Thursday, May 26, 2011

New Additions to Grace Valley Farms Orchard

As you may recall from last Spring, we started the Grace Valley Farms Orchard. We continued to
add to it this Spring.
 

Benjamin prepares to plant a Honeycrisp apple tree.

We planted 16 new fruit trees:   3 Honeycrisp apple trees, 1 Honeygold apple tree, 1 Spartan apple tree, 1 Bartlett pear tree, 2 Comice pear trees, 2 Summercrisp pear tress, 1 Underwood plum tree, 1 Sweet Black Tartarian cherry tree, 2 Meteor tart cherry trees, and 2 Montmomercy cherry trees.

Doug and Benjamin secure a protective cage.

One of the Comice pear trees was blooming.

The fruit trees were planted along our driveway.

The fruit trees are beginning to bud out. Spring is here!


Cecelia and Erwin

Cecelia delivered a beautiful ram lamb on May 5th!

Erwin - 16 lbs. 9 oz.

Erwin and his mother, Cecelia, peek through a gate in our barn.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Autumn's Twin Boys

Autumn gave birth to twin boys this year.

Exxon - 10 lbs. 8 oz.
Esau - 12 lbs. 11 oz.

Autumn is a very good mother and takes excellent care of her babies!

One of our friends, Stephen, made friends with Exxon! Exxon is a cute, cuddly little lamb.


Emma and Elmira

Brooke delivered twin girls this year!

Emma and Elmira were born one sunny morning in late April. Both of Brooke's girls are healthy and full of life!

Emma - 10 lbs. 10 oz.
-
Elmira - 11 lbs. 11 oz.

Emma and Elmira are already growing nice little fleeces! We are looking forward to the high-quality wool they will shear next spring!

 Last year Brooke delivered white twins, Daisy and Daffodil. Both of those girls have grown into big, beautiful ewes. We now welcome Brooke's dark-colored girls to our flock!

Edna

Hazel's 2011 delivery was a stocky, black ewe lamb named Edna.

Edna's birth weight was 13 lbs. 6 oz.

Edna's father is Edison, our dark Romney ram. Her mother, Hazel,  is a Hampshire. This makes Edna 1/2 Romney and 1/2 Hampshire.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Late Spring Snowstorm

Late spring snow storms are not uncommon for our area. We are very grateful for the moisture these storms provide. The melting snow helps to jump start the grass at it awakes from the long winter. Here are some pictures from our snowstorm.

We awoke to a fresh layer of snow!

Many of the sheep stayed in the barn during the snowstorm. We left the door open a crack so they could come and go as they pleased.

Cathy comes out of the barn and into the snow storm.

Some of the ewes kept dry by staying in one of our straw-filled sheds.

Dora ventures out into the snow.

Dusty Anne, Daffodil, and Desibelle

The rams, Foreman and Edison.

Two of our dogs, Bullet and Ruger. The dogs love playing in the snow. They run, jump, and chase each other through snow banks!

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Eisenhower

 
Hannah's delivery this year was a cute, little ram lamb we named Eisenhower.


Eisenhower weighed 14 lbs. 15 oz. at birth. He is a big boy, full of life and energy!