Sheep and the lamb Dale.

This is Dale, he was the smallest of triplets and needed hand-rearing. He followed Zoe everywhere ...

Dale was at home in the house for a number of weeks this spring.

Where he found things to play with and chew when he wasn't making lamb play with the humans of the house.

May 9th. When he wasn't indoors he had free rein of the garden...    

...where he was not as innocent as he looked!

May 25th. One of Dales favourite plants was Sanguisorba tanna.

Many plants in the garden had the Chelsea chop courtesy of Dale.

He also liked ox-eye daisies. May 22nd.

As Dale grew he spent more time outdoors, he found himself a bed beside the bench at the front door...

...Where he made himself comfortable, when he wasn't eating the plants in the garden!

June 20th. A relieved Daub has his bed back and looks as if he is ready to catch something!

Dale eventually outgrew the garden and joined Zoe's flock of sheep.

A few of the other sheep in the field with Clover, one of the Kerry cows.

Cattle, Sheep, hens... update 2016.

 In January Amber aborted twin calves 6 weeks early. The calves were too young to survive, the vet said their lungs would not have been sufficiently developed. Amber's milk came in though and with no calf to share her milk we found ourselves back with more milk than expected earlier than expected.

Heather and new born calf Daisy, April 14th.

 Then Heather calved in April, Heather had plenty of milk for her calf and for us and with Amber's milk too we had lots for a while.

This photo August 31st, lambs and cattle in five acres.

Out in the field, in about June, Heather stood on one of her teats taking all the skin off the end centimetre! A horrible injury, especially coming into fly season, so Angus hand milked twice a day for most of the year. No one is in calf yet so there should be a lull in activity for a while!

Shemie, Zoe's special pet sheep, spent time everyday this spring being walked about the garden, and through the polytunnels! Then having a supervised graze while Zoe had a supervising laze.
March 14th.

Tivon's Turkey, March 15th.

Nettle and her new born ewe lamb Firn, April 16th.

Nettle and her new born twins, April 16th.

Nettle and her new born ewe lamb Firn, April 16th.

Zoe enticing Nettle to come into the barn for the night so the newborn lambs would be safe from the fox. They only spent the first night in the barn.
Thistle also had twins.

 March 26th.

The hens free-ranged the garden until the beginning of June when they went into the fox-proof orchard area for a month or two.

Free range hens have original nests, Alfie and Tivon have egg-hunts all year round!

Daub stalking the pigeons.

He has never caught a pigeon from the roof like this, however the sparrowhawk has caught them in the air and Daub has caught a couple form the ground.

Daub stalking the pigeons, January 12th.

Five acres in May.

Five acres is the name of the field beside our home.

 Zoe has been helping our neighbours with their lambing and they have kindly given her two Ewe pet lambs. Angus's automatic weather station is in the middle of the field and they were determined to have their photo taken with it!

 Meanwhile Zoe has hand sheared Lea and Thistle.

Thistle May 30th.

 

Alfie on the gate as we let the cattle into Orchard meadow. Amber and Heather have been put in calf, fingers crossed there will be calves next year.

Alfie with sheep.

While the ram is visiting, Lee and sweet pea are in the area fenced for pigs, the near end is wooded and the far end is pasture. No pigs at the moment.

The other sheep are in the field with the cows.

I love to see the relationship between children and animals.

 

Alfie greets Sweetpea.

Tivon's photos.

Tivon took lots of photos on September 16th, Tivon will be 9 years old soon.

 

 Wattle.

 Daub.

 Alfie lopping branches.

 Alfie digging.

I am also digging a hole to plant a couple of home-propagated Bay trees.

The ground is hard and dry!

 The Kerries, Sooty greets Heather.

Heather and Amber with the calf Clover.

 Sweet pea in the field with the sheep.

 Sweet pea helping us mow the meadow. Tivon took this photo the following day.

 This turkey has gone broody and has been sitting on a clutch of eggs beside the barn.

 She has just popped out for a bite to eat.

Nettle, thistle and Lee.

Thistle and Lee

Zoe with Alfie and Lee on March 31st.

Thistle and Lee spent a week or two in the garden before going out to the field.

Alfie feeding Thistle.

Lee, our first ewe lamb.

Thistle and her one day old ewe lamb with Alfie.
 Alfie LOVES the lamb, Zoe has named her Lee.

 Thistle birthed twins but one was weak and didn't make it.

Angus and Alfie, with Lee.

Lee just finding her feet.