Its a long way form South Dakota

We would like to introduce you to our newest arrivals to Yorkshire Rose Farm

Gwen, Heather, Laura, Dakota and lastly Custer (Ram Lamb).

Last week we set off to South Dakota, we left after our Sunday Farmers Market, the farm we went to to buy our SAMM's (South African Meat Merinos) is just above Rapid City. We got to the farm just after lunch on Monday and was met by a very friendly family. 

Gwen and her son and Daughter in law, showed us round there farm and then it was down to business picking out our ram lamb, this was very tough as they had quite a few as they have 400 breeding ewe so that provided us with quite a few choices.

This done we headed for our motel and 2 days sight seeing before heading back to the farm Thursday to head home.

The journey home was long we left the farm around 10 am Thursday and drove stopping for fuel, and checking the water buckets for the sheep, they settled down in the trailer and munched away on a bail of hay. I think they found it easier than we did. We pulled in our drive at 2am Friday, exhausted, with one last check of the sheep we headed for bed.

Later we separated out 6 of our ram lambs to put with Custer and put the four ewes a a small paddock, we need to quarantine the for 3 to 4 week just in case they have an illness that could endanger our flock. They are all settling in quite nicely and getting a little more friendly towards us.

(above) The for girls

 (above) Gwen and Dakota

\Custer with some of our Ram Lambs, he is the white one in the middle of the two colored, with a Tunis cross bring up the rear. Custer is not keen on his photo being taken and always walks away.

 We are hoping these girls are pregnant and will give us lambs in late fall, so hopefully you will be seeing them again quite soon

A TRIBUTE TO SAM

Sam is the beagle sat down in the picture above.

Last night Dave and I decided it would be nice to have a night out and go to the movies. We got back around 9.30pm to to happy dogs wagging their tails in greetings. Dave went straight out to lock up the chicken coops and I made sure that both dog went out with him for their nightly duties.

Dave came back with only Giz, Sam was nowhere to be seen or heard, we called and called, we started to hunt for him and my worst fear began to come true. Sam has seizures and my biggest fear was he would go out and have a seizure and I could not find him in time, or I would be out shopping or something. Well it happened we found Sam and he was dead in the middle of some pine trees between the house and the barn.

So now my little fellow is chasing chipmunks in heaven I hope! and has left me with a whole in my heart as big as a barn door, my faithful, loving Sam was put to rest next to his old friend Blu.

 Dave, Giz, Sput and I will miss you.