WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?

Had fleeces shown at WI Sheep & Wool Festival. Our two Cormo X fleeces were first in both their classes(Jr. & Open Show)for natural colored fine-wools. Then Raggedy's fleece was GCH for natural colored Division in the Jr. Show. Gryffindor's fleece was RGCH for natural colored Division in the Open Show. Raggedy was third for overall fleece amongst the GCH winners in both shows. We look forward to next year when we will have some even nicer fleeces to show in more color variation.

Drove 1200 miles in 60 hours through the beauty that is northern Minnesota and met some very nice Nigerian Dwarf and Shetland breeders. Brought home a heavily moonspotted buck for Meghan along with a Cou Clair doe for my milker for next season. And two ram lambs for Meg's flock along with two lovely ewe lambs--all polled lines or carrying polled lines.

Pretty exhausted from the trip but did manage yesterday to spend seven hours ripping out 50 feet of old garden fence and front gate and replacing it with new posts and fencing to keep the deer out. New fence looks lovely in comparison and now I just have another 150 feet to redo.

Next roadtrip will be into WI on Sunday to deliver Bailleys to his new owner. Then I can get into the garden and start getting it ready for winter. Our firewood is in for the most part and the grass is still green so the sheep are happy and the Shetlands are getting ready for breeding season. The Cormo X's are already in with Gryffindor and Aly is already bred. Will have photos by the end of next week as we are going to pull coats, do feet and check out fleeces.

Speaking of which we got our fall test results back on Meghan's ram lambs and they did very well. I believe our average is 20-21 at last rib. Will be able to post the actual results when I remember to bring them into town with me.

MICHIGAN FIBER FESTIVAL 2010

Friday was an uneventful day of shopping and settling in some Shetlands we decided to sell on Thursday.

Then Saturday morning after little sleep things got a bit more interesting. First the fiber mill failed to bring my Cormo top order and for a little bit I was wondering if it was lost in the ether forever. But fortunately they do know where it is and will ship it up to me as soon as they return to their homebase.

Then on to the fleece show where I entered two Cormo X fleeces and one Shetland fleece(Bailleys)for Meghan. Because there was only one colored fine fleece in purebred the judge opted to put Gryffindor(who is a high percentage Cormo X)in that class, so he wasn't competing against Raggedy Ann's fleece(at first). They both won their respective classes for colored fine wools and Bailleys came in second in his larger class despite a soft spot(would have won if he'd had better hay in the fall).

Then the judge went on to judge various GCH and RGCH classes and all of a sudden he was doing BIS...but the fine fleeces were nowhere in site. Since I had been popping in and out of the show all morning I believed they had already been judged and deemed not good enough for BIS. But I decided to ask when the judge finished up and asked if there were any questions. OOPS!

Turns out they had just been going so fast they had failed to find all the winners for BIS and Raggedy and Gryffindor were pulled out and the class was rejudged. Gryffindor came out as the winner and won me a lovely chair which I sorely needed after all the morning footwork. Thanks Gryff. Looking forward to crossing you with Raggedy and Aly and seeing what I can produce next spring. Also bought myself a little present that won't be arriving until November but that is another story to be saved for the Cormocrossing blog.

So one more day and hopefully some of the lovely people I've met will return to purchase lambs. I've got one more fiber booth to finish up at as well. Just hope it all fits in the truck on the drive north.

JUNE SHEEP SHOTS

Wintertime Bailleys--L'il Country Nightcap X Wintertime Ruby polled twin moorit yearling ram. For sale mid-November for $250. Very nice fleece and overall type if you prefer classic Shetlands.

Winter Sky Gryffindor--Charcoal grey Cormo X ram(75% ACSA Cormo background). Butter soft, long(6")fiber on this yearling ram. He'll be breeding our two Cormo X ewes(Aly & Raggedy)along with a few select Shetland ewes this fall.

Winter Sky Breakaway--Winter Sky Buster II X Winter Sky Breathe. Loads of spotting in this twin smirslet ewe lamb. She has a wonderfully soft, curly, rich moorit fleece and an in-your-face personality.

The grey in the middle is Wintertime Waterbug(Sheltrgpines Bug X Owl Hill Lady Grey). Ag scurred spotted ram lamb with lots of Greyling in his background and a very fine, consistent fleece. He may be for sale. We are still sorting through all the ram lambs we have available to use this fall.

The ram lamb on the right is Wintertime Barqs--moorit gulmoget polled twin ram lamb out of Wintertime Ruby and sired by Wintertime Black Forrest. His fleece is very fine & soft with tiny crimp and good density. Nice type and good disposition on this one. He is being retained in the flock.

Winter Sky Vogue--Tennyson X Foxtrot. Just a wonderfully fine-fleeced ewe lamb.

Wintertime Chiffon(lying down)with her yearling daughter Maple Sugar. Very similar, crimpy, soft, fine fleeces in a rich moorit color. Chiffon wasn't bred this past fall as she needed time to mature. She'll be bred to Wintertime Bailleys this fall.

V Creek Princess Buttercup with her Sheltrgpines Bug ram lamb Wintertime Grasshopper. He has small, flat, "potato chip" scurs and will be retained for now for Meghan's polled program.

Wintertime Ruby--Winter Sky Sandstone X Whistlestop 0427. The matriarch of Meghan's small flock and an extremely nice ewe in all respects. Not sure which ram she'll be paired with this fall.

Winter Sky Alistair--Cormo X twin ram lamb from January. He is being retained, as we just love his fleece which is like white satin ribbons and his personality(easygoing and will be anywhere led under the chin. He'll be used on some of Gryffindor's ewe lambs in 2011.

WINTERTIME BAILLEYS--SOLD

A few photos of him post-shearing. He is for sale mid-November. Sire is L'il Country Nightcap(polled sired by polled). Dam is Wintertime Ruby(has had three polled ram lambs to date) and throws spots and modified colors.

A few photos of him post-shearing. He is for sale mid-November.

SALE SHEEP REVISITED

Wintertime Black Forrest--For sale mid-November after he breeds one more group of ewes for us. Larger, half-polled, solid-sided black gulmoget ram with a delicious, locky, fine fleece. Nice disposition and will lead under the chin without a halter. $350

Wintertime Black Forrest X Winter Sky Secondhand Rose single HUGE ram lamb with smaller abberant horns. Frosted black gulmoget with large krunet marking. You can name him. Built like an Angus bull with an intermediate fleece that is around 3" already. $250. SOLD.

Wintertime Fudge X Winter Sky Alafair triplet black ewe lamb(NASSA pending) Smaller of the triplets but growing nicely. Dam has had two sets of triplets and is in great health at nine years of age. Fleece more intermediate in type. Very pretty head...nice overall type if you like refined animals. $100

Winter Sky Ani(NCWGA)Red two year old ewe with an intermediate locky fleece. Very refined and pretty with Heights Orion and others in her pedigree. Good first mom. $100

Wintertime Barqs(NASSA registered)Polled frosted moorit gulmoget twin ram. Very nice overall type and lovely, soft, fine, crimpy fleece. Good disposition. $300 OBO.

Wintertime Ladybug(NASSA pend.)Black(modified?)single ewe lamb with some minor white flecks on her poll. Very dense, consistent fiber and nice overall type. Sire is Sheltrgpines Bug and dam is Sheltrgpines Mustang Sally. $200. Available at MFF time.

Wintertime Bailleys(NASSA registered)Polled moorit twin ram with a lovely, crimpy fleece. Will be available mid-November after being in a breeding pen. $250.

Photos and fleece samples available upon request. Any of these animals can be delivered to Allegan, MI area free of charge.

PASTURES & SHEEP SALES

Turned the sheep out onto their various fields this afternoon, because the weather is supposed to be very hot and dry for this entire week and I felt they needed to be out finding the shady spots where the breezes can blow. If I have to I'll start watering the fields, as they are already looking as though they want to dry up and turn brown. We just finished putting together a system to work an oscillating sprinkler from water we bring up from the stream. The Cormo X's are having the most trouble dealing with the heat and bugs. Fortunately our shearer is coming out Tuesday early in the morning to remove their heavy fleeces.

We have the following animals for sale:

Wintertime Garnet(NASSA)--Moorit twin ewe lamb sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Wintertime Ruby. Friendly, growthy lamb with a nicely developing fleece. Tail is longish. $200 OBO. SOLD.

Wintertime Barqs(NASSA)--Moorit gulmoget twin ram to above ewe lamb. Frosted sides. Lovely personality and polled. He is developing very nicely and has a soft, crimpy fleece. Price has been raised to $300.


Wintertime ?(NASSA pending)--Black(silvering)gulmoget krunet ram lamb with scurs. Sire is Wintertime Black Forrest. Dam is Winter Sky Secondhand Rose. Very squarely built, solid ram with dense fleece that is crimping. Good tail. $250. SOLD

Wintertime Fedora(NASSA pending)--Ag gulmoget twin ram lamb sired by Wintertime Black Forrest and out of Sheltrgpines Isidora. Elegant, refined, crimpy, typey. Being retained until August for further evaluation.

Winter Sky Secondhand Rose(NASSA)--Six year old light moorit ewe with minor spotting on poll. Very nicely built ewe that isn't overly large. Only registered daughter of Winter Sky Skater Boy. Good mother. No health issues. $50.00. SOLD.

Sheltrgpines Bug(NASSA)--Moorit flecket scurred yearling ram with short, extremely soft, fine fleece. Good color. Excellent tail. Longer bodied. Hocks turn in slightly but his lambs aren't showing that trait. Nice disposition. $350 OBO. SOLD

Ganache--Cormo X dark brown two year old ewe with a very dense, soft, 4-5 inch fleece. Solid build and not overly tall. Good mother. Very laid back and easy to work with. $350 OBO SOLD

China--ACSA registered white Cormo yearling ewe. Beautiful 19.5 micron fiber that is very dense with good length. $350. SOLD.

Winter Sky Alafair--Black with some age-greying ewe with a great personality. Just had triplets and is taking good care of them. No health issues. 50% UK lines(Jamie/Holly). $50 to a loving home.

WOW!!

Will have photos sometime soon of the lovely lambs I found down at Stephen's farm. The list of the best:

Twin Ag gulmogets sired by Wintertime Forrest and out of Sheltrgpines Isidora(North Wind Holiday daughter)--musket ewe and grey ram. Both with perfect, elegant, typey looks and marvelous personalities. Full of fun. Wintertime Isabella & Wintertime Fedora.

Moorit krunet polled ram sired by Wintertime Forrest and out of Winter Sky Khaya. Just perfection from head to tail. My Tennyson replacement. Now to find the perfect name.

Moorit gulmoget ram lamb with lovely horns developing. Sired by Wintertime Forrest and out of Winter Sky Ani. He may be for sale. Once again the build is all there...solid elegance with a lovely tail and typey head.

Forrest will be in a breeding pen again this fall as we are finding the right crosses produce some of the best lambs I've seen for type, style and fleece. He is aging beautifully. One would never imagine he was so gawky, leggy and dog-fleeced as a lamb. Sometimes one must be patient to find the gems.

I traded Raggedy Ann's daughter for a really typey black yearling Shetland ewe for Meghan's flock that is sired by Bono Creek Caper. He was a fawn katmoget ram I had briefly for a winter. I thought he had perfect type and a beautiful fleece but never had the opportunity to use him in the flock. Because I forgot to read the fine print and bring my own pen to the fiber festival on Saturday I made a new connection with a small Shetland breeder and found this ewe and some other lines I thought were lost. Fate steps in. Thanks Dan.