4-H time

The first step in getting the sheep used to the boys would be sitting in their pen with them. They each held some feed and hay in their hands and let the sheep come close to them. The key is sitting quietly and not moving too quickly or it will scare them...It took awhile but they got the hang of it! :)

We (well, my dad) sheared all of the lambs too. We have 10 picked out but will only take 3 or 4 to the fair. This allows us to pick the best ones as the fair gets closer. We have it narrowed down now and will focus on 4 of them, with the others just being back-ups in case something would happen to the others.

We have begun walking the lambs for exercise as well as getting them used to walking when WE want them to, as opposed to only walking when they want to. The easiest way to "break" them and get them to walk is to use a walker that my dad made. Their front legs go on the walker ledge and then the boys walk them behind the garden tractor...this builds the muscles in their back ends. It is a challenge when starting off because they try to drag and we have to stop and get them up again to walk. After a few times walking them, they are doing MUCH better and walk very well.

The joys of 4-H have begun...only 18 more years and Kiara will be out of 4-H...Wow! 18 years of doing this...REALLY? It is fun, but hard work as well as time consuming, especially with soccer, baseball, school, meetings,etc, etc....! Whew! But the boys are having a blast and that's the main thing.