Friday, May 9, 2014

Lambs, Shearing, New Shop, Sales listings

Springtime on the farm is always so busy!  Lambing is done, so I've been shearing . . .  by hand.  I take awhile to do each sheep because, for the ewes, I put them on the stand, uncoat them, trim hooves, take pictures, shear, maybe take another picture, then send them on their way.  I try to shear on the rise line, so sometimes that is close to the skin and I have to go very slow.  This gives me a premium fleece, shorn just at the right time, and leaves next year's fleece just right as well.   Sometimes, I have to roo part or all of the fleece, which takes time as well.

Etsy
I have finally opened an Etsy shop.   https://www.etsy.com/shop/UnderTheSonFarm?ref=si_shop 
It was a bit intimidating at first, but I finally got the hang of it.  I'll be offering raw fleece, top, roving, yarn, hides, and custom drum carded roving.  You can always just contact me directly though or come to the farm!


Ewe Microns
Adult ewe micron stats came back and I'm VERY pleased with the results!  Most of the ewes have fleeces that are low grade 2, which is where I want them.   A low grade two fleece is fine and soft enough for almost any project you want to make with it.  There are a few grade ones, and only one grade three by SF. Combine that with a 5.2 SD, an 18.8 CV, and a 9.1 CEM ewe flock avg and you've got the best breed type Shetland spinning fleeces you could ask for.


Sales
I'm starting my sales listings early this year for the sheep.  We need to move several and I'm not going to keep many of the lambs this year.  I REALLY like my flock as it stands so keeping lots of lambs doesn't make much sense. This is your opportunity to capitalize on some really good stock.  Next year there will be fewer purebred lambs available as I'll be putting most of the ewes to the crossing ram.

Adults listed are proven and I have genetics from most of them already in the flock.

I'm keeping several yearlings and all of these listed that are for sale are basically duplicates of others that I'm keeping.  This means that the quality of them is similar to the fawn kat ewe lambs I showed at WSWF last fall.  Those two placed as first place pair ewe lambs and Coolea (Stronsay/Chenille) won 1st place ewe lamb.  Stronsay had several daughters last year as well as some this year, and I'm already keeping several of them.


Sheep Sales listing:

Adult Rams 
There are a couple for sale.  Please inquire.


Adult Ewes

Ewe Name
YOB
NASSA #
Sire Name
Dam Name
Color
   Comments
UTS Britta
2006
S 22099
UTS Brandon
Sabbath Farm Rosamund
emsket
    RESERVED
UTS Ruby
2006
S 22086
UTS Brandon
Underhill  Crystal Gayle
moorit/fawn

UTS Morel
2007
S 24635
Drum Jings
Thistle Keep Prairie Smoke
black iset

UTS Paxina
2007
S 24632
UTS Cleggan
UTS Prairie Wind
white

UTS Galerina
2007
S 24637
UTS Brandon
SheltrgPines Guinevere
emsket

UTS Onyx
2009
S 29556
Bramble McDreamie
UTS Piemonte
shaela

Whistlestop  0929
2009
S 30652
Whistlestop  0727
Whistlestop 0702
white

UTS Jasmine
2010
S 31254
UTS Broderick
UTS Taos
fawn kat

S'More Rumba
2011
S33848
UTS Apache
S'More Spunky
fawn

UTS Fara
2012
S 35993
UTS Dungaree
UTS Ellie
Moorit















UTS Chaumes
2013
S 37947
UTS Earl Grey
UTS Cypress
fawn kat

UTS Anjou
2013
S 37941
UTS Stronsay
UTS Jasmine
fawn kat

UTS Galette
2013
S 37939
UTS Stronsay
UTS Galerina
Lt. Moorit

UTS Raschera
2013

UTS Stronsay
UTS Ruby
Moorit

UTS Anari
2013
S 37932
UTS Stronsay
UTS Assam
white



I'm only keeping a few lambs, mostly emskets (to replace older gals who I'm moving on to help other flocks), and a handful of other ewe lambs.   Some ram lambs that are being retained to replace sires (I need a Dreamie replacement so looking at a couple of his sons) and a couple of other nice ones to watch.

I'm just beginning to evaluate lambs so the comments are not filled in except with the briefest of notes.  Fleeces on most of the lambs are typical, meaning that it is a crimpy coat with a few birth hairs - which will turn into a breed typical crimpy fleece.  Dog coats normally lose the hair around 3 months and will become crimpy to very crimpy.  Wavy fleeces can stay wavy or get crimpy (usually several months).  The two modified emsket rams lambs will either be a silky wavy or get crimpier.  My emskets are very silky soft and the yarn from them is my best seller (I don't sell those fleeces!).


2014 Lambs
Dam
Sire

DOB

Color
Comments
Madeline
Castello
R
3/17
tw
emsket
NFS until further evaluation, wavy silky fleece
Cinnerella
Castello
R
3/23
tr
emsket - few wh hairs on head
scurred, wavy, silky fleece
Pashmina
Dreamie
E
3/17
tw
grey kat

Moreen
Dreamie
E
3/18
tw
moorit

Moreen
Dreamie
E
3/18
tw
black

Chenille
Dreamie
R
3/24
tw
moorit w/frosted ear

WS bl 0932
Dreamie
R
3/25
Tw
black
Wavy coat
WS bl 0932
Dreamie
R
3/25
Tw
black
supercrimp
Ceann
Stronsay
R
3/24
Tw
Black HST
small horns/scurred
Ceann
Stronsay
R
3/24
Tw
black
scurred
Colla
Stronsay
E
3/24
tw
Ag grey spotted

Colla
Stronsay
R
3/24
tw
Ag grey yuglet
 big horns
Kerrara
Stronsay
E
3/25
Tw
fawn kat

Marina
Stronsay
R
3/25
Tw
grey kat

Vaila
Stronsay
E
3/26
Tw
black with a bit of white hairs on head
Pet Q
Iona
Stronsay
E
3/30
Tw
black krunet
dog coat
Iona
Stronsay
R
3/30
Tw
black
Wavy coat
S'More Rhapsody
Stronsay
E
3/31
Tw
mooritHST

S'More Rhapsody
Stronsay
R
3/31
Tw
moorit HST

Innis
Venaco
E
3/21
tw
dk moorit smirslet

Arran
Venaco
E
3/22
s
black
wavy, silky, stocky
Mercure
Venaco
E
3/22
tw
Ag grey kat spotted

Mercure
Venaco
R
3/22
tw
black krunet
wavy silky dog coat, big horns
Damask
Venaco
E
3/25
Tr
black

Damask
Venaco
E
3/25
Tr
moorit

Damask
Venaco
R
3/25
Tr
grey kat
scurred, supercrimp
Shannda
Venaco
E
3/25
Tw
moorit krunet, 2 rear socks
hairy dog coat
Shannda
Venaco
R
3/25
Tw
moorit HST kat

S'More Giga
Venaco
E
3/26
TW
black spotted kat

S'More Giga
Venaco
E
3/26
TW
moorit spotted kat

S'More Maraca
Venaco
E
3/26
Tw
grey kat

S'More Maraca
Venaco
R
3/26
Tw
grey kat

Spice
Venaco
R
3/26
TW
moorit HST
scurred
Spice
Venaco
R
3/26
TW
grey kat spotted
 scurred



Here are a few pics of the sale lambs.

Kerrara's fawn kat ewe

Colla and her twins.  Ram has good horns.

Cinerelle and her triplets.  The scurred ram is in middle.  I'm retaining one of the ewe lambs and the other is reserved.

Spice's  grey kat ram. 

Innis's smirslet moorit ewe.

Innis's again.

Iona's black krunet ewe.


Colla's grey ewe again.

Moreen's twin ewes.

Chenille's moorit ram.  His right ear is frosted.  His black brother is being retained for the moment as a Dreamie son replacement.  

Arran's black ewe.

Giga's fawn kat spotted ewe.

Vaila's black ewe lamb.

Fara and her moorit ram lamb.

Shannda's moorit krunet ewe.

Rhapsody and her twins.  Sheared Rhapsody this morning and she is a silver fawn color.


There are more to post but need to get back out and shear some more ewes!