Joys & Sorrows

why raise Soay sheep, fun stuff, occasional sad stuff

It’s March, and the yearling Soay rams love their new spring pastures

It’s March, and the yearling Soay rams love their new spring pastures

Out here in Oregon where we have been spared the endless rounds of blizzards and ice storms, our year-old rams can’t get enough of the emerging pastures. I was photographing parts of our fencing earlier last week for an earnest post about how to construct a fence that will keep Soay sheep safe and happy, […]

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Soay humor pops up in the most unlikely places

Could there be a more unlikely topic to intersect with the high-tech world of computing in the clouds than castrating Soay sheep? Bet that got your attention. Today was castration day on the farm, Priscilla having much belatedly persuaded the Chief Shepherd that we are keeping — “just in case” — way too many rams. […]

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Peaceful lambing, peaceful lamb

Peaceful lambing, peaceful lamb

One day and several hours’ sleep after I watched a Soay lamb born in the moonlight, I captured this tranquil scene. Not a picturesque background, I admit. It is a jug, after all. But what a calm mother and baby. And it turns out this little guy will be a breeder for us one day […]

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Soay lambing by moonlight: echoes of the St. Kilda islands

Soay lambing by moonlight: echoes of the St. Kilda islands

2:15 a.m. Thursday, April 5, 2012, just came in from a magical two hours with our pregnant ewes. Steve and Shawn both turned in early after a couple of really busy days – six lambings on Tuesday and seven yesterday – so I agreed to take the 9pm to midnight lamb checks. At 10:00 all […]

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Why raise Soay sheep?  To enjoy lambing, among other things

Why raise Soay sheep? To enjoy lambing, among other things

Last week when lambing finally began, our friends Kathy and Jim called and asked to come see the first arrivals, a set of twins from our ewe Lilly J born overnight. Hearing and seeing their reactions to the lambs reminded us once again how lucky we are to be able to raise these fetching and historically […]

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News bulletin: Soay ewenion calls off labor strike, 2012 lambing begins

After a prolonged work stoppage, the ewes at Saltmarsh Ranch agreed to assume their assigned tasks (lambing and nursing) on Day 166 after breeding began.  Sources indicate the onset of lambing ends several weeks of tense negotiations and picketing.  For its part, management  have withdrawn their threat to withhold compensation (a.k.a. hay) and have turned […]

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