Looking after animals is more than a full time job. When the times are tough, as they are this year and last, it is even more time consuming. 
Living in the city one can order and have delivered whatever is desired from pizza to a new sofa, or turf for the lawn or manure for the garden. Everything is at one's fingertips. Here in the north, people have quit helping people, that is unless it is a major disaster like the recent evacuations of Ft. McMurray. Generally though, it is fend for yourself around here and that makes it tough. I would do so much better if I was able to order things and have them delivered. 

I tried recently to order some organic grain. The farm said they could deliver it, but they only deliver bagged grain, which is pretty futile on a busy farm like this one. I eventually got 300 pounds of grain, but ordered 1500 and a friend had to pick it up. Today, I finally found some hay and the neighbour of the farmer who had the hay kindly delivered it for only $100. There were just 6 large round bales. The bales and the delivery were just short of a thousand dollars. Why? In 2014, hay at this time of year was $25 dollars a bale as farmers were making room for the new crop. I have found a farmer that has some grain, but it is conventionally grown which means Roundup grown, but it is all I can find. I do not want to feed grain at all, but cannot find decent hay with enough nutritional value in it to keep weight on the sheep. The new hay is much better than that bought in the fall, though I still need to buy some grain to get the weight back on the sheep. And I need to sell lots of the sheep and goats so I am not scrambling for feed at this time the following year. 

Cleaning pens, feeding, watering, caring for newborns, watching for problems, which always occur and so much more is the daily part of farm husbandry, plus finding and getting the products to the farm that are needed and here, you simply cannot order them and have them delivered. So, once they are found, finding anyone to deliver if that is even possible, is another chore. Fortunately, today I was able to get some grain, some hay , have the hay delivered and pick up the grain and found another source for grain that could possibly be delivered. That takes time and work and is frustrating. But it is done! 

Then when I go out and I can cuddle the little lambs, it suddenly all seems like the distant past because that present moment is one of the sweetest ever. Not all years will have hard times. The crash in the economy cannot last forever and neither can the drought. Things will improve. It is just....can I hold out? 

When I first started this farming venture, I had no idea about sheep...couldn't actually tell a sheep from a goat if the truth be known. Now I am giving advice and teaching others. Who would ever have thought that Ms. Hoity Toity high heels and fancy clothes Eileen would be Ms. Farmer with sh**t under her nails and dirty clothes? But I am and I love it. 

I am coaching a couple of start ups with sheep, something that would have been great if I had when I started. I jumped in with both feet, as usual and learned quickly as I went along. Sheep were pretty easy compared to other animals. The whole thing about breeding and then pregnancy and delivery was a mystery to me. I knew the ram had to do his thing and then we had to wait and poof, the lambs were born, but it wasn't that easy. 

The day  the ram goes in with the ewes, he is busy, but being busy does not mean the ewes are suddenly pregnant. He might just be trying to breed and the ewes may be running from him at the last minute so unless breeding is actually observed, it can or not happen. This year the ewes are very spread out in their deliveries. The first ram that went in, the Romney was not mature enough and did nothing. He did enjoy being with the ewes and loved to eat and socialize with them, but showed little interest in breeding. The Babydoll rams took their time too, for some reason. I don't think the ewes were being very cooperative. Then there was the oops early breeding of the Shetland lamb that got 5 ewes who gave birth in February during the warm snap. 

But sheep are quite predictable. Once bred they show no interest in being around the ram. Too bad women do not have that immediate sense of being pregnant. Then all those pregnancy tests would be unnecessary! The gestation is only 5 months, give or take some days for certain breeds. Those carrying twins may give birth a few days earlier too. 

When the ewe is very near to delivery, the lamb drops in the belly from being carried high in the abdomen, which causes the barrel look. Once the lamb drops that barrel look is way more rounded. This is pretty evident in the Cotswold girl's photos. She has a couple of days yet, but the lamb has already moved into the birth position. 

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In the next photo the vulva is very protruding and swollen and the little tip of the vulva is pointing straight out. A little more  swelling will cause that tip to point up and that is when the ligaments have completely relaxed and delivery is imminent. I would say this ewe will deliver tomorrow morning or late afternoon. Her udder has filled and is solid now too. When the fingers are pressed into the back of her rump just above her tail, 4 inches apart or so, depending on the sheep, there is no tension or spring back. That means the ligaments have gone slack in preparation for labour. 

Primitive sheep seldom deliver in the dark. That is nature's way of keeping the babies safe, so the ewe can see what is going on around her. She becomes very loving and may bite at her tummy as the baby has moved into position. She also begins to talk to the baby with soft calls. As soon as the baby is born, it can recognize its mother by the call. Modern sheep that are housed in well lit barns may lamb anytime during the night. In the five years I have had sheep, I do not recall any births in the middle of the night except one that started in the evening and was problematic and finally at 3 am was delivered with much stress and assistance from me and the vet. Generally my practice is hands off and let the mother do what is natural for her. I intervene if she is having trouble, if I do not see the normal presentation of two little hooves and a nose, or if she is crying for some time and obviously under duress. 

When the lamb is born, the ewe only takes a moment to gather her senses and then starts to lick the baby clean. Primitive sheep may eat the placenta, a way of not attracting predators and even clean up the birth fluids as well as they can. They will move from the birthing place, usually a place where there is a solid wall behind her and she can watch the front. My sheep usually give birth outside in the open, though they have three shelters to choose from. The Blue Faced Leicester sheep and their crosses will deliver in a shelter. 

The mother sheep will push the lamb towards her udder encouraging the baby to suck as soon as he can stand or even before. I have seen lambs in position who are yet unable to stand and are nursing on their knees. That first drink of colostrum, or rich mother's milk, is necessary to give the baby the strength to stand and walk and to warm up. The colostrum also provides antibodies for the baby's immune system. 

I have been very fortunate on the farm with the babies born here. Very few have been lost. One that was breach died the day after birth likely from fluid in the lungs. Most are vigorous and healthy and do not require shots to get them going. It never gets dull to watch new life come into the world and it is such a privilege to be the shepherd and care for these beautiful creatures. I am truly blessed here on the Fat Ewe Farm. You should come down and visit the babies when you can. Such joy, there is here and such peace. Thank you or should I say thank ewes!

In this video, the ewe just had the lamb and was a first time mother. She was bewildered, but knew she was not done. A second twin followed immediately. I towelled off the first one for her because she was busy birthing the second. She is a very attentive mother to her twin ram lambs. 
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I hadn't really thought much about the subject truthfully. Why would anyone steal my images, after all, they are only taken with the iphone my daughter left behind when she went to Australia to become a midwife. So, I really didn't worry about it or give it a second thought. 

That is, I didn't until recently, when I noticed twice now, my pictures being used on other's pages with no credit given to the Fat Ewe Farm. That is not nice. I didn't contact the folks and ask why they stole my pictures, but that is exactly what it feels like. If they had asked permission to use the images, I am quite sure I would have been happy to let them. I have been asked many times and given credit for the photos, which is how it should be. 

I started out taking pictures to keep my adult kids in the loop, though they are busy and don't always check the blog. Then the followers came after a few years and hey, I am so glad you are here. You are part of the reason I go through the trouble of taking pictures. I want to capture my most happy life on the farm and share it with you. But, at the same time, I really don't want others to use the photos without saying at least where they came from. That is fair enough, is it not? 

So, I created a little signature and am going to brand the photos that I think are really cute or special. I do realize that those with photo skills can easily unbrand the pictures, but if they are going to go through that much trouble, there is little I can do about it. A watermark is harder to remove from a picture and if one day, I get a good camera, I might do that. So for now, if you begin to see branded pictures, the reasoning behind it is here. 

Thanks for sticking with me on my sojourn on the Fat Ewe Farm!

Of all the things I have accomplished in life, none compares to that of being a mother. 

That first moment of realization came sitting in the old rocking chair I refurbished for my baby, when the wispy lavender wisteria blossoms were in their glory, the heavenly scent wafting through the windows on the gentle, warm summer breeze. There I rocked her gently, just mesmerized by her peaceful, beautiful face and suddenly, the feeling that she was the most important work of all time, she was perfection in my eyes, and the knowing that for her I would gladly give my own life, that moment of truth, I realized that motherhood was perfectly perfect. And my baby, my wonderful child, was more important than any possessions I would ever have. 

Shortly following the birth of my daughter,came my handsome blue eyed, blonde haired son, an easy child who was so quiet in his first months. He was adorable and when I held those two beautiful babies in my arms, against my chest, listening to their breathing, my heart swelled with the pride and love of motherhood. There was nothing that could compare to the feeling of completeness. The entire world could stop around me as long as I had my children safely tucked to my bosom and wrapped in my love.

And then, within a year came the third bundle of joy. That old rocking chair squeaked and groaned with the children , one in each arm and one slumbering in between on my breast. My third child was a bright eyed, busy and curious baby, always smiling and laughing and indeed, as the other two, he had stolen my heart the moment I laid eyes upon him. Even when he was wailing in great pain, as he was often for the first two years of his life, I sang to him and rocked him and loved him and would I have been able to exchange my wellness for his pain, without a doubt, I would have. That is motherhood. 

Now, on my little farm, I see the pleasure every spring, the young mothers and the old, guarding their offspring with their lives. Hens fend off ravens, twice their size and deadly, but they would sacrifice their lives for their babies. The ewes tend their lambs with much love, nuzzling them and snuggling when they are asleep, side by side. There is no greater gift in this entire universe than to be a mother, to create life, to protect life and to share and teach the young, to shape their lives and encourage the babes to be the best they can be. To survive. 

Of all the many accomplishments in my life, motherhood is indeed the greatest. When I reflect on my possessions, my treasures and my wealth, none compares or even really matters at all. The only true treasures we have are our children and our families. Bless each and every mother today, whether she be a hen with her chicks or a new mother falling in love with her baby, or she be the revered great grandmother who has had the opportunity to love every baby in her life. Take some time to show your mother how much she means to you, for you know what? She will never stop loving you and that moment she knows she would lie down her life for you was then and is forever. 

​Happy Mother's Day!

The old elm tree was severed into three during a fall rain storm last year. The other two limbs were sawn through to keep them from falling, however; this limb was already on the ground and the tree crew did not cut it away from the mother tree. The other two limbs are dead and no life has sprung forth from them, but there is a small connection of the trunk, splayed open, yet still a part of its mother, and from its branches, there is new life. The flowers blossomed and the new leaves have come forth from hiding. 

With the new discoveries in science, we now know and understand that trees have an intelligence and when there is a damaged tree in the forest, through an underground network of tiny mycelium,  the other trees support the injured one. There is only one other tree nearby, another mature elm, but this branch remains attached, so the mother tree herself can support it. I am unsure if it can survive with the wide gash of raw wood. Will the scar heal and the limb continue? Only time will tell. Or will bitterness and hurt claim the limb and cause its demise? 

In a city in northern Alberta, Fort McMurray, a name that the entire world is familiar with though it has only 60 thousand residents, a fire is blazing.  The tar sands, or oil sands as they are lately called, are there, providing much crude oil for production. Fort McMurray also has many jobs, not as many as in previous years when the economy was still flush, but many just the same. 

The entire population of the area, the city and its rural people were forced to evacuate their homes. The number is possibly 80 thousand. Animals are left roaming, running from the fire, and pets are lost. There are many disaster relief organizations, primarily the Red Cross and Salvation Army, in place with food water and shelter and all of Alberta is attempting to offer accommodations and clothing, plus money. The people who lost their homes are in a daze at this time, for it is too raw to comprehend. Not all of the 60 thousand residents have lost their homes, only some at this time, but the city will need time to heal and rebuild. 

But will it be like the tree whose limb was nearly severed, though still hanging on? Will the people choose to accept their fate and blossom and flourish once again, though a gaping scar on the landscape mars the former city?The people of Alberta are the mycelium, holding together those who suffered a loss and supporting the broken limbs. In time, it will heal and once again flourish, that is if it is allowed to without bitterness and contempt, but with love and kindness. 

​I hope the choice will be love and kindness and like the old elm tree, life will spring forth once again. 

The raven, a bird hated and revered. 

The ancients believed that the spirits of their ancestors lived again in ravens and treated them as sacred. The birds have no known predators, only man. The population is on the rise dramatically and the victims of the birds are small living creatures and carrion. There are some baby bunnies hatched by the yard rabbits, but they do not have any chance of survival. The raven was sitting on the roof top of the building under which the mamma bunny made her burrow. The little ones are old enough to come out in the world,but the raven sits and waits, then grabs the bunny and is gone, but not for long. 

One hen had a nest in the straw bales under a tarp. The clever raven watched the hen emerge from the tarp and stole every one of the eggs, of which there were 12 when I counted just the day before. There is a mother with 10 chicks hatched in the barn, but if she brings them out, there will be no chance for their survival. Last year the ducks hatched 85 babies between 5 ducks and the next day there were only 20 left. I must scoop the babies up upon hatching or they become dinner for the birds. 

My friend shot 4 ravens and hung the carcasses around the farm in the sheep pen, where they always are found. My concern was for the newborn lambs, since ravens have been well known to kill newborn babies and eat them or take them away to feed their young. The idea of shooting a raven and hanging the carcass is supposed to keep the others away, as a warning sign, but it doesn't work. They are back with a vengeance and when the little ones become fledglings, the numbers will triple. They do not leave the area either. The only thing that keeps them at bay is an owl. I need to find some plastic owl statues and try to scare them, however, I believe they know the difference. They are very smart. A recent study showed that a raven is as smart as a dog. I believe that. But they are terrible predators. 

I managed to rescue 4 of the goslings recently hatched and put them in the chick brooder for their own safety. I know there were more, but....

What does one do? Beautiful and intelligent, the ravens are without a doubt the worst predator on the farm. The dogs keep the coyotes and bears at bay, but not the ravens, well, except Jade. She does not like to share her meat with anything or anyone and will chase off ravens or chickens or ducks. But she does not go in the sheep pen much. or the goat pen, or guard the new baby bunnies or the just hatched birds. 

I am going to ask my friend to come and shoot more ravens and more ravens. Many farmers are having great problems with them, even killing calves and adult cows. A flock of ravens descending on anything would stand little chance. Look at the talons. They are razor sharp. Don't they remind you of a dinosaur? 

Despite the amazing tales of ravens, I want them gone from here. What do you think?

Way back in  the 70's a singer wrote a song called Big Yellow Taxi and the words were: "You don't know what you\'ve got 'til it's gone, pave paradise and put up a parking lot."

Well how true that is about everything. I was 6 days without water as we know it, that is turning the tap on and water comes out. Due to a leak somewhere in the well system, the pump on the farm well had to be shut off until a big digger could come and excavate the earth to the line to the house. The plumber suspected that the fitting or gasket or something had gone bad with age and he was again 100% correct. A good plumber is a great gift. 

So, after digging the hole and reboring the fitting then replacing it with a brass connection, the hole was again filled and the pump turned on so the farm could have water. Hallelujah! 

When to wash one's hands, a small amount of water poured into the basin from a saved container of water is all there is to wash with, appreciation begins. I was able to have a tiny bath yesterday. There was little pressure since the water was leaking underground, so I only had 3 inches of water in the tub. I have not washed the dishes for a week, but had them soaking in a sink full of water. The animals were all provided with clean drinking water and swimming water for the ducks and geese too, and I preserved 5 gallons for household use in my little farm house. Imagine not being able to flush a toilet. When does the toilet have to be flushed? It takes a couple of gallons of water to flush so when there is only 5 gallons available, consideration as to how important flushing is becomes paramount. Imagine if we lived that way all the time. 

We take water for granted really. We can turn on a tap and have a drink, or a cup  of coffee, or wash our hands or take a shower. But what happens when we cannot do these things?  Imagine living in a country where there is no water and the precious little has to be hauled a long way then conserved for special uses,bathing not being one of them. Imagine! 

So with much gratitude today, I have water on my mind. I am thankful for this precious gift that we do not think twice about. I am quite conscious about conserving water already with very low use shower heads installed and low water toilets too; but since this episode without the convenience of having water at my fingertips, I will be even more conscientious, I think. I hope you will be too.