I shrug the small, lightweight, purple backpack over my shoulder onto my back and click the waist belt in place. I lift the shepherds crook from the box of the Ranger. Eyes looking down I begin a half circle around a ewe and her twin lambs, gently spiralling toward her. She gurgles to the lambs, urging them to their feet and then breaks off, trotting away. I make a dive forward, hooked the quickest lamb around the neck to check it up before hooking the second. Another reach for the first lamb again and I’ve got the two of them at my feet. The ewe turns back, alarm written all over her face. I present the lambs in front of me to let her know where they’re at. She comes in closer but stays well out of reach. She frets, rushes off, rushes back, does a fast circle around me. One of the lambs bleats and the ewe comes to a stand and answers. Her lambs are here; she talks, the lamb answers. I cradle the lambs in my lap, unsnap the backpack and dig out the elastrator and rings. I work as swift as I can, one band on the tail of each lamb, one band on the nuts of the male lamb, a paint mark on each and then a timely return to the ewe at a moment when she is looking toward us, searching for her lambs.
Lambing started with a single lamb, dead on arrival or shortly thereafter, the ewe nowhere to be found. The next day presented a dead pregnant ewe. Then a lovely set of twins, a single, … and five more lambs since.
I did not get excited about lambing time this year. Did not check the calendar or experience the usual amount of anticipation for it. I wasn’t dreading it either, I just did not think about it. Perhaps the flatline state is an emotional pre-screening of sorts, knowing the up’s and down’s that are ahead. I’m not sure. I do know some of my energy is tied up in worry over the grass which is nothing I can control but is something I have to consider and make decisions with. I’ve begun to chew on the thought that we may be parting with some of this flock.
I am eager to see more Corriedale lambs born and entering the flock this year. Once again I put the straight bred Corrie ram and two Corrie ram lambs with select ewes. I’m liking last years white face, female replacement lambs and am anticipating more high quality fleeces from this flock. Corriedale sheep were something we wanted when we began with sheep but ignored because it was difficult to find them. It still is. Funny how everything comes around one way or another.
Two days into lambing and I’m quickly re-establishing the annual routine for this busy time. No big reasons to make any big changes so I won’t. I used to ear tag female lambs but I’ve decided to stop with that and go with tagging them later when we know they’re staying on. Or else, not tagging at all, which is a thought percolating in the back of my head.
Otherwise, for the next month I’ll be spending a good deal of time on pasture, with sheep, with dogs, with ticks, and with any luck maybe even with a little bit of rain.
