| April is the time the weaned lambs find new homes, gardens become a little more work, and flowers are blooming more and more each day…. Enjoy! Amy | Table of Contents: Livestock News Garden Report Woodland Adventures Woodshop Thank You! |
Livestock News
So many lambs have left the ranch!
There are still a few breeding stock lambs and adults left, however, and ready now!
To see what’s available, head on over to the SHOP.
Please check out our 2025 Hair Sheep Price List!
Categories include: Market lambs, Commercial Unpapered St Croix Breeding Stock, Commercial Unpapered Katahdin Breeding Stock, Recorded/Registered Katahdin, & Registered St Croix.
The ewe lambs have been getting access to all the yards around the house to eat down all that delicious TALL grass. Here they are in the back yard. A nice typical country yard. Clothes line with sheets drying, the fire-pit, and the old lilac bush. The fence closest to the camera just moved to the front porch to protect the plants from the lambs. A little redneck, but efficient. Less mowing!
The chickens are laying eggs like crazy! One chick has hatched so far, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there are hens hiding somewhere on their own clutches of eggs.
Don’t forget, if you live local, we have lots of fresh, counter stored, eggs for sale! For more info check out the Eggs Available page!
Garden Report
Mother and I have had a chat and decided that this year we will forgo any gardening plans. The area that was manured we will still try to rototill, but instead of planting it as we intended, we may just throw a bunch of seed out there for this year and fence it off (and hope the chickens leave it alone haha). Time and money are big factors and we’ve let other projects slide that need our attention more. The ewe lambs will enjoy having most of our yards to themselves for grass so we don’t need to mow much.
Even after this chat, I couldn’t help myself and started some seeds in the house to see if they would sprout. They’ve been in our fridge for 21-24 years! The Sea Stars Cosmos, Claret Sunflowers and Orange Sun Sunflowers sprouted first. Eventually a few of the Teddy Bear Sunflowers, Lemon Queen Sunflowers, Vanilla Ice Sunflowers and Italian White Sunflowers sprouted too. Once those that have sprouted harden off, they will go out in the garden beds. Sunflowers with the Garlic and Cosmos on the patio. (I left 3 of the sunflower trays down too low on the rack and the mice DECIMATED them. I watered them and put lids on to see if any more seeds sprout, but I highly doubt it!)
Don’t forget!
I’ve compiled a list of planting dates for 2025 based on the moon phases:
2025 Planting Guide – Zones 7/8
May is great for things like Brussels sprouts, spinach, chives, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, dahlias, gladioli, tuberous begonias, and chrystanthemums (for fall color). Late month: Brussels sprouts, late cabbage, corn, and basil.
The beautiful and heavenly Lilac always blooms in April and the Tamarix is getting ready. Should happen very soon!
I tried it. Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) Lemonade.
I had 3/4 cup of flowers, poured a cup of boiling water over them. Let sit for about an hour and a half. Strained out the liquid and dissolved 1 cup sugar into the liquid over heat until dissolved. In a quart jar I placed 1.5 cups water, 2tbsp lemon juice and 2/3 cup of the grape hyacinth syrup. Let it cool in the fridge for a few hours then tasted it.
IT WAS SO DISGUSTING, I’M NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!! 
. It had a nice floral beginning then this horrid spicy after effect that was so gross!
Woodland Adventures
Shane and I went for a late afternoon walk in the woods on April 5th. The Fawn Lilies are out more than I’ve ever seen before! They really like to come up RIGHT IN THE PATH we walk to the woods. We know to tread carefully through there though. The trilliums are blooming like crazy and noticed the Oregon Grape starting to bloom (though no pictures this trip).
On April 15th, I went down into the “Cemetery Pasture” (named because of an old pioneer cemetery nearby) to check the fence before letting the sheep out. LOTS of stinging nettle down there so I know where to harvest it now!
A few trailcam videos from the woods. Tons of deer down there, but they get kinda boring after a while haha.
Woodshop
Shane is making some cute herb processing trays out of walnut to sell.
Here’s one he made for a friend:
Thank You!
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We will see you all again June 1st
for the May Homestead Happenings!
Hollow Hills Ranch 