As I walk toward Joanne’s old farmhouse at Dancing Ewe Farm a small flock of gentle grey- brown morning doves flies away from their bird seed treat that Joanne sets out daily. The whole farm has been buried under the plentiful snow we’ve had and the temperature has remained steadily cold, keeping every fallen flake.
The lambs, which are now as large as their Moms, need feeding and watering and the large herd of dry ewes, over one hundred, awaits their new feeding of haylage ( silage made from grasses and legumes). The beautiful Marema dogs which guard the sheep have been playing happily in the early sun of the day. These are specially bred dogs from Italy which are bred to guard sheep and keep predators away.
The sheep have lots of warmth now with their heavy wool coats and will be shorn when they lamb and begin milking again in March. We all look forward to the spring pasture of late April and May. It seems like a long time away………….
See pictures of Vanilla, the ewe, Faith the female guard dog and Sartucci the male. Also view of the farm covered with snow.