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Lambs, Spring, and Sweaters

posted in: Lambing 6

Lambing season brings out my nesting instincts. Every year, just before lambs arrive, I go through this ritual of preparing for the new lambs. The barn has been swept clean. The lambing pen has been set up, ready to welcome the new lambs to the farm. I have readied my lambing kit, restocking, ordering, and taking inventory of my supplies. I have re-read the chapters on lambing and pregnancy diseases in my Storey’s Guide to Raising Sheep. I have pulled out my notebook, and have read over my notes from previous lambing seasons. Each day, I take note of rounding bellies and swollen udders, guessing who will be first. The snow on the path between the house and the barn has become warn and packed from my many trips back and forth from the house. All of this gives me confidence and something to focus my attention on, instead of the waiting.

 

Lambing Season
Nesting for Lambing Season

 

With winter still lurking about our farm, refusing to give in to the warmth of spring, the cold creeps into the barn with a fierce chill. When these lambs arrive, I want to have lamb sweaters for them, in case the temps dip low as they have been. I have found some bulky handspun Romney yarn from my stash that will knit up quickly and keep the lambs warm. I use a dog sweater pattern for my lamb sweaters and it fits them perfectly. The sweaters stays on and keeps the lamb’s core body temperature warm despite the cold of the night.

 

Knitting Lamb Sweaters
Handspun Yarn for Knitting Lamb Sweaters
IMG_3821-4
Lamb Sweaters

 

Here is little Fiona, a lamb born 4 years ago on our farm. She arrived on a frigid spring morning and her little sweater kept her snug and dry. Who can resist such a cute lamb as this?

 

Fiona's Sweater
Fiona’s Sweater

Sharing at Ginny’s blog this morning for Yarn Along.

 

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6 Responses

  1. Mary Piontek
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    I cannot believe how adorable (and functional!) the little lamb sweaters are 🙂

  2. Susan
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    I am trying to come up with words to describe how I feel about Fiona and her sweater, but all I can come up with is a high pitched squeal.

  3. Lambs must be the sweetest baby animal. I just want to snuggle them all. It must be such an amazing time of year with all that new life happening, both flora and fauna!

    • Kim Goodling
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      It is truly my favorite time of year on the farm-almost magical.

  4. Melody
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    Adorable! My daughter has been helping at her universities farm, and yesterday she dealt with birthing lambs. She sent me the cutest video of her feeding a bummer lamb, melt my heart. It’s not the best quality video, but I posted it to my blog post before my yarn along post this morning. To listen to her so excited on the phone yesterday brought me such joy. I love the knitted lamb vests! I’ll have to show my daughter. 🙂