Lamb camp

This weekend we will be going to lamb camp as a family.  It happens to fall on FarmBoy's off weekend so Saturday we will be loading up and heading to camp.  If your state or county doesn't have one of these it is worth while trying to start one for your sheep project members.  Since our county doesn't currently have one we are going over one county to another camp.  There is a fee, but that usually covers entry in and sometimes lunch.  It is a one day event that I will be packing chairs and a cooler for us to have drinks.  A meal is included in this camp, but I always pack a few snacks as well.

Here are the basics of lamb camp.  Sprout will be taking the lamb right now that needs the most work.  There are several stations set up and she will travel between the stations.  There is a station to help them learn to shear, one to help them get the lamb walking correctly, one for the 4Her to learn to set them in the correct show position, etc.  The number of stations does depend on the camp.  They will spend quite a bit of time walking and setting them.  We hope by the time we leave to have one well on his way to being ready to show.  Once we get one that way the others tend to copy some of what the more behaved one is doing.   Sprout will also be fresh off of the camp and can apply some of the refreshed skills to the others as she starts to work them more regularly.  

This particular camp is held only every other year so last year we were on our own and did okay, but I really think she needs a refresher this year.  Also last year we showed mostly yearling ewes that were already loosely trained so it wasn't so difficult as brand new lambs.  In the past we have sheared for her because the clippers were simply just to heavy for her to do much and we didn't want the lamb injured.  She has grown quite a bit this last year so it's time for her to start to learn to shear.   We are hoping she can at least do the rough cut this year and then FarmBoy or myself can do the finish cut.  Eventually the goal is for her to be able to do it all herself, but that just takes time and training.

For me it refreshes my skills as well.  I like to work sheep with her just because they are one of my favorites of what she shows.  It also gives me a good perspective on why God calls us sheep.  They are really a loving animal.  One of our breeding ewes Reese loves to have her face scratched and tries to get to me when I come out to the barn.  They must live in community ( more than one ) or they suffer stress and can get sick easily.  They follow each other pretty much all the time.  There are many more examples I can give, but they have a soft spot in my heart.  For me it's not hard to see God everyday around me especially when we work with the animals on our farm.