Peidgrees and Prices

Dear Friends,

I am scrambling to catch up to all of my sheep related chores.  I will be posting more photos of the animals that I have for sale as soon as I can get better pictures.  Weaned ram lambs earlier this week and am astonished by how large they look now that they are on their own.  I have an updated price list (just email me if you would like to look at it) and also an information package if you are not familiar with BFL's and how they can contribute to commercial flocks as meat animals as well as producing fantastic fibre. 

And speaking of fibre, I took three BFL fleeces to the Oregan Black Sheep Gathering - Judge Judith McKenzie and placed 1st, 2nd and 6th in a class of 12 BFL fleeces from 7 or 8 breeders.  I was pretty proud of my little flock!

Will try and post a photo of the shawl that I entered in the Spinner's Lead competition - all handspun BFL.  It is one of the few projects that I have actually completed (thank goodness that you can always spin some more when you are spinning your own wool!).

Now back to catching up in the garden!

RAN218X Ewe Bitterroot Silvie X Autumn Hills Finnegan

Bitterroot Silvie is an AI quad daughter of Barlaes Titan out of Bitterroot Maureen.  Silve produced quads herself this year when bred to Autumn Hills Finnegan. There were two ewes and two ram lambs.  The two ewes will both be registered as Black Patterned - as you can see from this photo.  Not quite as large as some of the other lambs born this spring but catching up fast.  Good bone, good length, good fleece characteristics!

RAN213X Ewe Dana X Carlin

Dana is a Beeston Blackmoor grandaughter bred to an AI son of Carryhouse 281 R1 an Elite plus sire in the UK.  Carlin is solid with excellent bone and good fleece.  Dana is a mid range ewe who fed twins this spring without losing a huge amount of condition.  Easy keeping is perhaps how you would express it.

RAN210X and 211X Koenig Viola X Autumn Hills Finnegan

Not the greatest photo of two of the triplets, but the best I have - if you look on the Female Photo page, you will see a better photo taken in late June I think so there has been quite a bit of growth since then!  Viola is another Beeston Blackmoor daughter bred to Autumn Hills Finnegan ( a Heinz Talisker son- great grandson of Beeston Titan).  Finney is slightly finer boned that Carlin and has an excellent fleece.  Viola nursed all three triplets.  I supplemented them for a period of about 3 weeks before the flock got out on grass and that was all. 

RAN206X Ewe Bokiddick x Carlin

Koenig Bokiddick is a Beeston Blackmoor daughter - that is her hind end in the photo - look at that udder and the shape that it is in on a 2006 model.  This lamb is what - look at the bone and sturdy legs that she has under her.  Another lamb with great fleece and great prospects.

RAN202 Ewe Koenig Mae x Carlin

Lamb is very growthy with excellent fleece prospects.  I am also looking for animals with strong feet and legs.  Koenig Mae is a Beeston Blackmoor daughter which means that she carries colour.  Although this lamb is white, it is possible that she too could produce coloured lambs.  I do have semen coming on a coloured ram from the UK.

May Showers and June Flowers

Mike and I managed to get away for a couple of weeks in the middle of May and visited London (4 days) and toured Ireland for the rest of the time available to us (about 8 days plus 1 day of travel at each end). It is an absolutely beautiful country and I saw more sheep, cattle and horses than I could count. In the south and west the sheep seem to be primarily Scottish Blackface so I was disappointed not to see more evidence of BFL Mule flocks ... but then from a travelling car, it is hard to see the details! Regardless, it was wonderful to be away and equally wonderful to return home!

We have had lots and lots of rain over the last two weeks sl all worries about moisture and forest fire dangers have subsided for the moment. The germination on our newly seeded pastures has been excellent, but I am officially ready for some sunshine now to make it all grow!

As a result of plowing up and reseeding so much ground, grass is short around here and I am still supplementing the feed supply with hay. In spite of this, the lambs are growing well and the Moms are finally starting to put on some weight. I have added some photos taken last week between showers of some of this year's lamb crop. I will be adding more photos when I can. I will be posting copies of pedigrees for those who are interested.

I have reserved four of my finest BFL fleeces to take with me to the Black Sheep Gathering and then on to Olds Fibre Week. The National Bluefaced Leicester Show is going to be held in conjunction with the Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, so the competition will be stiff. In addition, I am madly working to complete a shawl made from my own BFL fibre for Spinner's Lead competion. It has been a busy few weeks already with the coming month looking even busier!

If you would like a copy of my Tentative Sales List please email me and I will send it along!

Now, off to get more stuff planted in the garden!