Lambing 2009

Lambing came and went quickly...though I might have said otherwise after seemingly endless nights with little sleep!

I was definitely envying the warmer southern states when I had to bundle up to make my every 2 hour barn checks through the night, determined to be there as witness to any new arrivals!

We happily ended up with 80% ewes, and only one first time mum who singled. We were very thankful that God chose to bless this season with healthy multiples and lots of color varieties!

I have to show you a picture of the first arrivals, twin girls named Libby and Panda. Both affectionate, Libby takes it a step beyond and doesn't allow you to forget she's there, demanding a scratch. Sweet girls, and of course so much fun. Just in case you've also tried to figure out Icelandic sheep color genetics...one twin was black and white, the other was moorit and white. You just never know...

Enjoy!

ISBONA Quarterly Publication Spring 2009

Blue and shivering at a -15 Celsius in Manitoba (there is a heat wave today), we are getting prepared for a much anticipated event. We will soon be trading one type of flurries for another!

When winter ends and takes its wet, freezing flurries with it, we will gladly note the change. Soon will come the welcoming of our new additions…the flurry of fluffy arrivals in the form of spring lambs!

While lambing is one of our most exciting (and tiring?) times, it does bring some necessary considerations along with it.

For instance, if you have a lamb that needs to be bottle raised, who gets to be the bum’s mum? Does that distinction go to a ewe, or to you?

Whether or not you plan to make a business out of milking your sheep, hand milking should be an active art, not a lost one. Collecting and freezing colostrums and extra quantities of milk may very well save a needy little lamb one day.

With lambing season fast approaching, it is a good time to be thinking about how we are going to provide full bellies for our lambs should that suddenly become our new nursery duty.

Without a freshened goat or a milking cow on hand, and with no frozen milk in the freezer, I was quite impressed when I went to purchase milk replacement powder to have on hand. I was most impressed by the incredibly high price for something dry and powdery, in a very small bag. Neither the bag of powder nor my grocery fund will last long at this rate.

That leaves me for one, glad to know that some of these wooly ladies of mine will have milk to spare. Next year won’t find my freezer empty of liquid gold if I can help it! I will not need to run to the nearest farm supply for my farm fodder.

Filling fresh baby bottles and stocking the nursery freezer with milk is probably the most elementary reason to be glad our sheep are excellent milk producers.

Whether our goal is to eat cheese, market cheese, raise meat lambs, or sell breeding stock, we are all depending on healthy, thriving, and growing lambs. So roll up those sleeves and get your milking pail out! Or if you live in a climate like mine, slip out of your enormous parka and try not to slip on the ice while waddling to the milking stand in your Frankenstein styled boots.

While we all see the value of milking sheep at a basic level, the consideration of Icelandic sheep being used as commercial dairy sheep is controversial in some circles. Granted, not all sheep are created equal.

The dairy aspect is not a goal that is being specifically bred for in every flock, so naturally we can expect to find that some bloodlines are going to be much milkier than others.
In our flock selection and culling practices, we will need to take into account not only the amount of milk given by each ewe, but the confirmation of the ewe and her udder itself. Not all udders are equally easy to milk by hand or machine.

There are also other pros and cons that need to be taken into consideration regarding breeds and individual sheep selection. If you compare Icelandic sheep to Friesians, you might find commercial dairy production to differ, however there is also hardiness and health to consider. Think of the other byproducts such as wool and meat that must be added to the mix as well. Do your research, and be sure to look at the big picture.

Icelandic sheep have been used in commercial dairies, but again, selection of your specific flock needs to be done knowledgeably and carefully to ensure success. It is also necessary to have your farm and business goals in mind.

Once your selection of a flock has been made, the next step is to be diligent in maintaining high health levels. This is necessary if the ewes are going to produce greater volumes of milk. I can attest to maintaining these health levels being both a challenge and a progressive learning experience, but one that is absolutely essential if we expect our ewes to raise strong lambs and give us the cream of the crop!

Here is a closing note of interest to all of us. In Iceland, sheep milking has not been commercially practiced in decades. That is open to change however. Recently, a couple of farms in Iceland agreed to cooperate in experiments being made with milking sheep on their farms, and in November of 2008 a small quantity of sheep cheese was once again marketed in Iceland.

It will be interesting to see the results of their endeavor. We wish them the best and hope that their project will be an inspiration and educational tool for all of us.

Regardless of the short or long term goals for the dairy aspect of your flock, no time is too soon to begin working towards it.

So for now get the lambing kits in order, and shine up the milking pails. Spring is coming! The best to all of you and yours in lambing season.

ISBONA Winter 2009 Publication

"The Third Purpose"

“Per cent-anni!” you shout to the rapturous newlyweds as you lift your sparkling glass, joining in the traditional Italian wedding toast that wishes them “a hundred years”.

Settling comfortably back into your chair, the servers begin to bring out the first of fourteen courses, each a culinary masterpiece. This day and this meal have been highly anticipated. Everyone, including you, is festive and exuberant.

You’re in Italy, the home of Romeo and Juliet, fiery romance, exquisite food, and some of the world’s finest dining.

Before the night is old, another beautifully arranged plate is placed on the linen clad table in front of you. Crunching into the cannulicchi, you recognize that inside the delicately fried dough lies the real jewel. Rich and soft, a ricotta cheese subtly sweetened with a hint of cinnamon and orange. It has a slender sweetness and a slight tang, an absolutely divine delight. Let’s not forget to mention that this peerless treat is sheep cheese!

Okay, you might not ever actually be invited to a wedding in Sicily, or dine in an aristocratic home rented simply for the happy occasion. Then again who knows, maybe you have better connections then I do, and you will!

In any case, look out your window, count your sheep, and then count yourself privileged. You have unlimited potential income walking around outside—Dairy sheep!

The fact that Icelandic Sheep are a triple purpose breed became one of the many deciding factors that caused us to finally choose this breed above all others. To us, triple purpose meant one job, three potential paychecks. Okay, I’ll add the disclaimer that workload may vary, even considerably, for hopefully 200 or more days out of the year.

For centuries, sheep milk and sheep cheese has been sought after and enjoyed all around the world. It has served purposes from survival to luxuriously pampering oneself. It has met health needs for other livestock and humans alike.

In future articles, we’ll explore the potential, the needs, and the possibilities of sheep dairying. There is truly nothing new under the sun, and this is not a wheel that needs to be reinvented. However, we’ll look at what it means for us today, as homesteaders and entrepreneurs in a very commercially minded world.

As you glean through the information presented in the Dairy articles, consider whether sheep dairying is a viable option for you and your family. As breeders, the more we can enthusiastically help each other by sharing information and experience, the more likely that we will all be capable of making wise and profitable decisions.

Whether your goal is simply to reach a higher level of self-sustenance, or to see every avenue for additional farm income utilized, I hope that the contributions put forth in the Dairy Section of this newsletter will equip you to reach your full potential.

Regarding workloads, I have some good news that I can’t resist sharing. It only takes two hands to milk a ewe! That is of course unless you want to use equipment. I heard a lady once say that if God had wanted her to milk a cow, He’d have given her four hands.

So here is a toast to all of you, to help your hard-earned farms and invaluable Icelandic Sheep continue to reach ALL of their potential and purpose for many years to come. Per cent-anni!

ISBONA Quarterly Publication

This winter kept us busy trudging through endless freezing snow, and still trying to keep up with everything and everyone! Blogging posts fell somewhere lower on the list, so now I'll try to play catch up.

One new project that I was happy to begin over the winter was becoming the Dairy Editor for the Icelandic Sheep Breeders of North America (ISBONA). They publish a quarterly newsletter, and for me, that means tons of research and a bit of writing to get an article submitted on time!

Once the articles appear in the publication, I will also post a copy here for those interested but who may not suscribe to the ISBONA newsletter.

By the way...if you have a passion for Icelandic sheep, I highly recommend the newsletter. There have been some very informative contributions from all across North America, written by the Shepherds that have been there done that. I've learned much from them as we continue on our venture as well.

You can check out the ISBONA website at www.isbona.com Stop in and check out the great resources available to you!

Your Turn...ask the questions. Share the answers.

Like I mentioned before, I will be updating, adding information, and sharing tutorials as we go along.

Since our farm blog is still in creation mode here, I'd love to have your input.

Is there a question related to fibre or livestock that you would like to see addressed? Let me know, it will help me prioritize the articles to be published first. And if it's something I'm not sure of, it will give me an excuse to do some more research.

If you have tips or creative ideas to share, please don't hesitate, let's all find out together!

Fibre Arts and Crafts...Share ideas!

Here on the farm, my primary focus with the animals is the Icelandic Sheep, while Curt's focus is more on the Dexter cattle. While we do share responsibility (and chores), I am the lover of wool, fibre, and research.

Have you discovered the endless possibilities of creating something with fibre and wool? It can be washed (not my most favorite part), and carded, and spun, and dyed, and felted, and needle felted...there's no limit other than your imagination! I'll warn you though... it's addictive. And it requires storage space (see the picture). Lots of storage space.

Later on I'll be posting some tutorials on washing and dyeing that raw fibre. It's not hard, not even terribly technical. And we can do it using things you alread have around the house, provided you get ready with some rubber gloves.

Is there a particular fibre art or type of wool that is a favorite of yours? Share it with me, and maybe I'll even share your ideas with the others here! Who knows, if I've never tried it, maybe I'll even give it a go.

By the way, this is a picture of our youngest lounging on some of this year's fleeces. She won't get much accomplished that way, but she sure is having fun.