It feels so good to have taken control of my life once again! I have sold many wonderful sheep, some of whom were old friends ... and I am down to six ewes and three ewe lambs that I will be keeping.
The selection process was difficult, but I did my best to be sure that all of the best rams that I imported are represented in what is staying here.
Here they are ... my Willow Garden flock ...
WillowGarden Ottawa ... a black ewe out of WillowGarden Macaroon (a Bramble Nick daughter) ... and North Wind Holiday
WillowGarden Ameliasburgh ... a modified black ewe out of HarmonyMarsh Autumn (genetics from the best that Harmony Marsh produced, IMHO) ... and V Creek Leo (about the nicest ram I ever owned)
WillowGarden Bloomfield ... a black gulmoget katmoget, out of WillowGarden Snickertini (heavily line bred on Enfield Greyling) ... and V creek Leo
WillowGarden Jean Harlowe ... a moorit yuglet flecket katmoget ewe, out of HarmonyMarsh Lilly ( again, genetics from the best that Harmony Marsh produced, IMHO) ... and North Wind Holiday. This lamb was born the night that Gene passed away. Shortly after he died, I went out to check my sheep and this lamb was there. She is a total pet that can undo most any gate ... really annoying. I keep threatening to sell her ... but I can't just yet ... :-)
WillowGarden Kanata ... a fawn (modified colour) gulmoget katmoget ewe, out of Spring Water Eve (many of finest ram lines that I imported from the US and the UK) ... and Wintertime Red Velvet (an AWESOME, fine fleeced ram)
Nier Lakes 315405977 AI ... a white / katmoget ewe out of a Nier Lakes ewe with Whistlestop genetics ... and Todhill Glayva (semen imported from Scotland)
WillowGarden Gale Force ... a black gulmoget katmoget out of WillowGarden Bloomfield ... and WillowGarden Clinton (Todhill Glayva grandson out of Lil'Country Greyson)
WillowGarden Cheery ... a black Ag gulmoget out of WillowGarden Collingwood (another Red Velvet daughter) ... and WillowGarden Clinton (Todhill Glayva grandson out of Lil'Country Greyson)
Bueulah, a Cormo / cross ewe lamb out of WillowGarden Guinea (F1 Glayva extension dominant ewe) ... and a purebred Cormo ram, Douglas.
Besides these nine sheep, there will be some assistants ... Doug, our orange cat ... and his brother Bob, who was not around for the photo shoot today ... will continue with 'rat patrol'.
All of the sheep will stay in one group and be protected by Bonnie, who is the best LG dog that I have ever had.
I'll try to get pictures of the ram I will use to breed my tiny flock tomorrow. He'll move to a new farm December 1st, so there will just be the nine females and Bonnie over the winter ... :-)
3 comments:
Good choices Bill. I miss my Shetlands and wish I could have kept a few but the control factor is really important these days. I think you will enjoy the reduced stress tremendously.
I seriously enjoy seeing what everyone has for sheep, it's like a tour of your farm, thank you.
Cynthia, you did see that Avyt won Grand Champion Ram at the MSSBA show this year under Kate Sharp and Alan Hill, the judges from the UK? I have an Avyt son in my pasture too. Awesome rams, both of them.
Nice looking flock Bill! And you'll enjoy not having so many. I'm in the process of doing the same thing not knowing if I'll be able to stay on the farm yet or not.
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