Last Little Lamb

Our last lambs have arrived.... just a few months late.

To see what we have been doing around the house and in the studio make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook. 

Spring Mornings

I can tell when something exciting is happening by the speed of Mark's feet on the stairs. This morning he practically ran to get me out of bed. Two sets of twins just this morning! Happy spring from Jemima Puddle Duck and her new lambs.

Part #1: My Almost Sustainable Lifestyle

My absolute favorite book growing up was by Steven Cosgrove called Little Mouse on the Prairie. Do you remember his books? It was the ones about horses turned unicorn that caught my attention but in the end I couldn't put down the Little Mouse book.

 Collecting moss, berries and wood for the winter was so...simple and soothing to me. Sure I had no idea the work it entailed but boy did I admire that industrious mouse!

I was raised to consume wisely and spend thriftily. We heated with a wood stove, ate mostly from the garden and the majority of our meat was raised right in our back field. The work of raking and watering was spent as a family and my older sisters always made it into a game. 

Fast forward to today.

Being raised this way,  it is second nature to do many of the things we do around here like canning, gardening, recycling (we dont' use a service) and even hunting for our own meat.

I don't regret this life but living simply and sustainably is an art I have not yet mastered.  Probably because I have way too many interests beyond the farm. I have done my best to avoid the projects I would love to do (oh pinterest how I love/hate you) and eliminate the temptations in and around my home that call to me like designing fancy raised beds and repainting EVERY room just because it's fun. 

Soooo many people say when seeing our house and land say that it is a dream of theirs to live like us. They survey the lush green yard and breath in the fresh air with a dreamy look in their eyes while I ponder how on earth I am going to get the cherry juice stains off of my hands and notice yet another huge scratch on my leg from weeding near the roses last night…wait is that infected? Oh well.

So here is a list for those people:

THE CONS

(mainly for those who are dreaming of leaving your lifetime of living in the city or burbs for this)

Now that I am actually collecting, canning, chopping and gardening in my almost sustainable lifestyle I don't think it's all that romantic at times. It's hard. You have to make choices with your time and energy most do not make:
      Should we go to the lake or can peaches today? Uhm, peaches.
      Should I curl up with some tea this Sunday afternoon or deworm the sheep? Uhg, the sheep.

Sheering day and a big ol' pile of wool

You will never, I repeat, never have presentable hands again. You will forever be scrubbing and moisturizing. I count five slivers in my hands just now. Just thought you might find that interesting…

I am a 9 hour of sleep a night girl….That does not happen too often. If there is nothing urgent to do in the morning, chickens or sheep will inevitably use the wind to carry their  obnoxious cries to your window at 5:30am  for no apparent reason.

THE PROS

Living off the land slows you down in a way. Makes you appreciate those things you would have missed if you were just running from errand to errand. Summer is filled with gardening and harvesting. When the strawberrys are done it is already time for the cherries, blueberries and so on. But picking the warm-from-the-sun pie cherries while talking and laughing with my daughter or discovering tiny birds eggs tucked among the strawberry patch while picking are those sweet moments that keep me looking forward to the next harvest season. Not to mention the abundance of fruit in my freezer year round!

We know what we are consuming and where it has come from. I can't say that for most.

Hard work is a confidence builder for you and your kids. I am so glad I had the experience of pushing myself physically and getting to see a beautiful end result. This is something many kids don't get. The memories of roasting our food over the burn pile of branches we spent the better part of the day cutting and gathering from the orchard is one of my favorites.

I should also mention that Mark is an early riser and one of his hobbies is to garden making the lovely landscape a possibility. To embark on an adventure such as this you must have a partner with compatible skills and the same beliefs. I couldn't imagine doing all of this on my own and Mark has bitten off more then just he can chew sometimes.

And at the end of the day I get to drink tea filled with my own nummy honey or toast with a cocktail made with my own lavender infused vodka.

If after reading my very brief list you don't necessarily want this life, keep following my blog to live vicariously through us!

It's not for everyone but it's a pretty good life.

Next Post: Preserving and Baking!

Sheep in Oil (Paint)

Spring is here so I thought I would paint a couple of our favorite ladies in oil. 
These are actually tiny 4"x4" canvases.

Blanch the Beauty 

Jamima 

These girls were both little bummers when we got them. Jamima was so sweet and mellow.
Blanch's mom had difficulty when having her and she must have been stuck for a while because she was covered in her own poo. Friends were over that night for canasta and dinner so when Mark got the call we put it on hold and we all bathed her and fed her. Because she was covered as she was in yellow, and at the same time such a stunning little lamb, we decided to name her after our favorite Golden Girl. It's a sweet but gross story and I'm not sure why I had to include that but I did.

Twins!

Last night we welcomed these two little cuties into the world. Twins are great but  having two girls is even better!
Each year we sort of have a theme when naming so this year is Disney. Hopefully we will have enough  normal female names to go around. I really don't want a Mulan or Cinderella.
Any suggestions?

The Lambs Are Coming!

Today was another snow day. No school, no work and lots to do.

First thing on my list was to clean the... wait there's something shiny!
                                                                        but I decided to make a pumpkin pie.

Out of the window I noticed our mama sheep named #50, due to the lovely green tag she came with on her ear, laboring in the back of the field. Last year she gave us our very first natural born lamb; Eve.
So after breakfast it was out to the barn to set up the nursery.

The others thought we were there to feed them. Oh the disappointment. 

While we were at it, it was time to do something with Thor's horn which was slowly curling and growing into HIS SKULL!! OK, it wasn't yet puncturing the actual bone but it had penetrated the skin. Eak and gross! We cut them longer then recommended but there was still a lot of blood so after clotting and creatively bandaging it with weather proof window and door tape he was good to go. 

And as I type this #50 is huffing and puffing away. Here she poses for the paparazzi.  I sure hope it's twins!
Anyone wanna take a guess?

A Wintery Wonderland Sort of Weekend

So when they predict snow in the valley it's not only the kids who get excited. I LOVE the snow. The sheep not so much.
Mark woke me up around 5 am and I couldn't help waking El. It's the one time of year that waking a teenager at the crack of dawn is allowed.

Since school was already out and Mark couldn't really go into work, we took the opportunity to deliver the wreaths we made to our neighbors.

Rocco came too. Ate some snow. Had a good time.

So I have spent the last two days cleaning and decorating. I'm the kind of person that has to do a deep cleaning before putting anything new out. That is why it has taken almost two full days.

The reason I say almost is because Mark and I take breaks to read a chapter here and there from Mockingjay. We read the series years ago but it's always good to brush up don't you think. Paired with a warm cup of tea and the bright snow filling the house with light, it was the perfect day.

So stay tuned for fun pick of the house filled with season cheer. And oooh and awh  over it because it has taken a lot of time and energy. 

A Lesson from the Shepherd

A very Happy Easter weekend to you all. Here at Bramblefield Easter means a lot to us. It's the fabulous news that HE IS RISEN!

Mark and a very zen looking sheep. Don't be fooled.

Throughout the New Testament Jesus is referred to as the Good Shepherd. As new farmers we have been given the opportunity to experience what being a shepherd is all about. It's not pretty. We are always aware of danger, heading it off before they can get into trouble. Sometimes we have to be a bit rough for their own good; corralling them, trimming hooves and wool, giving shots and yes, wrestling them to the ground to hand milk them for their new lamb's sake. That was not one of my most glamorous moments. 

Still they continue to distrust and make the wrong decision, no, the stupid decisions! But we are always there, anticipating their next move and forgiving them with a hand full of grain and alfalfa. 

Little Ruth

Then there are the bummers. Completely dependent on us. Completely loving and trusting. They can't  understand a word I am saying but when I call they still run and jump with excitement to me. 

Let's take a lesson from the bummers and lay our trust in Him who suffered on the cross so we could live this crazy, colorful, wonderful life with the promise of eternity. 

Eve and her Mom just this morning. Boy she is getting big!

Happy Easter everyone and may you have a blessed weekend with family and friends!

Sheep Solutions

 This is Cow. He is big and lazy. Most days we have to wake him up to eat.

 For the rest of the sheep feeding time is not a problem. They are always hungry and fighting through the mob to get to the bottle.  This has been exhausting and so Mark and I have built a few Uber Bottles for the flock.

 I purchased these grey nipples online here and brought them to our local hardware store Jerry's to get the tubs ($5) and the tubing. If you are new at this and are tempted to save money do not buy the black nipples as they will bot fit the tube. The grey have been our favorite because you can pop them on a plastic cola bottle or use them as we have here.

*Note: The black are good for lambs just born but you need to cut a larger hole for the milk.

Measure 6" at least between holes. The lambies get pretty crazy and need there room. Some are so excited they kick the bucket or thrash around while eating- a habit they rarely grow out of. We have a few that still need us to hold their head still while they spaz out. Poor things want it so bad but their ADHD won't let them sit still long enough to drink.

Back to the instructions: Drill holes the size of the nipple, and pop them in from the inside. Cut tube about 24" long. You can either place milk directly into the bucket or use an inner bucket as we do and place the ends of the tubes in it. The milk residue can build up so I like to use an inner bucket that I can take out and clean at the end of the day.

As you can see May and Bobbie Joe are cooperating quite nicely in the center picture but it takes about two days to "teach" them how to use it. Afterwords you are rewarded with a bunch of sleepy babies.

This year of bummers has been pretty dificult for us. There are many causes attributing to our near loss of half of them. The right balance of warmth and ventilation is something we will continue to work on but pneumonia is the leading cause.

Now that they are taken care of so to speak, it is time to turn my attention to the gardens. Already I have been digging up the multitude of gladiola bulbs (with the help of my chickens) in the vegetable garden and plotting my new cut flower area. So far I plan for daffodils, gladiolas and dahlias but can not seem to think of what else is a necessity in a cut garden. Any ideas? What is your favorite flower to bring indoors?

Here's hoping for many more sunny spring days!

Elizabeth

Bummers!

I have so many wonderful things to share but can't seem to find the time. My days are spent in dirty overalls, an old pink-poop-smeared jacket and these fabulous (above shown) boots.  I know it sounds glamorous right? The bummer lambs are here! and so I spend my time mixing milk before it's even light out every day and hand feeding the lot by bottle. So far we have 34...yes you heard me right. This means 34 babies desperate for milk four times a day. 34 babies with individual needs and disabilities. 34 different bleats that make me laugh so often. 40 is our goal. What were we thinking?

May days seem so short now and look something like this:

Feed lambs and larger sheep, clean stalls, feed myself, try to get work done on the computer for Mark, feed lambs again, take a nap? no. clean and try to be a responsible adult, feed again, figure out dinner because I was too tired to put something in the crock pot earlier, answer emails and daydream about reintroducing caffein  into my morning ritual, process new lambs in the ICU (the shop), scarf down dinner, feed lambs for the last time, take shower to get the ever present lamb smell off and crash into bed. 

Repeat the next morning. 

 Here are a few that stood still for a moment for me

Don't get me wrong, I love the little guys, it's just that I find myself talking to them a bit more then I should. Sometimes I feel like I'm on an episode of John and Kate plus 8. 

They all have names and unique personalities. Dax is a runt that just can't seem to get a break. Today I heard a strange gasping sound coming from a snuggley pile of lambs but couldn't find the source. I picked up Bubba Jr. to find little Dax being smothered below. Among our current runts are: Rue with the broken leg, Dash, Bell, May, and Patience. A couple nights ago we received 3 large, lumbering dopey sort of lambs all with black and white markings now named Cow, Ginny and Gerald. 

Kids get to name them too! We have many little ones come to visit and "feed" so I try to take down name suggestions. We now have Pickles, Bubbles, Rainbow, and Black Thunder (may he rest in peace). Most milk when fed by kids ends up on the lamb itself but they don't seem to mind. 

The madness of so many individual feedings WILL end. I have a plan and hope to show you picks as soon as I have a chance.

Stay tuned!

The Lambs Are Here!

But I am so excited!!!! I know not everyone adorns their photos of lambs with bunting but I am just that kind of person.

It always happens as we are on our way out the door. While baking a pie, packing bags and putting together presents for our families very belated Christmas dinner, I noticed a yew having a hard time getting up from the ground. I thought to myself "Well, didn't we all when we were in our last trimester?" An hour later our daughter, El, pointed out that she was indeed giving birth. WHAT?!?

Let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start.
We purchase a rag tag group of old gals who were culled from the previous farmers herd because of age or the suspicion that they would never have another lamb. We took a chance and though we have not been seeing tremendous results our first lambs were just born the other night.

Down the road live many farmers but one farming family in particular have made this all possible. They have supported us, answered phone calls at weird times of day and have made all of their tools available to us so we could transform Bramblefield. In addition to ALL of this Mark has been given the nickname of Cowboy by the the patriarch of this family. So, henceforth, Mark will be at times called Cowboy in my posts.

Now, back to the WHAT?!? part; We quickly grabbed our coats and ran out to bring her to the barn. This I fear stalled the process and so we waited. By the time it was getting dark (you can see the poor picture quality above) Farmer John came by to give us a little help and do a little training. Within minutes mama sheep was on the ground and I was reaching in to grab the tiny legs. She slipped out without problem and grabbing the back legs I swung her while stroking her chest to release gunck from her throat and get her breathing. We named her Eve. She is the first born lamb on our little farm.

For a long time I have had this on my bucket list and finally I got to help bring a little animal into the world! Needless to say we were pumped and ready for another but for that we would have to wait a few days.

This morning our neighbor called to tell us how sweet the new little lamb was out in the paddock. WAIT! WHAT!?! I have a lamb in the barn but....
We ran out again and by that time there were two new little ones. This mama did it all on her own and so we now have Thor and Fern. (Fern is strutting her stuff in the pic at the top of the post)
Our other 16 sheep are not showing signs yet so again we wait and in a week hopefully will start taking in bummer lambs from Farmer John and family. They have roughly 2,500 yews lambing in the month to come!
Bummers are the ones that either lost their mom or for various reason mom could not feed them. This will be our second year raising bummers and we have found it to be a wonderful ministry to invite people over to bottle feed or just cuddle them. With 3-4 feedings a day I could use the help!

Happy Lambing Season Everyone!
-Elizabeth

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to Bramblefield Blog. We hope to entertain and inspire others interested in:
•The Arts & Crafts Movement
•Sustainable Living
•Gardening
•Painting
•Farming
•Building
•Thrifting
• & General Awesomeness
Most postings will be done by me: Elizabeth with some framing/building tutorials by Mark my unbelievable talented hubby. 

A GIANT thank you to Shandell at Breaking New Ground for helping me set this all up. I am a bit stunted when it comes to web design and accounting but she made it all make sense. I will tackle accounting another day. 

As each season comes to a close we like to reminisce about all we have experienced or accomplished so here is one of our summer-time highlights:

The "New" sheep got a hair cut

  This is just a minor step in the adventure that has been Mark's sheep endevoure this year. (back story to come) The sheep in this picture are quite wild and quite old. In fact this will probably be their one and only year with us. These old gals are the beginning of Marks sheep farming legacy.  I'm sure our neighbors get a kick out of watching us "herd" the sheep but until our trusty Dobe decides to help out we are on our own.
  After several sessions of hoof trimming we now know a lot more about the under side of a sheep. As it turns out their feet are fairly susceptible to problems (she types with a twitching in her right eye). The smell is noxious to say the least and though we are doing what is best for them they don't always show their appreciation. 
  As I type we have a ram out romancing the ladies and hope to have a few little lambs to show you in January.
Until my next post I hope you all have a blessed day!
-Elizabeth