I have decided to downsize my herds.  My health is not been the best this year and I am just so tired with these thyroid problems that I really want to get rid of most of the animals.  I am an artist, not a rancher but the animals have taken on a life of their own.

I have a small long wool sheep herd which I plan on keeping other than selling off the ram so that  I will not increase in numbers any further.  I will only keep perhaps 3-5.  I have a small fine wool sheep herd of merinos which I also plan on keeping except for the ram who is going in the freezer this weekend if someone doesn’t buy him.  Again, only plan on keeping 3-5.  And I have a small fibre goat herd of angora goats which are going as well.  I may be keeping one of the angora goats, but only because she is old and I promised her a place until she passes.  Her fleece is still fantastic and she is gentle and sweet so she would be the only angora goat that I will have.  If I had not of promised her, I would sell her as well.  I will also be selling off some of my dairy goat herd in the spring and all the dairy goat kids as I will only keep my goats that are in milk. and the buck to freshen them every year.

This will greatly decrease my numbers, the amount of work, the amount of hay to put up, the amount of pens to keep clean and the amount of pens needed full stop as I can run the sheep and goats together in a section of pens with heated water buckets.  This will make winter easier. 🙂 I have already reduced my herd down about 50% from last year’s herd, and not I am going even lower.

I will give the other part of the barn and upper pens to my dogs so when I do have to go to town, they will not have to be in little kennels but will have space to run around in and plan out of the weather as well as their heated water bucket.

And of course, I will be weaving, spinning, felting and crocheting……