Sheep Images

The following pictures trace a year with the sheep at Whitefish Bay Farm

Sheep Album Late Winter

Late winter is largely spent in the barn, where food is plentiful. The ewes and rams have the best available nutrition as shearing is very near.


Sheep Album Shearing

Shearing usually takes place in early March. Our shearer, takes great care to assure that the fleeces come off cleanly, all the while treating the sheep gently and with minimal stress.


Sheep Album Shearing Finished

In the past, once shearing was finished, lambing began within two to three weeks. All the pregnant ewes would deliver their lambs over a period of about 4 weeks. However, as of 2015 we no longer breed any of our ewes.


Sheep Album - Sheep

Above are a couple of new born lambs. The multi-colored lamb is a little over a week old, while the white lamb is just a couple of days old.


 

Sheep Album mom and baby

The bonds between the ewes and their new born lambs are usually exceedingly close and often remain year after year.


Sheep Album - Family Units

Within a couple of weeks the ewes and their lambs were joining other family groups in mixing pens in the barn. By now everyone is eagerly waiting the flush of green growth on the pastures.


The sheep grazing on pasture

Nothing can be finer than a warm spring day, knee deep in green grass!


sheep album boys and tractor

As summer progresses, the lambs grew rapidly. By early July the ram lambs were mature enough that they needed to be separated from the ewes and ewe lambs. Like many farm boys they find it interesting to check out the tractors.


Sheep Album ewe council

Meanwhile, out on one of the main pastures the Ewe Council discusses grazing options with the shepherd and wonders when the next group of their adoring fans will appear.


sheepalbum black and white grazing

Grazing quickly became serious business for all the lambs.


sheepalbum welcome to the farm

Farm tours for our B&B guests are always good times to show off the beauty of the flock and their fleeces.


sheepalbum sheep socializing

Farm tours are also grand opportunities for the sheep to socialize with their new fans.


sheep album late seas on grazing

As the summer progresses, the pastures grow more quickly than the sheep can eat. The excess hay is cut, baled and stored in the barn for next winter’s feed.


sheepalbum red spray

In the past, by fall it was again time to breed the ewes. The rams and ewes needed no reminding. Each ram was given his own group of ewes to squire. The ram wore a harness that holds a crayon. When a ewe was bred, the crayon left its mark. The rams and ewes were usually together in their groups for just over a month.

sheepalbum fall colors

Fall is in full color at the beginning of the breeding season. Here were two breeding groups, each in their own pasture, strategically separated from each other by multiple electric fences.


sheepalbum fall frost

By November the leaves have fallen, temperatures are dropping and the pastures are going dormant. Soon the ewes are gathered together in the main barn and the rams in their bachelor quarters. Winter is about to take hold. Another year will commence.