Elvis

August and September were busy months.  While the lambs were growing we turned our attention to processing the special fleece I had set aside and thinking about the future advancement of the flock.  We needed a new ram and, since Walter was white and his progeny was primarily white, it was determined the next ram would be coloured. Our search led us to Jo Sleigh of Bramblewood  Farm in the Fraser Valley and we negotiated the purchase of a black yearling to be picked up at the Cowichan Fall Fair in September.

Cleaning fleece is hard work - for some......!

Rosie asleep on the tags.

Fall Fairs are vital to farming communities across the country and offer an opportunity for farmers to exhibit the results of their hard work to the public.  Livestock is showcased in competitions that demonstrate the best qualities of individual breeds.  Food producers are able to exhibit their crops and demonstrate the many and varied uses of their products in baking, canning, drying and other processing and preserving methods.  Fibre is also exhibited, both in the raw state and in knitting, weaving, quilting and  the crafts practiced by local artisans.

 The guild work on their Fibre display layout for the Salt Spring Island Fall Fair.

Jo was showing our new ram, who we had decided to call Elvis, along with other members of her flock and Dave and I attended the judging, checked out his lovely fleece and watched him win ‘best in class’. 

 Me, checking out that fleece

The grand finale of the competition required Jo to show all five of her flock together and she handed Elvis to Dave with the direction that ‘he is yours now – you show him’!  At this point, he had been in the ring for some time and was getting pretty fed up with the proceedings.  The judge announced that Jo Sleigh’s ram would be shown by David Astill who had just purchased him.  Elvis had had enough.  He headed off in a dance across the ring with Dave on the end of the rope.  Needless to say neither of them won points for deportment.

 Dave and Elvis - just before the dance!

 Following judging, Peter, our shearer removed Elvis’s coat before we loaded him into the truck for the ride to his new home.  He spent the first few days getting used to his pasture with one eye on the many girls awaiting his attention.  He settled in well and on October 1, Dave let him into the field with his new harem.  He fell instantly in love and has been taking care of business ever since.

Elvis, without his coat and in his new home.

The gestational period for sheep can range from 138 – 149 days although the average is 146-147 days.  While there are other factors involved (estrus cycles etc), we can anticipate the arrival of our first lambs on or about  February 23-24.  That will be a nice birthday present for me!