NH Homesteader's journal

[NH Homesteader]

It's that time... going to tap some trees today! Just doing a few for fun this year. Won't have as much as normal but that's ok. Gotta get that buckling weighed and dosed too...

 

[NH Homesteader]

Got none of that done yesterday. Oops. So. Going to CDT and toltrazuril that buckling today, weigh the sheep and check their hooves, deworm them since I never did that when we got them (oops) since warm weather is coming (I know, I know, fecals but meh), we already gave Rosie some ivermectin because her coat looks awful, and... I think that's it. Then we hope to tap those darn trees.

DH is painting the office at his work this week so he has to go in odd hours so he's not in the way. whatever, frees up some daylight hours. Except his stupid annoying friend is sucking up all his time with things HE needs done... my patience is gone with that one and DH is too nice to tell him off. I might have to be the bad guy.... oy. I've been nice for 5 years of this nonsense. I'm done!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you today. Did ya get the trees tapped so I can get jealous over homemade maple syrup? Hope DH has some time to do things at home!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Got everything done except tapping trees. Which is fine because critters are more important. But we can do trees tomorrow (I think). I smell like a sheep. Ew... lol. My sheep are only 60lbs! They're so itty bitty! Patty's buckling is 18lbs! That's pretty big for a 4 week old 60%Nigerian baby.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yay for crossing things off the list! Do sheep smell as bad as goats, lol? They're gonna look so tiny when they get sheared!

Your little guy isn't so little for a mostly Nigi kid.
'
Hope you get those trees tapped!

 

[NH Homesteader]

I mean they don't smell like bucks, lol. But they smell strong to me, it isn't a bad smell except it's pretty unpleasant when you're cooking dinner!

No he's a big kid who hogs all the milk. Patty doesn't hold her weight well with kids, regardless of how much I feed her. I may not breed her again honestly. She's such a doll, she may be a pasture friend for my kinder(s)/babysitter of weaned kids! We'll see, definitely she's getting next year off.

I don't know what DH is doing tomorrow but I'm hoping tapping is on his list!

 

[baymule]

My sheep don't have a strong small. I can wallow in the sheep lot and I don't stink, at least , not like VERY minimal contact with a goat buck. I walked one off our trailer to a pen at an auction and I positively stunk.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Maybe there's a difference between wool sheep and hair sheep? Maybe it's the lanolin in the wool or something else? I dunno….

However, I do know that after you've been at a goat show all day and a bunch of exhibitors go to dinner together they either seat you outside or give you a separate room, lol!

 

[tortoise]

I think the smell is the lanolin. The fleeces stank like it until they're washed thoroughly. After raising sheep you'll never want to eat bone-in mutton. Eww. The marrow smells like that. I don't use lamb or sheep bone for broth, no one in my family will drink it.

 

[NH Homesteader]

Lol. I can imagine the smell of goat in a nice restaurant! That makes sense it would be the lanolin. I mean my goat does don't stink so I assumed it was the wool, not the actual sheep.

Lessons from keeping sheep and goats- sheep are much harder to catch, but when you have a good grip on them they (mostly) just quit. Goats will run right up to you and let you grab hold of them (the friendly ones anyway). But when you have a good grip on them they fight harder lol.

@tortoise how do you wash fleeces without felting them? I hear shetland felts quite easily so I'll have to be especially careful!

Charlotte still has 4 babies and I love them. I could be a pig hoarder I think.