Winter Specials at Agarita Creek Farms -- Fredericksburg, Texas

With the cold weather comes hot savings for guests of the farm. For any stay at Agarita Creek Farms through February 28, 2010 we will be running two specials, which can be combined. We are offering weekend stays for weekday rates. You will be able to rent the Behrends cabin for only $175 per night, weekend or weekday, and the Brautigam cabin for only $195 for night. The rates have already been changed on the reservations page on our website. So come to our beautiful Texas Hill Country and stay whenever you want, and pay our lowest, off peak, rates.


In addition, we are offering a third night free with any paid two night stay. This offer can be combined with our weekday rates for weekend stays promotion to save you even more money. As a result, a three day stay at the Braeutigam cabin will be only $390 ($130 per night); a three day stay at the Behrends cabin will be only $350 ($116.67 per night). This is a deal that simply cannot be beat.


In March, with Spring Break and the wildflower season (which will be fabulous because of all of the fall and winter rain), the specials will end and the rates will go back up. But even then there is a way to save. Fans of the Farm on Facebook always save 10 percent off standard rates. So, if you are planning a trip later in the year make sure that you have become a fan of the Farm on Facebook.


Bev and I are always happy to hear from you. If you have any questions for us, be sure to drop us a line.




Bev and Tom Carnes

Agarita Creek Farms
Fredericksburg, Texas
830.896.9140

beverly@agaritacreek.com

http://www.agaritacreek.com/

Happy Holidays from Agarita Creek Farm, Bev and Tom

Make a Smilebox greeting

Holiday Reflections from Agarita Creek Farms and Beverly and Tom Carnes

As we reflect on the opportunities that we have encountered through the challenges of the past year, and as we hope for a better and brighter new year, we are struck that everyone is facing challenges. Everyone has their struggles, and this year has been extremely challenging for most everyone.




As we embarked on this lifestyle change in 2008, before the economy collapsed, we were hopeful. We were moving to a place we wanted to move, for a lifestyle change we really wanted. As to the economics, we had good jobs and practices, good credit, a great house for sale in a great location, and the ability to sell additional land at the farm if we needed too. Our assumption were that all of these things would hold, and that everything would work out fine.


Then the assumptions upon which we had based our plans began to become unraveled. Hurricane Ike ravaged our Houston house just before it went on the market. Then the economy, and the real estate market collapsed. Suddenly, we found ourselves unable to sell the house, and had to hold it. With the economic collapse, people tightened their belts, and did not travel as much, so the assumptions we had about occupancy of our tourist cabins also did not pan out, even though they were very conservative. Bev has her job, and I have my practice, but the practice, albeit it busy, has to struggle with collection issues from our clients like never before -- as everyone else feels the economic pressure that we feel. This is but one story; ours. As we said at the beginning there are as many stories as there are people.


And so, as Dolly Parton would say, it is a hard candy Christmas or, to borrow another phrase, these are the "salad days." And as difficult as that is, we can and should find joy in the midst of all of this uncertainty this holiday season.


For us, we have one another, our farm, our animals. We get to live where we choose, and do what we choose. Surely we can rent that house, if we cannot quickly sell it. Surely we can cut back, here and there, and get back on top of our finances. As we look ahead to the New Year, we are probably all thinking of ways that we can retake control over our lives. I know that we are.


But maybe we can set some of that aside, just for a week or so, and thank God for what we still have, rather than stew so much about what we are going to do because of what we no longer have. At bottom, the Christmas season is not really about fancy, expensive presents, fancy parties, and luxury. It is a time to be with people we love, and to tell them that we love them. It is a time to reflect on miracles -- not only the miracle of miracles that is the reason for the holiday in the first instance, but the miracles that still happen every day, right here, where each of us live. There is no more humble beginning that the story of a boy king born in a stable to unwed parents. Out of what must have seemed like a mess can world and life changing miracles. Of of our own current difficulties can come miracles as well, internally and externally.


As we go through this season we will cling to one another, try to keep the other's chin up, enjoy the presence of family, and generally do a lot of trying to make our own fun. We are farmers and ranchers so we will be well feed, from what we grow and raise. We will take joy in sharing our abundance, the only abundance we have right now, with others that we know and some who we do not know. We will do simply things, like doing chores together and perhaps making soap or canning something. We will focus on the things that matter most, and only the things we can control. We cannot fix the economy, even for ourselves, over a Christmas holiday. That should and will have to wait for another day. Not now; it is Christmas.


May the peace of the Lord and the true spirit of Christmas infect your heart this season, so that you experience these things in such abundance that you cannot help but share them. Show a stranger some kindness. Help someone in need. Be good to those around you. Spread around what you have, don't worry about what you don't have. Through kindness and compassion you, and all of us, can all make a difference, and make someone else's load just a little lighter. Giving is certainly selfless, but also provides great returns. It is when we give, especially of ourselves, that we experience the greatest joy.


What comes next? Well, none of us know. Will it get easier in the coming year, or will it stay the same or get even harder? We certainly cannot say. We hope that things will get better and easier for all of us. But, at the same time, we are grateful for the life lessons that have been literally forced on us during the past year. We have been forced to do with less, to struggle more, and to cherish the real things we have that the economy cannot sweep away. We hold dear our friends, our family, and the simple joys of everyday life. We hope that in your adversity, you have found the same reflection and, through reflection, peace and a new joy. If you have not done so yet, that is what we wish for you this holiday season. If you have found it, we hope that it sustains you and you continue to find it in abundance this holiday and throughout the new year.


God bless each of you this holiday season,



Bev and Tom

Fall and Fall Specials at Agarita Creek Farms

Fall is in the are, we have received a foot of new rain over the past month, everything is green and wonderful, and we are waiting for you to come visit us at the farm.

To entice you, we are rerunning a popular special -- weekend nights for weekday rates on our two cabins. The savings is at least $75 per night. For just a little more than a simple hotel room, you can rent a 1200 sq. ft., 2 bedroom cabin, with great amenities and stellar view that seem to go on forever.

The fall garden is in full swing, we are about to begin our sheep breeding season, the flowers are in bloom and everything is new and alive again -- after the very long drought. There is not a better time to come out. You know you want to come. With these precises, and all we have to offer right now, what are you waiting for? It simply does not get any better than it is right now.

Tom

Fall Garden Update

It has been an extremely busy August on the farm. Our helper, Chris, moved back to Maine, and we have yet to even try to replace him. As a result, Bev and I are both very busy with our second jobs on the farm.

As to our summer crops, we still have abundant okra and peppers, the sweet potatoes are very close to being ready to harvest, and we still have some eggplant. It has been extremely hot and dry here, with temperatures in the mid to high nineties every evening. Watering has been a chore just to keep up. We are starting to have some form of blight with the okra, but we have been so busy that we have not even taken time out to figute out what it is. For any of you who grow okra, you know that losing a few plants is not all bad. There is still an enormous amount (gallons) to pick each day. But I would like to know what it is, if you know. The plants get all scraggly and bare in just a couple of days. Is it disease or is it a pest? I wonder.

As to the fall garden, our first beans broke through the ground today. Our peppers and tomatoes have mostly all been transplanted and are greening up after brief transplant shock.
We planted kholrabi seeds today, and started our broccoli and cauliflower seeds. Beans are planted, as are summer and winter squash -- for the second go-round. The rest of this month and next will bring much more planting, all the way into October. So far, so good.

That is about it from the farm. We are hoping for a break in the heat soon, as well as some rain. The four inches or so in the past two weeks greened everything up -- especially the second hay crop -- but there is no more rain in sight for awhile. Fall cannot get here soon enough.

We would love to see you out here this fall. And you probably would not be reading this if you did not want to come. Labor Day and Oktoberfest are right around the corner, as is better weather.

As always, thanks to those of you who follow what we are doing out here. Your emails to me keep me going.

Tom

Summer Specials at Agarita Creek Farms

Enjoy week day rates on weekends all summer -- rates go back to regular rates on Labor day weekend. That means you can come out to Fredericskburg and the Hill Country for the 4th and enjoy week day rates. And you can see the fireworks from the front porch, while enjoying the beverage of your choice. Who else can offer you that?

And, if you stay two nights, a third week day night is free. If you stay three nights, a fourth weekend night is free. This special can be combined with the week day rate special, and also ends just before Labor Day weekend.

Our reservation system reflects the lower rates, and we will handle the free nights during your stay.

Hey, we know times are tough all over, and it is hot -- even here. But, our low summer rates make it easier. And chances are, wherever you are in Texas it is cooler here in the Hill Country. Our mornings and evenings are still cooling off considerably.

And if you are coming out, Agarita Creek beats any other cabins, hotels, motels, or bed and breakfasts in town. We are sure that if you come once, you will come back again and again-- for Oktoberfest, for the spring wildflowers, or just for that weekend away.

So come on out soon. You know you want to come.

Farm-Stay Log Cabin Accommodations in Fredericksburg, Texas -- Agarita Creek Farms

At Agarita Creek Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas, we offer farm-stay accommodations in two new traditional German-style "chink" log cabins on a beautiful ridge overlooking our farm, neighboring farms, and beyond -- into the historic town of Fredericksburg. We offer an alternative to hotels, motels, and the usual bed and breakfast accomodations, offering two two-story, two-bedroom 1200 sq. ft. houses with living and dining rooms, full kitchens, and full front porches with the aforementioned views of our part of the Texas Hill Country. Each of our cabins feature stained concrete floors downstairs, with wooden ceilings throughout, with the first floor ceiling forming the second story floor. Our kitchens and baths feature genuine Talavera tile, and our kitchens feature modern appliances, dishes, flatware, and virtually every kitchen gadget a guest could want. Each cabin features leather sofas and weathered, rustic mexican and pioneer furnishing, as well as work from local artists. Whether you decide on the Behrends Cabin or the Braeutigum Cabin, we are confident that you will find that your accomodations exceed your expectations, and provide the best place for a Texas Hill Country get-away.





We invite you to check out our website, http://www.agaritacreek.com/ our Facebook page, or to call us at 830.896.9140 at our business office, which is open 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. We also invite you to visit with us at the Fredericksburg Farmer's Market, each Thursday evening from late May through October. We think if you compare us to Fredericksburg and Hill Country hotels, motels, guest houses, cabins, and bed and breakfast accomodations, you will agree that we offer something different, and that, in this case, different is better.

On Wal-Mart and Organics

So what is wrong with Wal-Mart (or Whole Foods for that matter) selling organic foods? Doesn't that make organics available to everyone, everywhere? Isn't that a good thing? Well, it is not a bad thing, generally, except that it takes the focus off of a critical element in a more earth friendly food cycle; one that is more healthy for the consumer and farmer alike. And it forever divorces two concepts that have traditionally (to the extent one can use that word in this context) and historically (ditto) been one -- it takes the local element out of the organic food movement.

Make no mistake, I am not saying that organic food is not good, it is just not enough in and of itself. You see, local food is every bit as important, or should be, as that food is produced by organic methods. Local food is fresher and healthier. Varieties can be grown because they taste good, not because they ship well. Food can be harvested at the peak of ripeness, not weeks ahead of that schedule. And massive amounts of fossil fuel are not spent for the sake of delivering food around the country and even the world.

Everyone has local food. Every region of the country. True, some seasons are shorter than others, but here in Texas we can grow something ten months of the year.

So why don't more people eat locally? At why don't Wal-Mart (and even Whole Foods) carry more than say five percent local food? The answer is simple. People have become divorced from natural cycles. They have grown accustomed to eating the same things year round. To get grapes in mid-winter one has to look to Chile, with its seasons opposite our own. The same is true of almost everything we eat.

So, what must, or should, we do instead, at least in the minds of the contrary farmer? We should eat in a way that our grandparents ate. We should try a parsnip or (God forbid) even a turnip every once in a while, in Winter, when they are in season locally. We should gorge on strawberries in late Spring and early Summer; by the time they come around again we will really, really enjoy them. We should eat the abundance of squash, tomatoes, peppers, and yes, even okra and eggplant, during summer, when a huge variety is available and they taste like something (does anyone remember what a real tomato is supposed to taste like. And when it is cool, we should enjoy spinach, lettuces, cauliflower, and broccoli. Again, what grows out here on the farm (or any good farm or garden) looks and tastes nothing like what is at the store -- even at Whole Foods.

At some point, we will have no choice. Fuel prices will, at least for a time, make the current supply chain untenable. Shipping grapes across the world will no longer be feasible. Folks will be forced to eat locally. Had $4 a gallon gasoline persisted (and it ultimately will) we would have had to face this fact sooner rather than later.

Local, in short, is just as important as organic -- both are integral to a healthier food supply. And no one is bringing you local to any large extent except your friendly neighborhood farmer or gardener. For example, in Texas, that bastion of the tofu-heads (I mean that in a good way), Whole Foods, has one regional buyer who buys a grand total of five percent of the food the stores sell locally. So don't be deceived. Is an organic onion at Whole Foods or Wal-Mart better than that same store's non-organic onion? Maybe. I like to think so. Is it a substitute for an orangically grown onion grown here at home? Not by a long shot. And in the end, even if you don't care about the shipping, use of fuel, and freshness (which is hard to imagine, if you are reading this) what would you rather do? Who would you rather spend your money with? Would you rather buy your tomatoes (in endless, heirloom variety) from the contrary farmer in your county, and help him keep farming or, alternatively, would you rather pay Wal-Mart your dollar from some organic produce it ships country-wide, if not world wide, so that Wal-Mart can keep doing what it does? Do we want more farm entrepreneurs, or do we want even more corporate farmers and Wal-Marts? That is the ultimate question.

So visit your local farmer's market. You all have one. Visit ours on Thursday afternoon/evening in Fredericksburg, at the historic Marketplatz. Go early and go often. Do something good for you, and that farmer down the road trying to send his kid to college.

Daisy, Our New Rescue Border Collie

This is Daisy, our new 2 year old female border collie. She was abandoned in Cleburne, made her way through kind strangers to a vet in Hunt, who then put out the word and we adopted her. She seems to have herding instincts, and longs to work, but we are introducing her to our sheep a little at a time, and developing a relationship with her in the mean time. We, and she, will hopefully learn how to work together soon. There is much to be learned for the novice, but well intentioned, farmer and rancher.

Tom

Agarita Creek Farms' Employee of the Month - Barnabus

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This is Barnabus, our employee of the Month for April. He is a Great Pyrenees, and is the livestock guardian of our sheep. He was purchased for a mere pittance, due to his non-social character, but his job is to guard sheep and not to make human friends. He is docile and indifferent to us, but fierce to the enemies of our sheep. He eats a lot, but when he is done he stays out of the bars, and has not even demanded health insurance, a retirement plan, or a company vehicle. The voting this month was not even close. Barnabus is our employee of the month. Come see him, from a distance at least, on your next trip to see us at Agarita Creek Farms.

Our Fabulous Jacob Ewes and Lambs

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Jacob sheep were the first breed that we decided to raise at Agarita Creek Farms, and our herd of Jacob Sheep is not only our largest herd, but the largest Jacob Sheep herd, we believe in Texas. We have many fine lambs, ewes, and rams, registered and unregistered, for sale this Spring. We invite you to come to the Farm and see these remarkable animals for yourself.

Our Wonderful Dexter Cattle

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At Agarita Creek Farms, we raise Jacob Sheep and Navajo-Churro Sheep, but we are also committed to establishing an amazing herd of Dexter cattle. We are moving slowly in this regard, acquiring only the highest quality heifers and cows, as we want to build a really special herd. We are breeding for red and dun coloration, leaving the predominant black to others. We just feel that the lighter colors are better for our hot climate. We have had two calves in late 2008 and thus far in 2009 at the farm, and look forward to many more, and an ever increasing herd. Dexters are the perfect small dual purpose cow, and we are committed to raising them in a way that honors them. Check out our Dexter cows on your next visit to the farm, and you will see what we are excited about.

More Navajo-Churro Moms and a Few Lambs

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Here are a few of our Navajo ewes, some with their lambs. We are proud to be the farm that is bringing the Navajo-Churro, the sheep of the Spanish and the Navajo, to the Texas Hill Country. We have registered and unregistered rams, ewes, and lambs for sale -- to reestablish this heritage breed in Texas. Pictures do not do them justice; you need to see them for yourself. We are looking for partners who love these animals as we do, and want to establish their own herd. They are a great meat breed, placing high in all competitions among heritage breeds, are good mothers, and provide plenty of milk and outstanding fleeces. We love them, and are looking for people who love them as much as we do.

Navajo Churro Lambs -- 2009

Conrad, Chloe's ram lam with Santo. Conrad is registerable. He is a two horn Navajo ram lamb. Pure white.

Ysabel and Santo's registerable ewe lamb Equador. Two horned lamb with tan and grey markings.

Renee and Santo's registerable ram lamb, Roberto Clemente.

Nina and Santo's ewe Chocolat.

Amanda and Santo's registerable ewe Constance.

Name that calf!

Today at Agarita Creek Farms we had the second calf of the year. We believe she is a she (although the other cows will not let us get close to her). She is of the long legged variety of Dexters, and is chocolate brown. What to name her? We are turning to our friends for input. Let us know what you think.

Tom

April "Facebook" Special

For those of you who are Fans of AGF on Facebook, you know about our April special -- weekends at weekday rates. This special is only available through Facebook, through the Agarita Creek Farms Facebook page. As always there is a two night minimum. We will be running other Facebook only specials in the future, so the message is sign up for Facebook and become a fan of AGF. You will automaticaly get notice of all of our special, and automatically receive our blog, Musings from Agarita Creek Farms. It is a great way for you to keep up with what is going on at the farm, and for us to communicate with you.

Tom

Progress, at last!

As you may have seen, our new website is up, at www.agaritacreek.com, and we will be able to take reservations over the internet soon. For now you can call us to reserve a cabin or email us to make a reservation inquiry. Our office number is (830) 896-9140, business hours Monday through Friday. Tom's cell is (832) 419-9389. The farm house is (830) 896.9140. We can be reached via email at tcarnes@thomaspcarnes.com -- for now that is the most dependable email.

We hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend, and comes to see us soon.

Tom

And the rains came

The last two days have brought more than welcome rain. I am no weatherman, but I think it is the best rain we have had since July 2007. More supposedly on the way tonight, with a chance continuing into Saturday. Bring it on, we need it.

We have 14 inches of rain all year last year, after having well over 30 the year before. These things are hard to plan for. We hope that we are at the end of a drought, but that is probably reading too much into it.

The lamb count is at 31. We don't really have a Jacob/Navajo, ram/ewe, or four horn/two horn count yet. We are just catching them as they hit the ground. With all we have going, there is not time to do much more. We are happy to report no fatalities, and still only three bottle lambs -- all born the same, very cold, weekend.

The Behrends cabin is plumbed, and will be ready for occupancy when our first special guests arrive Monday, and then again Friday. The Braeutigam cabin is trailing by perhaps a week. They will be plumbed and heated for our first guests. Lest we get too boastful, we did forget to have propane installed, so our first guests will have air and heat, and running water, but the jury is still out on working stoves.

The garden benefitted from the rain. Freeze danger should be over soon. The tomatoes sitting in the kitchen may finally get planted in the next week or two.

Winter is back, although it will be short lived. For the rain, the cold temperatures are worth it. We take what we can get. That is the nature of living out here, and trying to make something of the land.

Until next time,

Tom

Cabin Progress.

Well, you might not be able to tell by looking at this picture, with the jacuzzi still on the porch, but the first two log cabins are near completion. The last bathroom cabinets arrived today, to be installed with sinks on Monday. The concrete floor have received their poly coat. Power is on, as is the a/c, which, believe it or not, might have been used on this hot and humid Sunday.

Beginning Monday, we will go into our full court press to completion. Plumbing fixtures are to be installed. Stair railings are to go up. Furniture will, at last, be moved out of every storage place we could beg, borrow or steal.

We have two groups of friend of the farm here the following week to do a trial run. They may or may not have all curtains hung and everything perfect -- landscaping will have to wait until the site is cleaned up and the truck activity has ceased -- but they should have nice cabins to stay in.

We are now taking reservations for nights beginning Friday March 27. That will give us an extra week to work after our initial guests depart. Everything should be in place by then.

For the first time in memory, we have a good chance of rain on four different days this week. Pray for rain for us; it is sorely needed.

Guests in the coming weeks will be able to see lambing in action, and to feed one or more of our bottle lambs if they desire. The wildflowers (in the garden, no promises about the "real wildflowers given teh drought) will peak at the end of March and beginning of April. Shearing will take place as soon as we can after lambing is complete. We should have a Dexter calf born in April. The garden is all ready well on its way, and guests will be able to pick some fresh veggies to take home.

In short, it has been a long haul, but we are almost there. We look forward to welcoming you as a guest on our farm.

Tom

Spring Lambs & Cabin Status

Good morning from Agarita Creek Farms. I wanted to take just a minute to post an update on our progress.

Cabins. Our first two cabins, the Behrends and Braeutigam cabins, each named after former owners of our farm, are almost complete. This week we completed the air conditioning and heating work, put in kitchen cabinets and bathroom cabinets and sinks (we are still awaiting one bathroom cabinet), and worked on general interior cleanup. This weekend the stained concrete floors will get their polyurethane coat. Next week plumbing will be completed and the stair and balcony rails will be up, and tile work will be completed as well. At that point, we will be ready to move furniture in, install window treatments, and generally make them ready for use. We should be able to post our website, www.agaritacreek.com, by then, and begin taking reservations. Our fingers are crossed. It has been a ten month journey.

Lambs. We have twenty-two lambs so far, including three bottle lambs that are a lot of work, but are actually prospering. At this stage, we are well into our lambing of Navajo-Churros, which we began breeding earlier than our Jacobs. So far we have twenty Navajos and two Jacobs. We should be near the end of Navajo births, and are just beginning with Jacobs. We will have lambs and probably ewes for sale later in the season, after lambs are weened. We will have them on our website, www.agaritacreek.com, as soon as it is up. We will also, of course, continue to post pictures and information on our available lambs and ewes on Facebook. It has been exciting thus far, we have made our first year mistakes, and are learning from them, and are eager to see how our Jacobs do. The Navajos came through with flying colors.

Garden. Essentially, what can be planted during winter is planted. We have mature lettuce, maturing spinach, carrots, and radishes. Our Chinese veggies have broken ground and appear to be thriving. Potatoes and English peas are planted. The real planting will, of course, begin as soon as we pass our last freeze date. We are racing to complete our deer fence over the next two weeks for this purpose -- around our new two acre garden edition. We misssed asparagus already this season due to the lack of a deer fence.

The wildflowers are up, and ready to burst into action any day now. The roses and fruit trees are healthy, and beginning to bloom. Winter is indeed, almost, finally over. Pray for rain for and with us. We have not had a good, heavy rain since July 2007. Watering will be a chore and a challenge if we do not get relief soon.

Okay, that is it for this morning. Thanks to all of you who support local food and heritage livestock. We are counting on you.

Tom

Today was triplets and no bottle lambs

Today one of our Navajo-Churro ewes successfully delivered triplets and, unlike our ewes this weekend who could not even manage two, is managing fine with three. The barnyard is full of lamb sounds and the season is only one week in. Many, many more lambs to come. For some reason the Navajos are ahead of the Jacobs. They may be finishing as the Jacobs start. I will say that our Navajo mothers are better than our Jacob mothers. Two of our three abandoned lambs are from Navajo ewes -- even though most of the lambs right now are being born to Navajos.

Bottle lambs & mixed breeding

We are up to 13 lambs after this morning. The last two sets of twins have been problematic, and resulted in 1 rejected lamb per twin set. We do not know the cause. 1 mom seems to recognize the lamb, but reject it -- although she lets it feed a little (but not enough to sustain it). The other left both lambs, but reunited with one when we took it to her. The other was twenty feet away, had not been at all cleaned off, and would have died had we not found it. It has now been fed colostrum mix, bathed, and is getting blow-dried by Bev.

Does the rejecting ewe who recognized her lamb just not have enough milk to sustain both lambs? Is something else going on? As to the ewe this morning who abandoned both, at least for a time, was the birth process unusually rough? Did she just get disoriented. Does the unusual cold this morning have anything to do with it? We don't know. We just know that of the last 4, we have two lambs that are at least for now bottle lambs.

I also have to report that we now have three Jacob ewes that have given birth to totally black lambs, that we think could only have happened due to their being exposed to one of our Navajos, Miguel. We were careful not to let this happen, as we hoped to breed these Jacobs to produce more breeding Jacobs, and their planned exposures were to our breeding Jacob rams. When and how were they exposed to Miguel? We may never know. It just goes to show that where there is a will, there is a way. It also goes to show that despite what our earlier attempts to breed Miguel led us to believe, Miguel does not shoot blanks.

We can only hope that our other Jacobs actually bred with our breeding Jacobs. Time will tell.

End of Winter on the Farm

Well, here we are in mid-February. Lambing has officially begun. We have seven new Navajo-Churro lambs, three sets of twins and a single. So far more ewes than rams, which is good. But the law of averages says our twin ratio and the primacy of female births cannot hold. But beginners luck is nice. All have been born in the night, while we were fast asleep, with no complications. All were accidents -- pregnancies that occurred prior to the start of our breeding program through gate crashing. All but one is Navajo on Navajo. One is Barbado on Navajo, which is a ram and will be meat for the freezer as soon as he reaches a good size.

Just in time for lambing, we stumbled upon a Great Pyrrenees for sale for only $75 -- the cost of his neutering. He had been watching goats since he was a pup. He has been great at watching the lambs and ewes, although he does it from across the fence, as if he is too regal to actually be in the lane cooped up with them. He seems to be doing his job, although he is acutely disinterested in we mere humans -- to the point of walking away whenever we approach. He is strictly business. We named him Barnabas.

We have begun laying out the two acre garden near the house, and will plant potatoes tomorrow. We already have spinach, lettuce, radishes, and carrots coming up. The wildflowers will start popping in about a week or two -- as soon as the cold nights end. By the first week of April they will peak, but they will last well into June.

We still have had no real rain to speak of since July 2007. All you who are so inclined, please pray, dance, or do whatever you think might help.

The cabins are finally almost finished. We will have our first scheduled guests the week of March 16. We will then rest awhile before building the next ones, building a yurt in between.

All in all, things are good and right. We continue to have beginner's luck, which has not extended to the rain.

This will be a busy weekend, and we will post garden and lamb pictures as we go.

God bless,

Tom

Surprise lambs continued

We had another surprise lamb this morning. Father is Miquel, our original Navajo-Churro ram. Mother is Maddie, another Navajo-Churro whose fertility was an open question - until today. The result, a beautiful, healthy, Navajo-Churro lamb born into the freeze this morning.

The "planned" lamb crop is two weeks or so away. Stay tuned.

Surprise Lambs

Okay. So we planned our lambing this season down to the last detail. Separate breeding groups. Separate pastures. Lambs should have begun to drop in late February. And then, on February 10, two weeks early, we awaken to two new Navajo-Churro lambs. One black; one tan (and looking very much like a Barbado in coloration). Born of Holly, who at five had never lambed. Immaculate conception? And, if not, who is, who are, the daddies? Did Pedro, our Barbado, secretly court Holly? Did Miguel, a Navajo, who bears a close resemblance to the black lamb? What happened? We may never know. But the lambing season has begun at Agarita Creek. The first two of perhaps fifty lambs. Stay tuned.

Our Navajo-Churro Sheep

Our Navajo-Churro Sheep

Navajo-Churros were the first breed that we committed to raising at Agarita Creek farms. Thus far we have only fifteen -- twelve ewes and three lambs. Like our Jacobs, we run both registered and unregistered Navajo-Churros. Unlike the Jacobs, because of a difference in registration philsophies, we hope to be able to register all of our unregistered Navajo-Churro sheep.

We have bred most of our ewes this year to Santo, our herd sire, who we purchased from a breeder in Missouri. He is a majestic animal with beautiful color, and we cannot wait to see his offspring. Several of our ewes were also exposed to Miguel -- and we await lambing season to see whether this exposure resulted in Miguel fathering any lambs.

One might wonder, if this was the first breed we chose, why are the numbers so low relative to our numbers of Jacob Sheep. The answer is one of geography. Most of the large breeders of Navajos are in Arizona, Utah, and the Pacific coast. We have shown our willingness to travel far for sheep, but have been unable thus far to take a trip so far west. Perhaps next year.

Our Navajos are a bit wilder than our Jacobs, and exist more or less in their natural environment, where they thrive. We hope to grow our Navajo flock to forty or fifty in the coming years, through both breeding and acquisition.

Our Jacob Sheep

Our Jacob Sheep

We did not intend to, in our first year, acquire forty Jacob Sheep. We did not intend to immediately become what we believe to be the largest breeding operation of Jacob sheep in Texas. It just worked out that way; largely due to the liquidation, and our purchase of much of, the Stack/Millennial Way flock, from Arkansas. That purchase, after we have already acquired many Jacobs, was simply an opportunity we could not pass up.

We bought our first Jacob ewe with four Navajo-Churro ewes from a California breeder, who was moving to Georgia, in early 2008. These five sheep were our first entre into the world of livestock. The four Navajo-Churros from that initial purchase, have thus far failed to breed (they had not apparently previously been bred), and we have learned that our Jacob from that purchase, who has become our pet, Tillie, is a relative mutt, but it started us on the path of admiring, and aquiring Jacob and additional Navajo-Churro sheep.

At present, we have thirty-four Jacob ewes, two Jacob rams, and three Jacob ram lambs in waiting. They hail from California, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Their aquisition has put many miles on our new Dodge Ram pickup. They are registered and unregistered, although our emphasis and recent growth is in our registered flock. Most of our ewes are, hopefully, bred for Spring 2009 lambing. We hope to both selectively build our flock and sell many of our initial lamb crop.

We plan to continue to run two flocks. Our "breeding" flock will be our registered Jacobs, and we will intend to breed something really special from our sheep -- two and four-horned, black and lilac, small and large. We will also continue to breed our unregistered flock for meat production, hoping to develop a market for Jacob lambs in Central Texas. We also obviously plan to develop a market for natural colored Jacob wool, black, brown, gray, and other colors, here in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, which we now are very fortunate to call our home.