Monday, July 09, 2007

What's happening on the farm?

...the rain has abated and left only large 'lakes' -unfortunately they were once cropping paddocks! C'est la Vie....
I'm still organizing my photos from the holiday (managed to whittle them down to 215 at least!) so I will share some lamb marking pictures instead.


Lamb marking is my kids' favourite thing so they were well involved. My grown up nephews also assisted as they need a few 1000 done as well.


Lamb marking involves putting a ring on tails (and another pair of bits that are not required!) and giving the lambs an ear tag so that they remain traceable at all points along the chain. They also get a drench, an injection, that was performed by little old vet me, that covers them for 6 diseases including such gems as black leg (sounds more like a pirate) and pulpy kidney (self-explanatory!) It is all done in a beautifully pain free way and the tails just drop off after a few weeks. This is a much happier result than leaving the tails on and having the poor sheep invaded by flies in their nether regions in the summer.


DD surveying the Mums waiting very noisily for their babies to come back, nice and foggy as well.....



Couple of old farmer's surveying their surrounds......


This little cutie is too small to fit in the marking cradle so gets personalized attention, farmer version of private health care........ Notice her superb addition of costume jewelry, all the best dressed Australian lamb is wearing it this season!




Ahhh, the stirrups, an unfortunate memory for many...not just the lambs!




No, I wont talk, you can't make me.........




DD learning the ropes on a smaller lamb, very proud of her efforts, while her brother just kept chasing them in...-and requesting, in no uncertain terms that his mother stop taking pictures and get on with the work!





Preparing for the unknown, reminds me a little of Babe! Excepting of course, that they are not pigs!




Are you my kid (or was that lamb??)

Back outside and the great match up begins. The lambs may not be quite so keen to see their mothers when they catch sight of that trendy body piercing!

And speaking of wool, I retaught myself to crochet (after a 20 year hiatus) when on the way to Melbourne, here are the prototypes that may one day be something, Ds suggested the one with the green bubble in the middle looked like a Barbie sombrero and DD thought the red could be a 'hair thing!' Works for me!


11 comments:

Melanie said...

Greeat kids for helping.... You're life is so incredibly interesting....

Kim said...

Those little lambs in the cradles look so silly just laying there. And warm and cuddly! Sounds like a big job. Now what other bits besides the tail falls off? Okay, I think I can probably guess.

Susie said...

Very interesting post Tracey! I always enjoy reading about your sheep and the lambs. I now know why they bob the tails. Blogging is such a wonderful way to learn things from people who truly know..
xo

Leah Spencer said...

Fascinating! I'm glad you shared, farm life interests me. :)

Lily Mulholland said...

Tracey fog and rain - we can relate to that! Although it's a beautiful day here in Canberra today.

Those lambs do look funny in the stirrups. Thank god they are not so familiar to me....

Love your girls' description of what your crocheted 'bits' could be!

Susan said...

Wow! Those are amazing pictures. I keep forgetting it is winter down under! It's a lot of work for all of you, isn't it? The babies are so cute, though. And how do the children feel about eating lamb? =)

Ruth's Place said...

I've read about lamb marking, but never seen the process in action so I loved the photos!

Tonya Ricucci said...

those lambs look so sweet - like they need their bellies rubbed.

Carol said...

What a cheeky look your daughter is giving in that first shot. That made me giggle.

Love reading about your life on the farm.

atet said...

Thanks for sharing! The lambs are adorable, and your children, as always, are beautiful!

Saska said...

I remember "banding" tails and other un-mentionables to the few bottle-lambs we raised. They are such loveable creatures.

The rain has finally quit here, but now it's mid 90's. Not your cool weather at all.