Farm Visit: Shadow Hill Farm

I visited Shadow Hill Farm in New Gloucester, Maine today.  If you click on the name of their farm, it will take you to their website, where they have hand-crafted fleece items for sale, including products that utilize the fiber from the Alpacas that they raise on their farm.  They also have a Facebook page.

The main purpose of my visit was to meet their Scottish Collie, Hunter, to see if he wanted to be Thea's extra-special friend for the day, if you get my drift.  He was game, but alas, Thea did not return his affection, so we decided to wait.  I'm okay with that...she's still young, and while I have no doubt that she's plenty sturdy and healthy enough to carry a litter, there's nothing wrong with letting her mature a bit more either.  One of the main reasons I was trying now is that I can take time off work in the spring to watch puppies, while I can't in the fall.

I was glad to meet Hunter, though.  He's a handsome guy...very happy-go-lucky and friendly, with the laid-back attitude, athletic build, and moderate coat that I really love in an old-fashioned Collie.  I do hope and plan to use him as a stud in the future.

I spent quite a while chatting with Hunter's owner, Bob, about Collies, sheep, donkeys, Livestock Guardian Dogs...and the list goes on, lol.  He was very knowledgeable and had some pointers for my future livestock.  

Here are a few shots from around the farm.

Guinea fowl...from what I've heard, they're really loud and annoying, but may help keep the tick population down (still researching that claim) and also are one of the only things that will eat Japanese beetles.  And they have really nifty patterns on their feathers...

Two of Shadow Hill's donkeys.  These two are Jennies - females.

The sheep on the right is a CVM Romeldale, a rare breed in the US, renowned for its fiber.  If I recall correctly, the black one might be an Icelandic or an Icelandic mix.  Bob told me that Icelandic meat is often sweeter than that of other breeds, so the age of the animal being butchered doesn't matter as much.

...Hmm...I get the impression these two are smirking at me....

The little guy below was ADORABLE - for whatever reason, he's about half the size of his buddies.  I think he's an Icelandic too.  And in case anyone is curious...horns on sheep and goats are a hugely divisive issue - some people disbud their livestock; others leave the horns on.  I think I might be in the latter camp, if only because I think horns look neat.  (Though some animals are naturally polled - hornless.)

Another CVM...she's an older girl.

Here are these two jokesters again...now they really look like they're laughing!  :P  

Below is the farm's Livestock Guardian Dog, Opal.  She lives with the livestock and protects them from predators.  She's a Great Pyrenees x Anatolian Shepherd cross, and is 90 pounds of love toward people.  It would be a different story if you tried to take an unfamiliar dog in her pen, though!  She might look like a teddy bear, but the LGD breeds are hard-wired with hundreds of years of genetics to bond to their animals and guard them.

And a few peaceful scenes:

Happy Monday...and Happy New Year!