Today was the Vernal Equinox - the first day of spring here in the Northern Hemisphere and here at Liberty Farm our ewes are starting to prepare for their coming lambs. The earliest we expect to see babies is March 30th. The ewes are starting to bag up and their mineral intake has increased.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that ewes (at least Icelandic ewes) need increased selenium in the final four weeks of gestation to avoid prolapses and other late pregnancy problems. They're also taking in more copper which will help avoid the rise in the shedding of worm eggs. Sometime this week I should get out the microscope and fecal test all the ewes to see what kind of worm load they are carrying. By the time the lambs come I hope to have them on a section of the pasture that they've never been on, i.e. "clean pasture."
In other news, I frost-seeded part of the pasture last weekend. We had 10# of Birdsfoot Trefoil and 5# of Alfalfa seed that I bought a couple years ago to use for cover crops in the garden but never used. It wasn't enough to go very far but it will be interesting to see if we find either of these plants.
In yet more news, Jennifer finally visited a fairly new organic grocery, Trinity Farms Market in Bellville, Ohio. They sell beef from Trinity Farms, pork from Curly Tail Farm and dairy from Hartzler Dairy. (Curly Tail is also where we buy our organic chicken feed). She was pleasantly surprised to find that the meat and dairy products were not only organic but locally produced as well. It was nice to find this source while we wait until we have beef of our own. If anyone reading this in Ohio or surrounding states has 2 or 3 naturally raised feeder cattle for sale, or knows anyone who does, please let me know. We want to raise smaller framed British breeds, i.e. Angus or Herefords. I hope not to have to buy at auction.
weather today: 28°F/35°F overcast
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