First Lambs of 2016!

NC028-131 (FCS Early) had twins (ewe and ram) in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, January 18, 2016. She is a reliable ewe with very strong maternal instincts and a very nice fleece. I always love the first lambs - gazing into their soft gentle marbled blue-brown eyes, marveling at their tiny hooves; my lovely transcendental lamb moment came to an abrupt end when Early wacked me the thigh to let me know that I had held her baby quite long enough and that she would really prefer me to leave (but not before giving her a treat of course).

Winter I Can Live With

It is a well known fact that farmers tend to watch the weather obsessively. With the first potential snow of the year forecast for today, I was checking carefully emergency winter weather supplies and checking for the latest weather updates frequently in the last day or so. It looked really impressive when it was coming down.

But by the afternoon it was all gone and the sun was out - definitely my kind of winter weather. Now if it would only stay just a little above freezing at night... that spares me bringing in rabbit bottles overnight and extra watering in bowls. Looks like we are in for some serious freezing over the next few days though so no rest for the weary.

Newest Angora Goat at Avillion Farm

Pictured below is "Ghost Buster" - as in who you gonna' call. He comes from Kid Hollow Farm in VA. I spotted him from 100 feet away at SAFF in Fletcher, NC this year. I've been yearning for a blue buck for several years now - blue being the breeder slang term for white with colored fibers. Right now he looks silvery blue, but he will most likely darken with age. This goat has it all - lovely fiber, nice conformation and a charming personality as well. It was too late to use him this year, other than as a "clean up" buck, but I'm really looking forward to the kids he'll produce in the future.