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News and Updates from Sanborn Mills Farm
Lambing Season is in Full Force
Snowdrop Time
Ah, hush! Tread softly through the rime,
For there will be a blackbird singing, or a thrush.
Like coloured beads the elm-buds flush:
All the trees dream of leaves and flowers and light.
And see! The northern bank is much more white
Than frosty grass, for now is snowdrop time.
-Mary Webb
Stereotomy Timberframing
Draft Animal: Farm & Garden
Lambing season is often a crowd favorite for the public. Everyone loves a lamb! But for the farm staff it’s also the culmination of months of preparation and care. Sometimes that means long nights and early mornings to make sure all the ewes and their lambs are happy and healthy.
Getting ready for lambing starts long before the first lamb makes its entrance. The farm staff ensures the ewes get everything they need nutritionally, especially during the last stretch of their pregnancy. This year farm staff also set up 24-hour surveillance cameras in the barn which can be watched on an app on their phones. This technology makes it easier to look for classic signs of labor like restlessness, pawing at the ground, and a lot of getting up and lying down. Once the water bag appears, it’s usually not long before tiny front feet and a nose start peeking through.
Most of the time, the ewes do a fantastic job on their own. But if a ewe has been struggling for an hour or so without progress, the farm team steps in to make sure everything is aligned properly. The ideal position is front legs outstretched and head forward, but every birth is different. Knowing when to assist and when to let nature take its course is a balancing act.
After the lamb is born, the farm team watches to make sure the ewes start to clean their lambs and form that bond. Ensuring the lamb gets its first dose of colostrum within a few hours is essential since that nutrient-rich milk is packed with antibodies to boost immunity.
The days that follow are all about observation. The farm team checks in regularly, making sure the lambs are nursing well and the ewes are healthy. Clean bedding, fresh water, and plenty of good food keep everyone comfortable and strong.
Lambing season is intense and exciting. Every healthy lamb is a little victory, a testament to the resilience of these animals and the dedication of the farm team.
So far we have 12 lambs. Eight boys and four girls with three Ewes left to give birth. Make sure to check out our social media for all the lamb spam!
Learn the timeless art of timber framing in this immersive workshop with Compagnon carpenter Patrick Moore, where you’ll build a 14’ x 12’ gazebo using traditional joinery techniques and hands-on stereotomy for intuitive, full-scale design.
Get hands-on experience working with oxen in this two-day workshop, where you’ll learn plowing, discing, planting, and cultivating while gaining a solid understanding of draft equipment and farm management.
Sanborn Mills Farm | www.sanbornmills.org
Sanborn Mills Farm | 7097 Sanborn Road | Loudon, NH 03307 US