Our friend the local Vet raised and sold 4-H market lambs for years. Each year we would end up with one or two of his bottle babies as we had goats and plenty of left over milk to feed them. Jamie (our daughter) would raise them for the summer and show them at the Manistee Co. fair. He would then buy them back from her or we would just give them back at weaning time and not keep them through the whole summer.
Well......one year ( i believe she was 8 or 9) she decided to go pick out and buy one for a market project. The one she wanted was already spoken for so she made another choice. A beautiful ewe lamb.She decided her name was to be "Sheena". She walked it everyday to build muscle and make it firm.
During the summer Sheena was bathed and sheared twice to keep her cool so she would continue to grow well. Jamie kept Purina lamb starter or developer in front of her at all times along with clean fresh water.As the week before the fair approached Sheena was given one more shear job and 2 more baths to make her as white as possible.She weighed in at 122lbs. This is good! Lambs should be in the 120lbs. range for good butcher weight.
Jamie and Sheena took the 1st place trophy in the beginners showmanship division. In market class they ended up in 7th place out of 19 entries.
The gentleman in the picture with Jamie and Sheena just bought the lamb at the 4-H livestock sale. He was a great supporter of our local 4-H program by purchasing many animals at this sale from the kids. He also gave generously with his time at the weigh scales and funds where they were needed. In this picture you can see he is talking with Jamie.... He asked her if she would like the lamb back!!! All he asked was that Jamie breed her for the start of her very own flock and bring Sheena and the lambs to the fair again next year.
Sheena gave birth to Sheba. Next year Sheena gave birth to Shadow and Sheba gave birth to Shez-alright and Roman nose. When she got to 5 ewes our friend the vet suggested Jamie purchase her own ram now as we had been using his. Another neighbor and sheep breeder found her a handsome ram lamb from Matchett Sheep Farm in Charlevoix, Michigan. RAMALAMBA was long,wide,thick in the loin and had a fast rate of gain. Even though he was unregistered, he was a suffolk and comes from a strong well known background.
That same year Jamie purchased what we still call the "Westheimer 5" from our friend the vet.These ewes were already bred to his ram and Jamie's Ramalamba bred her ewes. Needless to say, February suddenly got very exciting at our farm!!!!
Jamie now owns a flock of 22 ewes and last summer purchased a new registered ram from the Jan Krhebiel Family. He is expected to produce fantastic lambs and this spring will let us know for sure. We already have 1 ewe and 1 ram lamb on the ground and they are super so far!
The Manistee Co. Fair's grandchampion market lamb was from our very own Northern-Dreams Farm last year!!! Over the last 5 years we have had lambs in the top 6 each year!
And to Charlie "up above"....(Your girl) is doing just fine! Look what she has accomplished!
NEWS FLASH! Jamie is majoring in Pre-Med with hopes of becoming a Nephrologist (Kidney Specialist) in the future and is attending Grand Valley State University. She was also a collegiate cheerleader for them in the 2001-2002 academic year . With sadness in our hearts yet excitement for her future she has sold the flock. Charlie, you still keep giving! With the sale of her flock she will help fund her education.. She will be back! Suffolks are in her blood!
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