Meeting 'the girls'

Today there was a trip to Brindabella Farm, Flint Hill VA.  Bruce Vaughn owns a small farm there, raising Clun Forest sheep.  His farm is part of the Rappahannock Farms co-operative raising grain fed lambs for the meat market.

Stopped on the way out, at Wegman’s to pick up lunch things, then on to the farm to meet Bruce and son Aylfred (Fred).  His wife Patty  and other son are visiting her home, Australia.

We walked down to meet the girls in the bottom paddock, taking with us the lambing bits and pieces as there was a lamb born that morning. We found it, caught it and docked, trimmed and cleaned the umbilical cord, and put a number in it’s ear (#037).  He eventually returned to his mother  - all OK.

Bruce keeps a Llama there because of vultures and coyotes - they are unsure of large animals so tend to mostly stay away (and consequently don't pick off the lambs).  They see bears at the farm occasionally - one walked through the house as it was being built, and just missed falling down the [unfinished] stair well - it would have been a grumpy, trapped bear if it had of.

The guard llama

twin lambs, and freshly shorn ewe

more of the flock (of 30+)

#037 is the lamb to the far left

Bruce also has an extensive garden, where we had to chase a rabbit which had found a small hole in the side fencing.

We enjoyed a lunch of cheese, roast beef, bread, salad, olives, fresh local strawberries before heading back to DC with a van full of 9 very large plastic bags of wool to begin the process of converting raw fleece to finished cloth.