Friday, July 13, 2012

Sheep Shows start too.


This is one of our rams that we showed last week at the National Junior Suffolk show.  He was second in its class and was Reserve Champion Owened Ram.  My cousin showed it.  A Suffolk has a black points, meaning the legs and head.



We were in a couple of different contests. One of them was a fitting contest.  I got a sheep that just came from a pen and then had to card (kinda like brushing) the wool and trim away some of the wool to give the ewe (girl sheep) the right shape.  Its kinda like a beauty school contest only for sheep.
We had fun at the show meeting people from all over the country.

Isaac

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

They are OUT!


OOPS - they are out again - somehow the sheep have figured out how to get the gate open.  It was a surprise to look out the dining room windo to see them wandering out side free.  They did it not once but twice - finally Mom tied the gate as well as latched it.  They knew they were caught being naughty because as soon as we went outside to chase them in - they ran straight back into the pen.  Do you think they were playing a game?




Sunday, July 8, 2012

Time to walk the sheep


Yup got to walk the sheep so they are ready for the first show. They usually walk pretty well as long as you keep them in a group.  Sheep like to stick together but once in a while they like to be stubborn and just lie down.  We also spend time setting them up - which means teaching them to set their legs where they look best for the judge. Andrew is really good at helping them to look their best. My arms are not quite long enough to set legs as good as Andrew.


Thursday, July 5, 2012

What color are they?


What color are these pigs?  We recently had a good rain and the pigs were having fun in the mud.  We have only one all black pig but it was really are to tell which one it was.  It is great for them to have mud when it is hot out it helps them stay cool.  In a few days they will have most of it rubbed off.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Show season begins


Summer is here! Because we had our first cattle show last week.  The heifers get rinsed every day and then blown with the blower. (The blower looks like a vaccum cleaner but pushes air out instead.)  It takes time to blow a cow dry. My sister Samantha is much better at it than I am. The blowing helps move their hair to the right place.



Here is Hannah with her heifer. She really likes her heifer and so did the judge.  We don't always agree with the judge  - but Dad says thats ok, everyone has their opinion and is good to hear what someone else says about our cattle - we can learn from them.