Spring: Mud Season, a Minor Flood and LAMBS!

Mud Season

Spring is right around the corner – at least that is what it says on the calendar.  Here, on the farm, it will be mud season for at least a few more weeks.  Before moving to the country, I thought there were four seasons during the year.  After all, that is what we learn as children; I grew up in the city so I assumed was true.  However, the truth is evident to those who live far from the paved streets and sidewalks.  Actually, there are six seasons – Winter, mud, spring, summer, mud, fall. We’ve had so much snow this winter that MUD season is in full swing and it’s a doozie!  For the first time in five years, we have resorted to parking our vehicles at the end of our driveway, near the county road.  The frost is still in the ground and the melting snowbanks (yay!) supply a constant stream of water running down the driveway.  We have perfect conditions for a very nasty mud season.

Melt water overflowing into the barnyard.

Anyone with a barnyard knows how disgusting it is at this time of year.  We have become accustomed to the mud and “other stuff” we slog through this time of year.  The only difference this mud season is the level of our “creek.”  It’s actually not a creek, but a drainage ditch which runs through our property.  It looks like a small creek with all the old trees grown up on the banks.  The creek usually fills at this time of year with the snowmelt.  Today, I discovered that the creek has overflown its bank and is flowing into a low section on the edge of the barnyard.  Yikes!  At least our house sits on higher ground.  Hopefully, our minor flood will only last a few days.

2011 Finnsheep ewe and ram lamb twins (Dam Emmi X Sire Eino)

On a happy note, black Finnsheep ewe Emmi birthed our first two lambs  of 2011 yesterday.  A solid black ewe and a black ram lamb with a small white spot on his head.   They were dry and nursing when I found them.  My guess is they were born a few hours before discovery.  I got mom and lambs into a jug and dressed the ewe lamb in a red fleece jacket and the boy in blue.  They are so cute and all are doing well.  Today the ewe lamb weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz., the ram lamb weighed 6 lb. 9 oz.  Lambing season has begun!