Well, sheep don’t always read the book and as of this writing we have 3 new lambs born March 28 (about 5 days earlier than expected). All 3 seem fine and have been outside already. They spend the first 2-3 days in a small pen called a jug. This gives them a chance to bond without interference from others. After about 2 days they will get an ear tag, tetanus vaccine and start going out.
The maple sap run finished early. Once the trees start to bloom out the sap flow really backs off and this was way earlier this year than usual. Tom will be boiling down the sap soon and will have some lovely maple syrup. (Though not a lot of it).
Other things are going in the ground and garden beds being prepped. We have planted potatoes already as well as onions for spring onions. Also in the works is a new asparagus bed. It is still too cold to plant the sweet corn. We will soon be crowning the hops plants. This involves clearing any old growth and knocking back the ‘bull shoots” to help increase air circulation and expose the downy mildew spores to kill them.
The early spring also means the grass will soon need cutting soon so mower blades need to be sharpened, tractors will get oil changes and hydraulics checked, haying equipment gone over and greased up, etc.
In the meantime we keep watch on the ewes.