SageHill Ranch Journal

farmerjan

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You introduced 2 strange sheep into an already well established flock. They may never be fully accepted, but their lambs will . They can also be just the kind to not stick together, but considering your individual style of grazing the sheep, the fact they stay mostly with the group is rather amazing in my book. Not saying you should keep them, just an outside opinion.
 

Baymule

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New sheep usually don't make friends in the flock. My big red BTX ewe was 3 years old when I bought her and I felt sorry for her. She was always grazing alone. I was glad when her first lamb here was a ewe so she could have a friend to hang out with. She has 4 daughters here and has finally assimilated into the flock.
 

SageHill

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True, and I expect some of that and will go with the flow for the most part. At least they don't take off for the hills like some of the original sheep (who were trial sheep that learned to get away before we had them). In other stuff getting chores done, those two just have a "make me do it" attitude. I guess that's what I see when I'm out grazing or going down roads. That's just when it tops my charts and I think outa' here with ewe. I do wonder if it's a wool vs hair thing.
Got to thinking a I drifted off (or attempted to drift off ;) last night) hair/wool --- on the grazing perhaps wool is looking for different nutrients than most or all of the hair sheep. 🤔 The St Croix ram, when he is in with the sheep he grazes fine with no ideas of creating his own path. Of course he is a ram and would probably stick with the ladies any way. Such is life. I still think that I'll sell them after they are shorn.
No new lambs yet - those two black ewes are becoming WIDE loads. The brown and white are no where near time - but are getting bags.
Roses up at the house are in bloom and the scent is amazing I wish you all could get a wiff. I only plant roses that have a nice scent. So many today have no scent - I'm like what's the point?!
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drstratton

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True, and I expect some of that and will go with the flow for the most part. At least they don't take off for the hills like some of the original sheep (who were trial sheep that learned to get away before we had them). In other stuff getting chores done, those two just have a "make me do it" attitude. I guess that's what I see when I'm out grazing or going down roads. That's just when it tops my charts and I think outa' here with ewe. I do wonder if it's a wool vs hair thing.
Got to thinking a I drifted off (or attempted to drift off ;) last night) hair/wool --- on the grazing perhaps wool is looking for different nutrients than most or all of the hair sheep. 🤔 The St Croix ram, when he is in with the sheep he grazes fine with no ideas of creating his own path. Of course he is a ram and would probably stick with the ladies any way. Such is life. I still think that I'll sell them after they are shorn.
No new lambs yet - those two black ewes are becoming WIDE loads. The brown and white are no where near time - but are getting bags.
Roses up at the house are in bloom and the scent is amazing I wish you all could get a wiff. I only plant roses that have a nice scent. So many today have no scent - I'm like what's the point?!
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I agree there's no point to scentless roses. Those are beautiful! 💗
 

fuzzi

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True, and I expect some of that and will go with the flow for the most part. At least they don't take off for the hills like some of the original sheep (who were trial sheep that learned to get away before we had them). In other stuff getting chores done, those two just have a "make me do it" attitude. I guess that's what I see when I'm out grazing or going down roads. That's just when it tops my charts and I think outa' here with ewe. I do wonder if it's a wool vs hair thing.
Got to thinking a I drifted off (or attempted to drift off ;) last night) hair/wool --- on the grazing perhaps wool is looking for different nutrients than most or all of the hair sheep. 🤔 The St Croix ram, when he is in with the sheep he grazes fine with no ideas of creating his own path. Of course he is a ram and would probably stick with the ladies any way. Such is life. I still think that I'll sell them after they are shorn.
No new lambs yet - those two black ewes are becoming WIDE loads. The brown and white are no where near time - but are getting bags.
Roses up at the house are in bloom and the scent is amazing I wish you all could get a wiff. I only plant roses that have a nice scent. So many today have no scent - I'm like what's the point?!
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The roses without scent lost their smell in the quest for more pest/disease resistence, and for shipping hardiness. The parents of my best friend in elementary school ran an FTD Florist shop. We'd stop by after school and I would inhale the green and floral infused air.
 

SageHill

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I actually have people who are interested in the wool and I've thought about messing around with it. My thoughts are get something out of feeding them for 10 months or so. I don't think either are pregnant. If either are I'll let whoever lamb. As far as keeping - probably not since the St Croix would be the sire. The older one "exposed to a ram" is out of the window for lambing from anything that isn't mine.
 

Ridgetop

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Sell it unwashed "in the grease" to spinners who will take it to be processed or process it themselves. Processing it yourself is a real pain. LOL

Dorset wool is easy to spin, but coarser than Merino and fine wool bred wool. Hand spinners and knitters prefer the fine wool but. But because it is coarser, it is liked by people that spin alternative fibers like Alpaca, Llama and Angora rabbit. Dorset and the coarser wools were traditionally used for exterior and hard wear garments like socks, sweaters, etc.

I would advertise it as a specialty wool to hand spinners and crafters. That natural creamy color should make it desirable for them to add to their natural colored Alpaca and Angora fiber.
 
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