So this rather scrawny looking specimen is number 67. He actually isn't even a year old yet so technically he could still be butchered as a lamb. He really is a pretty good size considering his age but like most young teenaged sheep he is pretty lanky yet.
Somehow number 67 got put in our database as a Ewe though. He made it through ten months of being treated like a ewe, got marked for keeping as a ewe, missed the first market cull and was saved from the slaughter run because he was listed as a ewe.
Then I went to shear him and figured out real fast he wasn't a ewe. At least someone noticed he was a little boy during castration time though because he is now a whether, but during the castration party we don't check numbers we just grab a lamb and put them either in the ewe pen or carry them over to the vet with the knife. So I guess he isn't as lucky as he could have been.
So after discovering the clerical error on this guy I called the butcher to see when he was going to be doing some lambs again so I could drop him by. He didn't have any lamb dates on the schedule but told me he would let me know.
While shearing him the Wife of the our shearer who is also a hand spinner noted that this Whether had some excellent spinning wool under all the burrs anyway and said that at least he would be good for that. Well that didn't particularly strike me as a reason to keep him but one of the locals who had come over to watch shearing day picked up on it and called this morning wanting to buy little Mr. 67.
Honestly I would have given her 67 if she had asked but she offered $100.00 up front. SOLD!!!!
Two hours later the butcher called to say he was doing some more lambs next week.
Man this Whether has no idea just what a charmed life he has. He is closely akin to that kitten I picked up out in the middle of Bum Frick Nowhere that runs around here like he owns the place. I know this lady he is going to will keep him his entire life and he will have other sheep to be friends with too.
Some Sheep have all the luck.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!
PP,
ReplyDeleteLeft you a comment a couple posts ago. Like #67 my naughty boy with the broken horn has left me scratching my head again.
No sooner than I suggest an early BBQ and he comes back that evening with NO horn on that side so apparently he has shed the damage and is healing up. So his date with the killing knife gets postponed. As does the BBQ.
Another damn lucky lamb says I.
Winston
Winston - I was going to answer your question after I thought about it today and called my sheep guru and shearer guy. All our sheep have always been naturally polled but sometimes the rams begin to form nubs where the horns were suppose to be.
DeleteCrazy problem and it sounds like you got one lucky whether as well :)
Unfortunately his luck gene won't get passed on but things could be worse.
ReplyDeleteJust started the tobacco seed that you sent, bought a planter with plastic top and starter mix so we will see what happens now that the house is warming up enough for the seed to sprout. It is the smallest seed that I have seen so I expect to have to do some thinning. Do you have any guess as to what kind it is?
Hey Sf - I was beginning to worry that something had happened to you hadn't seen ya commenting anywhere in a couple of days. Those seeds are small aren't they? I always end up thinning them just after they sprout. I have only ever grown two types of Tobacco Golden Seal and Dark Virginia. They seem to bloom at separate times so I doubt there is much crossing between the two and I believe what I took the seeds I sent you from was a Dark Virginia. It seemed appropriate at least in the second name :)
DeleteAfter I planted the seed, my hand broke out like poison ivy but never itched. It was the hand that I had in the plastic bag of seed so I just washed it good with dawn detergent and it stopped and soon healed. Very strange but I suspect the tobacco pods had some kind of oil that set off my skin to react. I plan on using it to make tobacco tea to spray as pesticide at some point so maybe this stuff is potent. It will be a neat plant to watch an maybe feed some hummingbirds as well.
DeleteSf - That is interesting. I hope they sprout for you. I never tried actually just saving them in the pods before but it should work. If they fail let me know and I wills end ya some more.
DeleteTuck that little boy under your arm and buy a lottery ticket!
ReplyDeleteProof - LOL I hadn't thought of that!!! I like your style :)
DeleteI would say that lamb is destined for great things, but I really no idea what that would mean for a lamb...
ReplyDeleteTB - I don't either at least not with already being snipped. Maybe a guard Sheep or something?
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