Sheep Rescue

One of our yearling sheep managed to crawl underneath the wire fencing yesterday afternoon. After the neighbors called us with the news, the kids and I headed outside for a search and rescue operation.
The sheep in question was, fortunately, pacing back and forth frantically trying to get back in with his herd mates. We couldn't find a whole in the fencing though, so the only solution was for Remy to climb the 6 foot fence, and catch the renegade. Not an easy task, since the lamb in question has not been handled and is quite skittish, the minute he saw Remy he ran the other way.... Remy had to flatten himself against the neighbors house and wait.... the sheep came barreling in, Remy grabbed and straddled, they both bounced along for a few paces, and finally came to a stop. But there was no way of bringing the sheep back in, I started pulling on his back legs from underneath the fence, hoping somehow to topple him and drag him in... Remy, however,  was quick to correct me... he instructed me to lift the bottom of the wire fencing as high as it would go, while he shoved the small beast back into our side.... when it was finally over, Remy was bruised and scratched all over, from being in between the fence and the neighbor's house which is not "very soft".

There are 6 camemberts ripening in my cheese cave, so I decided to finally venture into the wonderful world of chevre.... so simple, so beautiful, so delectably smooth and tangy.... and best of all... no waiting!

cheese whiz :)

Maura's goat Gia got us started in our cheese making adventure :) Who knew milking a goat could be so extremely satisfying...? And in addition to the zen of milking, there is cheese to be made...!

I started out making very simple, lemon curdled cheeses, but soon ventured into more unstable territory: today... camembert.... tomorrow.... the world!

remember me....? time for fair again... kids just sheared their meat and dairy goats yesterday :)

Peppermint Patty

Bittersweet announcement from Sassafras Ranch ~ At exactly the same time this morning, we pulled out two dead lambs out of Remy's Cocoa, while Lucinda gave birth to her twin doe kids.

Extremely tiny little girls! Lambs are, by comparison, so much larger! We named them Peppermint & Patty ~ They are also much slower to get up and nurse, we were worried for a while because Peppermint took some time to stand on her own, until Maura picked her up and was able to get her to nurse. They are now all fine, and basking in the warm sunshine.

On Naming Them.

Remy has the uncanny ability to identify every single sheep by name. From far away. By face, color or by the slightest difference in gait. He knows them by bleat. He knows who always goes out into the pasture first and who is always the last one to get back. He knows which ewes are the better mothers and which would gladly give their lambs away. He knows their personalities and quirks.

We all claim ownership to different ewes and we each get to name our own, as well as their offspring. Remy's favorite clan is Garbanzo Bean's. She delivered twins: Cocoa & Bergamot, and the following year she had Lima Bean & Floppa. Bergamot recently delivered Licker and Ribbon, Cocoa has yet to deliver this season and Floppa will probably wait until Spring. Lima Bean and Garbanzo Bean have both passed on, but are still remembered and talked about fondly, particularly Garbanzo Bean.

And then there are those that have been destined for the freezer from day one. They have also been named and played with and chased about. They live wonderful carefree lives in irrigated pasture, with the opportunity to run around and enjoy the sunshine. They all get shelter from rain and heat. And they are all occasionally pampered with that extra ration of grain, just because it's fun for both them and the children to run about and have them eating our of their hands. We give to them and then they give to us. I think it is a fair bargain. We are currently in the process of fattening up our little ram, Banana, he is getting lots of love and lots of grain. Just like Desperaux and Jean Valjean did in their day. And we all remember how yummy those lamb burgers were!

Sometimes I drive around our edge of town, and I look into other people's pastures as I drive. Sometimes their animals' conditions are appalling. The animals have no shelter or are knee deep in mud - or worse. They live in overcrowded conditions. The animals I have seen at the auction don't seem to be better off. They are scared as they walk into the ring, they have no idea what will happen or even why they are there. The way I see it, they are lucky when they get to come with us. Although sometimes it takes a while for them to realize we are not mean people. We are not going to brand them or burn them, we will just let them be. Cows and steers run around in the pasture, calfs stay in the barn being bottle fed until they are ready to run outside. They are talked to and petted on a daily basis. Each and every one of them. From Bobo the lama to the youngest, newest addition to our herd.

As for our goats, particularly the meat goats. That is what the intention is. To have them live a peaceful, pampered existence until fair and then to be auctioned. By the pound. As meat. Without the disconnect between farm and table. The beautifully packaged meat at the supermarket used to be alive. Hopefully leading a peaceful existence. But I doubt it.

Which brings me to a confession I have to make. About Carnitas. Last Thursday he broke his rear leg. He shattered the bone. It was an extremely difficult decision and one that was not made lightly or in haste, a decision that brings tears as I write this, but we simply had to let him go. Gently, and with love and deep sorrow in our hearts.