Rams In

Since I was home with a sick boy today, naptime proved to be an excellent opportunity to establish our breeding groups for this season. For my own record keeping here is the info:

Ram: Marshmallow (shetland, white)
Anna
Ella
Shrek
Cocoa
Sugar
Plum
Emma
Cream

Ram: Jimmer (1/2 shetland, 1/2 suffolk)
Sunny
Bunny
Scar
Jacobs
Fiona
JJ
Kizzy
Poppy
Pamela

Marshmallows group is all pure shetland except for Cream. He is such a gorgeous ram, with outstanding fleece that we wanted to try and capitalize on that. The ewes he has been placed with are our finest fleeces and best conformations. Well, except for spoiled AnnaFleece who somehow managed to squeeze herself under the fence when I was cleaning out the water trough. I figured if she needed to be with Ella and the others that accept her so bad, I would not deny her.
Jimmer's group is our ewes of unknown background, more experienced shetlands, and icelandics. The plan is that these will all be market lambs.
Speaking of market lambs, we slaughtered our own this year. It was tough, but not as tough as I thought it would be. I know it would have been different if it was a sheep I was attached to, but I still have my favorites in our current group of 19. We had five lambs that are on their way to the processor as I type. They are already promised to freezers from here to the twin cities.
Nate and I also have the hides drying in preparation for sending in to the tannery. I think my husband is more excited about sinking his toes into a gorgeous 1/2 shetland, 1/2 Jacobs pelt than he is about a freezer full of lamb!