Guinea AI (S 25716) and Lil'Country Greyson (S 27840). This is a very 'typy' lamb who would be a great addition to any flock ... SOLD

Additions to Sheep Sale List!

Tomorrow ... I will add some ewes and ewe lambs that I was going to keep to my sale list. It is not yet the middle of August and the pasture that is 'secure' cannot support my flock. I need to reduce further.

Trust me ... these additions will be ... awesome ... and sheep not normally for sale. But I have to keep my flock safe! Looks like there will be just 20 ewes to breed and then 7 ewe lambs to retain for evaluation. My hope is to over-winter 8 rams, with the rest 'leased' to 'friendly farms'.

Pictures and info to follow!

Pretty Cow ... :-)

I think that this cow is one of the prettiest Dexters that I have ever seen. I met her Thursday, at John McGriskin's farm, Dreamach Acres. John has a really nice herd, with a good mixture of black, red and dun ... unlike mine that has been just black ... up until today (Friday)!

I just bought this cow!! ... Aldebaran Hollis. She arrives early next week ... and is due to calve soon. She is bred to Dreamland Samson. Hollis is 12 years old, but should have a few good years left in her. Both her, and the sire of her calf have some nice older genetics in their pedigrees.

I have one more older dun Dexter that I hope to confirm purchase of this weekend ... Valean's Faith. She is 14 and a grand old lady ... :-). I am also purchasing two yearlings out of Valean's Faith, and Valean's Kerra, another older dun cow. Both of these are sired by a red bull.

This will have me at 11 cows, but three of them are sold, so I'll just have eight. And three of them are yearlings that won't be bred for another year. So ... I'll have 5 cows 'in production'.

LIFE IS GOOD!

:-)

A Possible New Bull

Here is a bull that I am interested in. He has AWESOME genetics behind him.

He is also young enough that he isn't massive ... yet.

First thing though is to get off some tail hairs for genetic testing to be sure that he is free of PHA and Chondro.