Yes, things sure are changing around here - inside the house and out. Renauld who has been my main ram for 4 years has gone to spread his seed at another farm. He still belongs to me and I'll get him back when he's done in a year or two. He is actually rather valuable as sheep go. I accidentally made a fantastic purchase when I was just a newby to Icelandic sheep. He has amazing wool and lots of it and he makes good meat lambs and he's friendly (if a little overbearing at times... you can ask Dean about that who has been the recipient of a few 'friendly'... er... nudges) I have traded him (but not for keeps) with a fellow Icelandic Shepherd for this fellow. Kaetlyn and her family in Iceland have named him Thor. But you have to say it the Icelandic way which sounds more like Toor with a little breathiness for the 'h' after the T. See Thor (say it right, now!) there with that little black spot on his knee and that blaze on his nose? Remind you of anyone? Yes, me too. You're thinking
Draga, right? Of course you were because you follow all my sheep with great interest... right? Anyway, I am hoping for a spotted ewe lamb next year with a black spot on her knee and a blaze like that. Spotting is a recessive gene so this guy has 2 copies of it and I know Eirina carries one copy and I am hoping that her daughter, Lifa does, too. All that would give me a good chance at spotted lambs next year.
In the meantime, I am missing my big black ram. He had a powerful presence and the whole flock seems a little.... lost without him. He was the man in charge and now they're left with a boy for now...
More changes coming....
2 comments:
are spotted lambs more valuable, or do you just like them?
No Icelandic sheep are not more valuable based on colour or pattern. And I wouldn't want a whole herd of spotted sheep. But I want a spotted ewe like Draga. I like to have a mixture of different kinds so I have different kinds of wool.
Post a Comment