23 Texel Ewes Sold…

We sold 23 Texel ewes this evening.  It was so sad to see them go, but with the drought our pasture could not sustain any more than necessary and was a blessing to sell them.  We are down to approximately 80 ewes for breeding stock now.  We have Dorpers, Romanovs, and registered Texels.  The Dorpers will lamb in the fall with Dorper/Romanov cross lambs.  The Texels will be bred in the fall to a Romanov ram and the Romanovs to a Texel ram to lamb in the spring.  We are also expecting two baby llamas in the fall from the bred llamas we bought at a nearby auction Easter weekend.  

We still have two registered Texel rams to sell and always have Texel lambs for sale.  With any luck at all we will have our herd downsized to where we would like it by fall as we prepare for winter feeding.  The extra money has been such a blessing to pay for the skyrocketing price of hay in our area.  Our lambs will go to the sale soon also and hopefully pay for the grain and protein tubs to get us through winter with a little left over to put toward the house.

The chickens have slowed down laying eggs due to the heat, but are still continuing to pay for themselves and provide us and our customers with plenty of eggs which is all we ask of them.  We are hoping for a cool off soon and some much needed rain.  We spend our days hosing down the llamas, filling their baby pool, keeping the mister going on the chickens, and the dog’s pool cool and clean. 

We have been off work all week, but with too many chores and too much attention needed at home decided to take a stay-cation as opposed to traveling somewhere.  We have had a wonderful time at home and don’t regret not being able to fly away somewhere.  

We have enjoyed projects at home and spending time with our animals.  The dogs appreciate the extra attention as do the cats and llamas.  We got caught up on de-worming our sheep and llamas and even managed to shear one llama, Sylvia. 

All in all we have had a wonderful, productive time at home.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Feel free to send some rain our way.