Spring tumbled by fast! Our retired dairy ewes are fat on Montana's "speed-grow" grass. All the wild life here--forage, animals, weeds etc-- grows "hell-bent for leather" fast in June. In 3 days our pastures went from modest to scary!
We are still glad we did not breed the ewes for spring lambs.....but about April I needed a lamby-fix. We enjoyed a visit to Warner Sheep Ranch in Ft. Shaw. Diane and John raise about 300 Targhee crosses for wool and meat. The lambs were-- as always--adorable. The sweet, warm smells of a full lambing barn may not dance on everyone's senses like they do mine....but it was heaven to me!
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| bums at Warners |
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| Square Butte gives Warner's ranch a picturesque backdrop |
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| speckle-faced cutey |
In April, our Deacon informed me she was preaching the Good Shepherd's Sunday sermon and she needed an ovine primer. The Deacon is a spinner and weaver--though admittedly not recently. She knows about fiber--but not the "producer". After telling me she had learned that "sheep are stupid", I told her she better come meet my stupid sheep and make her own judgement. Our Deacon had a lovely "sheep meet and greet" with my girls, who confided to her that they are not stupid.
In March I enjoyed selling fiber at the Fresh Food Forum in Great Falls. I sold 2 Wool CSAs. What IS a CSA?? It stands for Customer Supported Agriculture. SO....2 people paid for 2 "sheep's worth" of wool from our 2015 wool clip. This comes out to about 3 lbs washed and carded. I agree to skirt and wash the wool and send it to the local mill, Sugarloaf Mill in Hall MT. Some folks want a blend of colors, either Natural or white. My 2 girls Dinah and Lucy obliged by each donating half of their fleeces. The CSA customers get updates and pics of the sheep they got wool from, plus invites to skirt and wash the fiber with me. Soon, 2 new fiber enthusiasts will have their first taste of local Freisian wool roving for marvelous creations! Two Wool CSAs are still available for this year. Call or email for more info. See the Sales page for prices.
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| Mission Mountains |
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| Mission Mt. Sheep Dairy |
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| Bring on the dairy queens at Mission Mt. Sheep Dairy |
Last Saturday wore dramatic storm showers accessorized by sun drenches. Rob and I made a one-day dash; 5 hours each way; to Ronan MT in spectacular Flathead Valley. Sandra Nolan purchased bred Fresian ewes from Black Sheep Creamery in WA state last fall. She just received her Grade A Dairy license for her new business, Mission Mt. Sheep Dairy. The dairy ewes all looked familiar.....we know many of their relatives! Sandra's dairy is first class and comfortably small. Their place is warmly handcrafted and beautiful! Good luck to Sandra and Gary!
We are still glad we did not breed the ewes for spring lambs.....but about April I needed a lamby-fix. We enjoyed a visit to Warner Sheep Ranch in Ft. Shaw. Diane and John raise about 300 Targhee crosses for wool and meat. The lambs were-- as always--adorable. The sweet, warm smells of a full lambing barn may not dance on everyone's senses like they do mine....but it was heaven to me!
