A diary of the projects, hurdles, rewards and family life at we recorded at Wise Acres, our former homestead in Horsefly, BC. (Careers and teenagers have forced us back into the city, at least for a little while.)

Friday, November 21, 2008

Getting ready for the sheep

The last few week-ends have seen us pretty busy, preparing for the arrival of our three ewes. We decided to purchase them from Greencroft Gardens, mainly because she had three, in three different colours and was asking a very good price. They have been with the ram for some time, so we are hoping that they will be pregnant, due to lamb in the spring.

We picked an area close to the house, to fence off as a starting pasture. We wanted to be able to see them from the house, so we can monitor how things are going. We are hoping that Violet, will keep the predators at bay, but we have also been looking into getting a llama. We'll have to see. We have also been trying to get rid of all of the lupine stalks and pods as they are apparently toxic to sheep...damn that Miss Rumphius :)


Rainer from Big Bear Ranch stopped by yesterday to bring us a bale of his organic hay. We're so lucky to have them closeby...I've no idea how we would have gotten it onto our property otherwise and positioned where we need it.

Rainer is also a wealth of information. He warned us about cougars and told us about watching a cougar clear a six foot electric fence with a goat in its mouth. Wow...those cats are amazing...I hope he's right that they are usually scared off by dogs.

So we are almost ready for the arrival of our sheep...just need to work out a watering system and finish a gate.

4 comments:

  1. Wahooo! I can't wait to see them! I am sure you will love them as much as I love my wee ewe from there!

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  2. Good post. I learn one thing more challenging on completely different blogs everyday.

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  3. High-elastic electric fences keep going for quite a while, are somewhat simple to build, and cost not exactly different kinds of fencing. Though cows can regularly be controlled with 1 or 2 strands of electric wire, sheep require numerous strands, less to keep them in, however to keep expected hunters out.

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  4. Five, six or seven strands of 12 ½ measure high-pliable wire is normal for sheep wall. The base wires of the fence are more firmly separated than the top wires. Wire spacings of roughly 6, 5, 5, 8 and 10 inches are ordinary. In regions where there is moderately even precipitation and some green vegetation a large portion of the year, it is suggested that all wires be hot.

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