Daisy was one of my first five sheep. I remember the day I went to a farm in New Jersey and picked her out, along with another ewe lamb named Capable and the two whethers, Buster and Cosmo, all Babydoll Southdowns. Unlike Buster and Cosmo, Daisy never really warmed up to me completely. She’ll occasionally eat out of my hand, but she keeps a wary eye on me the whole time.
Daisy grew from an adorable lamb with chubby little legs into a fat sheep that once inspired a child visiting the farm to exclaim, “Hey look! They have a pig sheep!” Daisy needed to reduce, so we put her in the Chubby Club pen over the winter, where the animals received only hay. She was so overweight that I decided not to even try to breed her- fat ewes have trouble getting pregnant. Daisy’s Chubby Club roommates were all whethered sheep and last year’s kids.
So I was awfully surprised when Jeff was shearing Daisy on Saturday and told me she was bred and due any time now. Sure enough, I checked her bag tonight and her milk is in. She is probably going to be the first to lamb this year.
Who’s the daddy? Well as near as we can figure, it’s Truman.
Daisy was exposed to Lincoln for a few days in the fall, but she would have lambed by now if it was his baby. At one point in the late fall, Truman was getting the stuffing beat out of him over in the boys pen, so I scooped his tiny self up and carried him over to the Chubby Club for a little respite from all that testosterone. We saw him trying to mount Daisy once or twice, but he was absurdly smaller that her and I really didn’t think anything of it.
You may remember that I helped deliver Truman last year while a film crew was following me around for a couple of days. And now that tiny little lamb who turns one-year-old next month is gonna be a Daddy.
Time does fly.
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Okay, so Daisy looks like the middle aged math teacher whose stockings gather around her shapeless, stocky ankles. She wears tan tweed just-below-the-knee skirts and sensible poop-brown shoes.
Truman is the 14 year old freshman who is so proud of the mustache he can grow he doesn’t care that it’s nothing more than a thin little line above his upper lip. He showers once every 4 days. He loves his graphing calculator.
I can’t believe that Truman is going to be the daddy! I read this three times and keep looking at the pictures. What an unexpected surprise!
They grow up so FAST! Little Truman…
What a great story . . . I see a new edition of All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Creatures . . . you get the idea. You tell the stories, I’ll type type them up. Voila . . . your new book. Can hardly wait to see the next edition to the farm’s story. So much fun.
that is just so cool.
i remember when you put truman in to get some rest with the chubbers
well…(i took out what i was going to say and will rephrase it as–’laying’ is considered rest, right?–)
such a little stud.
i hope daisy’s weight is back under control and that having another baby mellows her more and that this years birth goes smooooooothly.
nice to re-watch that video too.
thanks for the updates
so cool.
totally.
love
rona
really…i guess it is
haha, Truman is a ladies’ man! Well, this baby can’t help but be cute with the World’s Most Adorable Sheep as its daddy!
Oh my! Such drama. Just can’t make this stuff up!
That is so funny, didn’t even know she was preggers! I have a sheepdog named Daisy and she is the sweetest dog ever. Love your sheep photos on today’s post, they are the best and Truman looks beyond sweet…
Scandalous!
i love this story, thanks.
Such cute pics!
Go Daisy…Go Daisy.. Here’s to chubby girls finishing first!
I think there’s a tv show about this “I didn’t know I was pregnant!” (Thankfully I’m past the age of that happening to me. I hope…)
Looking forward to seeing some of you Saturday at the Sheep and Wool Festival!
See? Size doesn’t matter. A little boyish charm can be devastating to some women. You have a real soap opera going there.
Also, us city folk need a glossary. I think I know what whether means, but Google won’t give me a definition relating to animal husbandry.
Oops! Sorry about that Maureen. A whether is a castrated male.
I just started to visit your site (over from Not Martha) and I just can’t tell you how much joy I get from seeing your girls and babies. It really makes my day — here in a big city — and makes me really long for not a big city and more rural and more animals. Thank you so much.
Actually, I think Truman looks a little bit like McLovin
What a funny story. There’s a shepherd in my neighborhood who has babydoll southdowns–she rents them out to vinyard owners. They trim down the grass between the rows but aren’t tall enough to nibble the vines!
p.s. I think it’s actually “wether” (no H), which would explain why Maureen couldn’t find the right definition.
Watched the film…watched the credits…and saw Charlie Parr’s name on the music. Excellent choice, he is a local treasure, known round the world. Classy sheep, classy film, classy music…
You go Truman! Love the smirk on Daisy’s face.
What happens in Martha’s Vineyard………..
Wonderful story. Looking forward to their babe.
That Daisy! She must have seduced poor Truman. When he was least expecting it. He’s too young to be a daddy, he hasn’t graduated kindergarten yet.
Good thing for Daisy that she’s not a person! She’d be in serious trouble!
Congrats on being a daddy, Truman! With love (and I hope we can meet you someday), the human Truman and his mom…