The sheep are coming!!!

Through the grapevine, we heard of a family that needs to quickly sell some sheep (or they will be "converted" to food) as they are moving off their farm this weekend.  We went to the family's farm (about a 30 minute drive from where we live) this morning and met their lovely flock... and the lovely family (I should have written that first).

We were looking to buy two sheep.  We decided on "Sarah"- a two year old ewe and "Paula"- a five year old ewe.  They are "tunis" sheep and originally come from North Africa.  They are a very old breed of sheep- around the time of Jesus.  Here is a lovely description of tunis sheep:

"those beautiful copper red-faced, red legged, creamy wool creatures with pendulous ears who give new meaning to good mothering and docile temperaments.  Their gorgeous, almost chocolate fleeced- lambs, born with a double coat of red fibre, look almost like teddy bears at birth, sometimes with a white spot on their forehead and on the tip of the tail."

Sarah and Paula are not related but have been living together for a long time!  (sheep are flock animals- buying just one isn't a humane option.) Both have successfully "lambed" and were good mamas! Having non-related ewes may help with expanding our flock and gene-pool, in the future.

We are hoping to have one of them (or maybe both) pregnant and lambing by the spring-- a dream come true!  And... we have already found a buyer for their wool!  God is good!

Farmer J will be transporting them (yes, once again transporting farm animals via mini-van) from their old home to their new home, here with us.

As the animals don't "know" their names, we will be giving them new names.

"Paula" will become Beatrix, which means "traveler" and "blessed"-- which seems to fit her and her situation well.  "Sarah" will become Aoife (pronounced "ee-fa"), which means "joyful", "beautiful" and "radiant".  In Irish history, there was a famous red-headed "Aoife" princess-- so the name really fits our red-faced ewe.  Also, you all know just how much I love Irish names.  We will call them "Bea" and "Ee" for short.

Here they are!  Beatrix has the tag in her ear.  Aoife has a longer tail!

 Tunis ewes! 

 Meet Beatrix!

Meet Aoife!

P.S.-

Padraig and Ciaran are doing great.  Butting heads (playfully) and loving their goat treats.  We are trying to teach them some manners (i.e., not to jump up on our legs and to use their "plate") which isn't working too well!

Cheeks (the hurt chicken) is still doing well!  Sadly, we are missing one of our new Americaunas and one of our bantams; the downside of trying to go on a little vacation!  But... we still have 16 hens so that is good.  We won't be running short on eggs anytime soon!