Lambing season 2022 is officially over, and we could not be more thrilled to welcome more than 100 adorable lambs to Bear Creek Farm! This was a busy year, with more than 98 pregnant ewes. We had more sets of twins than normal and two sets of triplets, which was very exciting! Currently, the new arrivals are bonding with their moms and getting better at walking. They are remarkably curious.
Of course, lambing season always comes with challenges, and there were plenty this year. Our flock has grown tremendously as we added Corriedale and CVM (California Variegated Mutant) last year. Sadly, we discovered that some of them have OPP (Ovine Progressive Pneumonia) and Johne’s disease. These are fatal, incurable diseases that can also be passed down to their offspring.
We’d started building a new lambing barn, but unfortunately, we didn’t get to finish it due to the weather. (Don’t get me started on the weather!) We are still struggling through winter, and spring still hasn’t really arrived this year. It’s still snowy, rainy, and wind — not the ideal weather for raising lambs! As yet another challenge, many of our new moms were not bearing milk, so we have a whole pen of bottle-fed lambs. It takes a lot of work to keep those hungry little mouths fed!
In short, it’s still round-the-clock care, but it’s all worth it to see some of our adorable new lambs. The CVM lambs are sporting a wonderful splash of color with their unique spots. The twins and triplets are cuteness overload for sure!
Every year, I choose a theme for all the new lambs’ names. This year, I’m naming them after desserts because they are just too sweet! I’ve enjoyed putting together Instagram reels featuring the cute lambs. (Follow me at @prairieshepherd!)
I really enjoy lambing. It’s my favorite season despite how busy and stressful it can be. This year proved to be a little more stressful than usual. It reminded me of when we were first starting with the sheep. Next year, though, we’ll have the big new barn set up for lambing, so everything will go much more smoothly!
Part of being a good shepherd is keeping careful records of each lambing season. My notes from this year will help me know which ewes to sell or not breed again. We will be getting all new pens here in May, too, so watch for updates on the new lambing facility … and of course, more pictures and videos of adorable lambs!
Want to enjoy your own cute lamb friend, but have no room for sheep? Why not needle-felt a baby lamb and its mama? Now that lambing season is over, I look forward to working on my own felting projects. I’ll be dyeing some of the fresh fleece we sheared this year as well. Join my Needle Felting Academy and learn all the basics! Academy members also get discounts on felting needle packs, wool samplers, and more.
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