For me, the time between Christmas celebration and the New Year is the time to reflect. I look at how the sheep farming has done with income and how the flock has performed. To spot errors and make improvements and changes to increase both the income and the size of the flock.
This year is no different. One thought in the back of my mind is how much rain are we going to receive this year. Will I have pasture to graze the sheep on? The winter wheat is doing well. We have received fall rains and so far winter rains. The lambs are arriving with no problems for lambs or ewes. I only wish we had more twins. Our lamb crop has been a lot of singles. On the positive side, a great percentage of the ewes are pregnant or have already lambed.
There are plans to build more pens and shelters for weaned lambed. We are going to need to purchase another ram. Our ram Max is no longer a young ram and will need to be replaced. This next breeding season will be fewer ewes per ram, with different scheduled groups of ewes. My plan is to have ewes lambing all year, smaller groups scheduled to lamb in different months.
Many plans and ideas in my head to process through and plan for the next year of sheep farming. The time of planning is the busiest time for my mind. The planning is the most stressful and thought provoking time of the year. Once I have a plan, then I only have to think about following the plan and getting the work done.
A sheep farm will only succeed with planning and a little luck from the weather.
Granny
Granny's Homestead 