Mia’s Meadows Farm

22/06/2025

Today my mom and I finished skirting all the fleeces!

Skirting is the very first process after shearing. You lay out the fleece and remove all the crusty and poopy bits around the edges. You can shake the fleece and remove the large bits of vegetable matter (hay and straw, plants and whatever else might be in there).

Sheep have lanolin in their wool to keep them water proof! By the end of the skirting process your hands are slick with the oily substance.

Keep watching for our next steps in the fibre process!!

19/06/2025

Daisies!!!

07/06/2025

I sew! If you have mending, hemming or a project you want to tackle let me know!

04/06/2025

We’ve had Chewy for a while now and at first he was bonkers with the cats. He’s been on leash in the house for weeks so he can learn what to do, and what not to do. Yesterday we let him off and were interested to see that he was herding the cats! He thinks Herb goes on the treat cabinet, which is where he often sits, and Mia goes in Jenna’s room, which is where she usually is! I just found him relaxing next to Mia!! Good boy!!!

04/06/2025

This handsome man is still up for adoption!! He is such a good boy! He’s out with mom and dad all day with the sheep and he’s been great around the ducks and horses!

01/06/2025

Pearl and her mom came for a visit on Friday! Pearl is the only dog in history who Boomer had consistently allowed to snuggle him. Even with Opal it was rare that he like laying so close that they were touching. Pearl from the first day we fostered her hopped right up with Boomer and he didn’t move! When Pearl first got adopted she slipped out and because she was so skittish she was impossible to find and catch! After several days Boomer tracked her down in the woods and drew her out so we could catch her!!! Ever since that crazy event Pearl’s mom and I have been friends!! We are so lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives. It was fun to see Pearl as my heart is missing Opal. ❤️❤️❤️

29/05/2025

Yes!!!

Thinking about raising a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD)? Read this before turning your puppy loose in the pasture.

It’s a common misconception that Great Pyrenees and other LGDs can be tossed into a field and instantly know how to guard livestock. While these breeds do have strong natural instincts, those instincts still need to be shaped through consistent training, mentorship, and time.

Here’s what you need to know:

🧠 Training is nonnegotiable
Even the best LGDs are still puppies. They chew, play, test boundaries, and make mistakes. Leaving them alone with animals before they’re ready is a recipe for disaster—for your livestock and your pup’s future.

👣 You are the coach
Pups need to be slowly introduced to livestock and taught what appropriate behavior looks like. That means **supervised interactions**, clear boundaries, and praise when they do well. It’s not fast work but it’s absolutely worth it.

⚠️ Avoid harsh tools
Shock collars, prong collars, and other aversive methods rarely work for LGDs and can break the trust needed for a good working relationship. These dogs respond far better to patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement.

⏳ Time builds trust and instinct
An LGD isn't "pasture ready" at 12 weeks old. Most won’t be fully reliable until **18 to 24 months**, and that’s with training. They need time to mature, observe older guardians if possible, and understand their job fully.

👉 Bottom line: If you set them up for success, you’ll get a partner that protects your animals for a lifetime. Rush the process and you may end up with a dog that fails—and that’s not their fault. Its yours.

Train. Bond. Guide. That’s how you raise a true Livestock Guardian.

15/05/2025

I saw this online and loved it… poor Jack Is missing Velveteen.

Owning livestock is beautiful, but it’s also brutal.

People show the good parts. The chicks hatching. The newborns learning to stand. That first wobble. That first feed. And yes, it’s magical. It’s what keeps you going.

But what they don’t show is the grief.
The way you walk into the barn and something’s wrong.
The panic. The helplessness. The silence that follows.

We don’t just own animals, we love them.
Even when we have dozens, we know each one. Their quirks. Their sounds. Their routines.
We bottle feed them. We cheer for their first steps. We hope for them.

And when we lose one, it wrecks us.
No, it doesn’t get easier.
Not when you loved them like that.

You still cry in the stall.
You still carry the guilt.
You still bury them with your own two hands and whisper “I’m sorry” even if you did everything you could.

This life is raw.
It’s real.
It’s soul work.
And it hurts, because love always does.