summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I think I had one when I was 15! (And I think in the same way as I get surprised when I realise how your son is getting older I think Young Ed is closer to 17 now
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the cycling community and helping others
- Thread starter young Ed
- Start date
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Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
San Fairy Ann club cycles past my house most Saturdays - yesterday I saved them from certain disaster by gathering up the fat lambs which had escaped from my neighbour's field (wish he'd fix his gates!) so that they didn't run under their wheels. Two lambs went willingly and I was holding the third in my arms as they all cycled by, which gave them something to comment about in their cheery way!
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young Ed
Veteran
16 now @ianrauk, i was last time we met. although same principal appliesI think I had one when I was 15! (And I think in the same way as I get surprised when I realise how your son is getting older I think Young Ed is closer to 17 now
anyway i know what they are now i've googled it 
and TBH every day i always wear one of the proper leather belts i have made my self. as for carrying knives, axes or guns they are always either in my pockets, my hands or slung from the belt so never felt a need for such a sam browne beltsounds like me, i have been seen covered in sheep and/or cow shoot holding lambs or calves or something or another by fellow cyclists, school mates, other mates and most people really. apparently the worst is when i come back home after a hard day lambing or shearing or so covered in sheep shoot head to toe and bits off wool caught on the overalls and straw/hay falling out my pockets and boots. apparently the cow shoot isn't very nice either, personally i can't see a problem with either!
i say when you get the best funny looks and pointing is when you're dressed up in wellies, overalls and my favourite hat herding sheep down the road and we meet a car!
Cheers Ed
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I often think he comes across as very mature for his age, and that if you didn't know you would assume he was an adult! (That doesnt quite sound right to me but not just a young adult I suppose I'm trying to say).
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
Ahhh, lambing. We don't lamb our teeny-tiny flock till the end of April but we sure expect to get filthy!16 now @ianrauk, i was last time we met. although same principal applies
sounds like me, i have been seen covered in sheep and/or cow shoot holding lambs or calves or something or another by fellow cyclists, school mates, other mates and most people really. apparently the worst is when i come back home after a hard day lambing or shearing or so covered in sheep shoot head to toe and bits off wool caught on the overalls and straw/hay falling out my pockets and boots. apparently the cow shoot isn't very nice either, personally i can't see a problem with either!
i say when you get the best funny looks and pointing is when you're dressed up in wellies, overalls and my favourite hat herding sheep down the road and we meet a car!
Cheers Ed
Thread derailment, sorry!
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young Ed
Veteran
how many ewes have you got? one of my bosses starts 25th march but i only might be helping him for the last week of his 4 week lambing. other boss i am lambing with starts beginning of april and i personally start my flock lambing second week of april...... in theory of course! such as boss who starts on the 25th has already had 4 lambs from 2 ewes as a ram escaped early!
Cheers Ed
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
A mere 6 ewes and a teg who will start lambing next year. By then we will have retired our oldest ewe from lambing (we're keeping her, she is an old dear). It's not really hard work! We lamb late as we don't have outbuildings, just pens and tarps.how many ewes have you got? one of my bosses starts 25th march but i only might be helping him for the last week of his 4 week lambing. other boss i am lambing with starts beginning of april and i personally start my flock lambing second week of april...... in theory of course! such as boss who starts on the 25th has already had 4 lambs from 2 ewes as a ram escaped early!
Cheers Ed
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
how many ewes have you got? one of my bosses starts 25th march but i only might be helping him for the last week of his 4 week lambing. other boss i am lambing with starts beginning of april and i personally start my flock lambing second week of april...... in theory of course! such as boss who starts on the 25th has already had 4 lambs from 2 ewes as a ram escaped early!
Cheers Ed
There may be regional variations, but lambing seems to get later and later.
At one time, it was a Christmas/New Year job.
Lambs born in April won't be ready for the table until June or July.
Incidentally, there is no natural breeding season for sheep.
I understand farmers in the USA and Canada tend to lamb all the year round.
Presumably the ram is permanently in the flock and he's simply left to get on with it.
- Location
- Glasgow
On my summer commutes I carry extra tools, because more often than not there is some stranded touring cyclist with mechanicals or simply lost on the NCR 75.
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
Well, in fact lambing still does happen very early in the year - the traditional way (pre 20th C) is to lamb in spring when the weather is better but earlier and earlier lambing came in during this century to take advantage of the price of young lamb and the waning taste for mutton. Now farmers lamb at different times - my neighbour lambs in February which is very common.
As for the natural breeding season, ewes will come into lamb when presented with a ram. With large flocks it is common to use "teaser" rams, which are vasectomised, so they stir the girls up without impregnating them. Then when the flock has all come into season they unleash the chap/chaps with the full works, which means that all the flock get knocked up at the same time and will lamb within the same fortnight. Means the farmer knows exactly when to hire extra help and keeps it manageable.
Friend of mine used to breed lambs twice a year (from Dorsets, or was it Wiltshires? I think) so that she always had a few lambs to display as part of her educational touring "farm".
Sorry this really is a total thread hijack.
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
[QUOTE 3591702, member: 9609"]In door lambing will begin mid January, expensive way to do it but they will fetch good money.l[/QUOTE]
Presumably that's why my farming cousins used to lamb early.
At times it was literally indoors.
I have memories of premature/poorly lambs in boxes in front of the Rayburn in the kitchen.
Presumably that's why my farming cousins used to lamb early.
At times it was literally indoors.
I have memories of premature/poorly lambs in boxes in front of the Rayburn in the kitchen.
LouiseSJPP
Formerly Errecaldia
- Location
- Pays Basque, France
I change my own tubes, but I don't think I would ever need to: someone always to help. If I see a broken down cyclist (well, cyclist with broken down bike...) when I'm on mine, I check as I pass whether they want help or not. What goes around, comes around.
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young Ed
Veteran
that's not too bad, i know a few who put them/have put them (now retired one or two of them) actually in the rayburn. in the warming box with the door open and just fire it low and it's very effective. best bet often for lambs that won't take to their mum or the mum won't take to the lamb and the lamb is wet and cold and weak
TBH lambing is generally a case of different for each farmer at times but most round here lamb round about easter/april, i reckon the aim is to roughly get all/at least most out in the month of april
@Ganymede if you ever need a hand with anything be it lambing, repair/building work or anything. even just moving a load of hurdles or pallets i'm local so just give me a bell! always happy to help where i can
Cheers Ed
