Can you feel it? There’s a hint of Fall in the air. Night-time temps have cooled-down a bit making for comfortable sleeping. I’ve been tempted (but resisting!) to put on a sweater in the wee early morning hours during chores.
The grass is growing again – nothing like a little rain and cooler temps to revitalize!
The daylight hours are noticeably shorter too. I’ve been delaying morning milking by 15 – 20 minutes, waiting for daybreak. Well, the fact of the matter is that the sun is rising later and I just have to turn on the barn lights now…and keep to my 6 a.m./6 p.m. milking schedule.
Since fair-week is over, I’ve been working overtime in the garden. I picked the ripe tomatoes and put 8 quarts in the freezer. Likewise, Matt & Sam helped to pick a small bushel of beans. I also managed to harvest my basil and made pesto for later use this winter.
Look at the size of my mammoth basil!
There’s no end in sight to all the lavender that needs harvesting (even the plants that I pruned back so heavily this Spring)!
I’ve separated the ram lambs from their dam and trimmed ALL the sheep’s feet, checking their condition as I go. I have an aged, ‘retired’ ewe (she’s 12) who’s lost all but two of her lower incisors…but she seems to be doing quite well!
Aging sheep…did you know?
The approximate age of a sheep can be determined by examining upper incisor teeth. At birth, lambs have eight baby (or milk) teeth or temporary incisors arranged on their lower jaw. They don’t have any teeth on their top jaw, only a dental pad.
At approximately one year of age, the central pair of baby teeth is replaced by a pair of permanent incisors. At age 2, the second pair is replaced by permanent incisors. At 3 and 4 years, the third and fourth pairs of baby teeth are replaced.
At approximately four years of age, a sheep has a full mouth of teeth. As she ages past four, her incisor teeth will start to spread, wear, and eventually break. When she’s lost some of her teeth, she’s called a “broken mouth” ewe. When she’s lost all her teeth, she’s called a “gummer.”
It’s funny how the weather forces us to re-prioritize our To-Do list, realizing that favorable outdoor working conditions are fleeting! I’ve been working on a few new/old ‘props’ that I’ll be using for my booth display at an upcoming fiber show at the Mt. Bruce Station Sheep & Wool Festival on September 24 & 25, 2011. Mark your calendars now and save-the-date!
Lately, it seems very difficult for me to steal away ANY ‘me-time’ to work on fiber projects! I know I’m not lazy (hee hee), but it’s a struggle keeping on task! So much to do…just have to remember to take little bites.
I’m looking forward to the smell of a wood fire…but, not too soon, please!!
Sheepy Hollow Farm 