Breton Meadow Farm
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Update October 2010

October 1, 2010
The manure and compost has finally been spread over our renovated pasture and incorporated into the soil. A dry spell set in just after plowing and delayed this step. Our soil is classified as “Haven Silt Loam, 0 to 3 percent slope”, which is a very fine soil that is easily blown around when dry. Waiting was essential. Next step is liming and seeding.

October 8, 2010
It’s time to move the sheep across the street. The pasture renovation project has taken much of our pasture out of production. In addition, more sheep are coming. The portable, battery-operated fence energizer has arrived and a battery lugged home from the store so we are all set to erect netting across the street.

Betty has offered to help since she has experience moving sheep on the streets of Lincoln. She will bring a dog to help. Three people will make the operation a little easier since we can use two people to manage automobile traffic while a third herds the sheep. We’ll see how it goes.

October 11, 2010
Yesterday we moved the sheep across the road. With the help of some neighbors and Betty and her dogs, we opened the front gate in our perimeter fence and guided the sheep across the road and into the enclosure we had set up for them. This proved a little more exciting than expected because the sheep didn’t know where to go. So they sort of went everywhere.

Betty used Tyne to work the sheep. The other two dogs were there to apply a little pressure to reduce the number of directions they might go. The sheep crossed the road ok, but then went left instead of right. Tyne came by to compensate, but went a little too far and pushed them back toward the road. A quick reversal corrected that except the white ram decided a forsythia bush was part of his new diet and refused to move despite Tyne’s efforts. By the time the white ram got moving again, the other sheep had found some other place to go.

After a few more similar excursions, four of the sheep finally got the idea that they should enter the new area. That got the attention of the remainder who headed for the opening as well. A couple of sheep left the enclosure to greet the latecomers, but eventually all ended up inside. The opening was closed and that was done.

October 13, 2010
The arrival of our new sheep is imminent. We intend to to keep them separate for awhile. So this morning I set up an area along the east fence where there is enough grass to feed them for a few days.

October 15, 2010
Today we left for the New York Sheep And Wool Festival.

News

10/12/2015
We are selling mutton and lamb. Read more…

5/12/2015
First 15/16 lamb is born. Read more…

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