Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

I am devastated - I emailed Wes and Jane Patton about their annual spring sale and just got a reply from Wes (Dorper sheep breeder and judge that I got most of my foundation ewes from). His wife, Jane, passed away from cancer in December. We did not know she was even sick! She never looked sick and was always so happy and fun. This is horrible news. He is going to take 2 ewes to the show in Reno because Jane wanted him to but is having a hard time getting things together. I really enjoyed talking to them both and picking their brains for information, etc. She was such a lively person and like I said so much fun. I am in tears over this.

 

[canesisters]

Oh no, I'm so sorry.

 

[Baymule]

I’ve heard you mention them before. I’m sorry for this terrible news.

 

[SageHill]

Ah - Vacaville - CA Reds there or close.
As for the second guessing TX --- I hate to see CA lose good folks, but once you get there w/o the back and forth you'll be happy - less horse hooey, new things, and ya' never know it could end up a new country if the secede. But mostly less "peoply".

 

[murphysranch]

I'm sad for your bridge friends to lose 7 No Trump old man. He was prob a good player. And then your friend Jane? Its sometimes too much to take...Hugs.

Edited to add: decades ago I went to a lamb processing plant in Dixon. Toured the facility and learned alot. I wonder if its still there. Right off of 80.

"Superior Farms was founded in 1964 in Ellensburg, Washington, and in 1981, purchased the Dixon facility (which was originally built in 1923)."

“Our old plant was a 1920s vintage plant, so we were going to have to make some changes in the next five years or so. Our options were to try to redesign it bit by bit, not knowing what we might find when we peeled back the layers. Or just leave California altogether and work out of our Colorado plant. The third option was to build a completely new facility,” he explains. “We had to ask ourselves if we were committed to the American, and specifically the West Coast, lamb industry, and if we were committed to expanding the American lamb industry. If so, building a new plant in California was a must from a big picture standpoint.”

"California is the second-largest lamb producing state in the US,"

Source: https://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/19261-superior-farms-unveils-new-lamb-plant

 

[Ridgetop]

Started cleanup of tool shed. Got a lot of the tools in the travel toolboxes put back. Then put some of the empty boxes that hold the baby equipment up in the loft until time to put that equipment back in boxes and store - again in loft.

Another blow today - found out that Paul Lewis sold his entire flock to Charlie Robinson in Missouri. Charlie will continue n Lamb Plan and I have already contacted him about buying a ram. According to Paul Lewis he sold the entire flock and the flock name "Lewis White Dorpers" which Charlie is going to continue to use. Good business move on Charlie's part since Lewis White Dorpers are known all over the country. One good thing is that Charlie Robinson is in MIssouri so not too far from northeast Texas for ram pick-up. Assuming we ever get there! Although since we wil be going back and forth with trailer loads of stuff, bringing a ram back won't be a problem.

Did a lot of work on NSIP information from emails. Jake Thorne Texas A & M Agri wrote an article in the current issue of the dorper magazine about NSIP. Lots of Katahdin breeders are already on NSIP and we need more dorper breeders to get on the plan. I am checking into it to see if it is too expensive for a small flock. Found 4 or 5 Texas White dorper breeders on NSIP within a day's drive so will correspond with them tomorrow. Jake Thorne also recommended crossing with Katahdins for more resistance. If I decide to do that, I will only buy from NSIP parasite resistant flocks.

On the other hand, Jake also said that he bought a Paul Lewis ram in 2018 and used him in a parasite resistance program and found that he was highly resistant to Barber Pole. Lewis originally started with St. Croix and gradually built up with NSIP Australian stock. Apparently the Australians do a lot of parasite resistance testing on NSIP. I am hoping that my Lewis ram (also bought in 2018) will bring the same genetics to my flock. I still have 4 breeding age Lewis daughters, Baymule has 3 Lewis daughters, and I have 5 brand new Lewis daughters on the ground. Hopefully the Lewis genetics will be worm resistant. I also have 2 Lewis ewes that I am breeding to my Lewis ram. Only got one ewe from one of them, and sold the ram lamb. Maybe I should keep a ram lamb from a future Lewis x Lewis breeding if I get a really nice one. I do have a really nice Lewis son and if I buy another Lewis ram from Charlie Robinson, I can continue on the parasite resistance line. There is a lot of Lewis blood in the Wes Patton ewes I have also, and Wes also started with St. Croix ewes for his White Dorpers.

DH's birthday next Monday but we will celebrate this Sunday on Easter.

 

[Baymule]

You really like your Lewis ram and ewes already. Now this gives you even more reason to like them. It’s nice that the whole flock has sold, instead of being broken up and sold off all over the place. Once y’all move, Missouri won’t be that far away.

You wormed the Texas Five before bringing them to me. I haven’t checked them for parasites. Now they are out on the field and I’ll run a fecal test in a few weeks and we both will see where they are. They look good, haven’t lost weight over the move and took it all in stride.

 

[Ridgetop]

Hopefully they will not have heavy loads. However the real test will be staying clean over the spring and summer season on grass.

 

[Ridgetop]

Vaccinated, docked, and tagged yesterday. Moved the ewes with lambs into the creep pen. This is the earliest we have ever moved ewes with young lambs. We are trying it to see if they have bonded enough to get along. I don't like keeping them in the jugs for several weeks since we will eventually be lambing in series and will need the jugs for the new moms. These ewes lambed in the large pens and then we moved them into the jugs for several days. The oldest lambs are about a week old, the youngest lambs are only 3 days old. DS1 hates tagging that young but we need to ID them. I offered to tattoo the lambs (like we used to do the goats) this time and then tag when they are older but DS1 vetoed it. He hates tattooing. Anyway, I will be doing more cleaning of the tool shed today.

I made some calls about the Texas AgriLife NSIP program they are encouraging Dorper breeders to join. If it is not too expensive, I will join it. The paperwork and record keeping will be the most extensive. The initial fee is $100, plus $3.50 per breeding ewe. That fee covers the ewe for life. The amount paid tops out at $500. I need to make some more inquiries about the program and see how much it will cost every year.

There is also a program asking for loans of registered rams which the AgriLife will enroll in NSIP for a special parasite resistance study on their progeny. I am going to enroll Junior but am not sure is at 12 months he is too young. I sent an email to Jake Thorne asking for the requirements for the rams. Junior may be too young, but t s an opportunity to have him tested. There is a $750.00 fee to the owner, and the ram has to be delivered to San Angelo by May 1. That delivery date would work since we are heading to Texas the end of April. Junior's father is my Lewis ram who already has stats on the NSIP database. It is expensive but would give me data on everything especially parasite resistance on his progeny. Might not pay to do it but enquiries don't cost anything.

 

[Ridgetop]

Happy Easter!

We had a lovely Easter celebration and celebrated DH's birthday as well. His birthday is actually today but we wanted to do a nice big party so celebrated Easter and BD in one. DS2 Tragered a 12 lb. prime rib roast and 2 large tri-tips. Delicious! The entire 12 lb. prime rib and tri-trips disappeared by the end of dinner. There were 10 adults, 1 teenager, and 4 other children. I didn't count Robert because he eats very little. The Ridgetop clan are carnivores! The family room where I usually extend the table to seat everyone is so packed with baby and toddler gear that we couldn't extend the table! We ended up setting up 2 8' folding tables outside with plastic cloths and used pretty paper plates and plastic cups for our wine. The older grandchildren ate at the regular patio table instead of with us. We had a lovely feast and afterward, the grandchldren helpe dwith clean up. I did a load of dishes from cooking (DS2 is a messy chef) but we just threw away the paper plates. DH thought he was being funny when he demanded 80 candles n his cake. Since the kids had ordered a cake with fondant toppingwith last year's Easter photo on it, DD1 refused to ruin the pohoto. Instead she and DDIL2 collected all the candles they owned and lit them around the cake. DH was so surprised when they brought him in - especially since they told him they forgot to order a birthday cake!

DS3 and his 2 boys came down from Nipomo without DDIL1. The boys had kindly given her some bug that was doing the rounds in the school. We sent her some prime rib, tri-tip, sides, and cake. DS3 said he would come back to TX and help to out in the fence. Said to look into the new style fence post driver that attaches to tractors. Said he drove in a large wooden post for a new mailbox easily. DD2 and DSIL2 did not come since they went to Texas to visit others. However, at the baptism and 2-year old's BD party last week DSIL2 told DH they were thinking about moving to Texas in another year or two since he is working as a truck driver and can work anywhere. 2-year old Robert had a blast chasing after the older cousins.

DS3 wants to get the family together for a family camping trip at a lake so he can bring his pontoon boat and fishing boat. Also is considering a family campout at the group campground at Refugio State Beach. Everyone is interested so he is going to organize it.

Did more clean up in the tool shed, packed more stuff, and organized other items. The grandsons are coming over after school today to do some work here. Not sure what they are supposed to do - DS1 and 2 will organize it. Doing laundry today, setting MD appointments for DH, and call to AKC for friend.

DH wants go over the tax return we received from the tax person.

Tuesday
Have a few questions about the tax return so waiting for a call back from the tax prep. Then can file after any corrections

DH Picked up 3 tomato plants at Lowes yesterday. I planted them today. They are the only things the ground squirrels did not eat, other than the actual tomatoes. If we can figure out how to keep the ground squirrels off the ripening fruit, we may be ok. However, DH is not the best at shopping for gardening supplies or plants. He came home with 3 individual Better Boy plants in pots. $5 each! But didn't have the heart to scold him since at least he didn't buy 10! DH can get carried away. And he got the right variety. I am not planting anything else this year since we will be traveling back and forth to Texas. DDIL2 will take care of these and pick the fruit. The weather cleared up and got warm the past couple days. It is supposed to get much cooler and then rain on Thursday. At least I got the tomatoes in before the expected showers. However, now that they are in the ground it will probably not rain, get hot, and all the forage dry up.

Probably won't put Junior in the NSIP program since the requirements call for him to be 18-24 months of age. He is only 12 months old. I will be using him this year myself though so he can go into the program next year. I called a couple of the NSIP White Dorper breeders in Texas to discuss parasite resistance. One of them is working with St. Croix and also Royal White sheep along with the White Dorpers. The Royal Whites are a cross of White Dorpers and St. Croix developed by Bill Hoag in Texas in the late 90's that resulted in a larger, meatier cross that is much more parasite resistance than the pure Dorpers. I am considering buying a Royal White ram and doing some cross breeding with him if the parasite resistance is truth instead of fiction. I have the meat and quick growth on my WDs but if I can increase parasite resistance a lot in one or two generations, then I can put a registered WD ram back on the Royal White crosses and return to purebred status in another couple generations. OR if I like them better, gradually take the flock to commercials with a couple purebred registered Royal Whites for breeding stock. It will be interesting since I am not planning on showing. The Royal White Society does not have a program in place for breeding up to registerable percentages. On the other hand, since I am interested in producing meat carcasses, I might enjoy this more. Depends on growth rate.