Appalachian Hills Farm

Appalachian Hills Farm A local farm in the Laurel Highlands; Specialize in raising llamas, sheep and alpacas; Creating hand-spun yarns & rovings

Fancy, a two year old ewe, holds the record for the most fleece color changes. She was born a dark chocolate brown with ...
01/16/2025

Fancy, a two year old ewe, holds the record for the most fleece color changes. She was born a dark chocolate brown with white markings. Within a few months she was a mauve brown. After a few more months her close to body fleece was gray. At a year old she was tan with gray tips. Her current color is oatmeal with a creamy ivory color close to her skin. I am hoping her fleece doesn't become too light in color because it will diminish the appearance of her facial markings.
Fancy is not a cuddly sheep. She allows a quick pat on her face but refuses any ear or chin scratches. During the summer she developed a taste for peppermint treats which she gently takes before she steps away out of reach.
She is scheduled for shearing this spring. The wool on her neck and chest is too matted for spinning. This wool will make good mulch around the garden plants. On any sheep the wool from the chest, stomach, and lower hips is too dirty and matted for spinning but it is perfect for unusual applications such as mulch, erosion control, and planter filler. Layered in a planter the wool adds nutrients, retains moisture and creates a medium that supports strong root systems.

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We are having an extreme cold snap. Unfortunately it is predicted to become more cold in the coming days. Today we had s...
01/15/2025

We are having an extreme cold snap. Unfortunately it is predicted to become more cold in the coming days.
Today we had some snowfall that looked like fine crystals floating through the air. None of the animals were outside except for Turbo who came trotting through the snow like a youngster. Once he greeted us he went back to his barn. Of course he wouldn't stay there when he heard me opening the barrels. By the time he finished his meal his back was snow covered. As soon as he returned to his barn I gave him a brushing to remove the snow and fluff his hair. A fluffy hair style will help to keep him warm. He thoroughly dislikes a blanket. The straps that loosely go around his back legs are the issue because he is ticklish and sensitive there. Through the years I have worked to desensitize him. He doesn't mind my grooming but those straps are a different story.
When I do my nighttime barn check I wear a headlight and I carry this light to scan the inside of the barn. The bright light shining on the sleeping animals always startles a few who panic and run causing a bit of confusion. Due to the cold I didn't want anyone to panic tonight so I placed the spotlight on the top of the various walls as I moved through the barn. This gives me just enough illumination to see the animals without startling anyone. All of the animals were settled into close groups. A few raised their heads to sleepily look at me. Earlier in the afternoon I walked through the flocks and touched as many as I could to make sure no one was shivering. I was the only one who was cold since my hands were gloveless.

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When I sat down to tie my boot strings Garby rushed over. He still thinks he can sit on my lap. Two years ago when he wa...
01/14/2025

When I sat down to tie my boot strings Garby rushed over. He still thinks he can sit on my lap. Two years ago when he was a tiny orphan lamb I held him on a daily basis. He would often fall asleep. Now he is full grown and too big for my lap.
I gave him a few hugs and a neck massage. He doesn't like ear scratches but face scratches are welcomed. His pure black fleece grows at least a half inch a month. I have learned to hold off until late spring to shear ones with this type of growth. Shearing too early in the year means they will have a lot of wool coverage during the hottest months of the year.
Everyday when I am in the barn Garby follows me around like a puppy. My chore time includes face scratches and hugs for Garby. Even though tonight was very cold I enjoyed spending some extra time with him. I think it is safe to say he also enjoyed our time together.

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Tonight I noticed Turbo tracks along the gate into the ram's paddock. On the other side of the gate the snow was packed ...
01/13/2025

Tonight I noticed Turbo tracks along the gate into the ram's paddock. On the other side of the gate the snow was packed down from one or more rams. A couple of times during the summer months the rams are turned into Turbo's pasture. The gate from their paddock and barn is left open so they can freely move between the two areas. Most days I find Turbo lounging in the ram's barn with a few rams. It does get a better breeze than his barn. Once fall arrives we close the gate. Both Turbo and the rams are a bit miffed when this happens but they soon adjust. Turbo will never admit he enjoys the ram's companionship.
Seeing the tracks in the snow on both sides of the gate highlighted their friendship and how they were checking on each other. We could learn a lesson from them on how to accept others who are different than us.
By the time we went out to do the evening feeding Turbo was back inside his barn waiting for some fresh hay. Once the weather warms up I might allow him to spend a day with the rams. Currently it is too dangerous because the rams are very rowdy. The cold days bring about lots of head butting and I am afraid one or more would hit Turbo.

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This is a curiosity that I can't explain. Every time we have a heavy snowfall the snow clings to the side of this barn. ...
01/12/2025

This is a curiosity that I can't explain.
Every time we have a heavy snowfall the snow clings to the side of this barn. There isn't anything attached to the barn to catch the snow. The sides are consistent from top to bottom. The snow only does this on this eastern facing side.
We brought one of the June lambs into the basement to spend the night in the dog crate. Even though its body and inside its mouth were warm it was suffering. Her whole body was engulfed in shivers. She truly enjoyed being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket and the heat from the heater. Once she was warm she ate a meal of second cut hay. I checked everyone else in the barn, including the adults, to make sure no one else was having issues. Fortunately everyone was fine.
Ted and Diamond were excited to have a lamb in their house. Harper greeted her then went on his way. Onyx and Amethyst were cautious as they walked past the crate.
This little girl will return to the barn in the morning. We will monitor her throughout the day. If she shows any sign of being cold we will bring her back inside for the night. When she goes to the barn she will have a warm dog sweater to wear.

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01/11/2025

The squeak and crunch of the snow adds a rhythmic cadence to my steps. That squeak and crunch also makes it impossible to quietly walk to the barn. When Turbo walks beside me his four beats added to my two create quite a background to our conversations.
The colder the air temperature the higher the squeak. This is due to the drier snow. When the temperature is in the middle twenties to the low thirties the snow has a muffled sound. Snow in this temperature range is more damp. Very cold temperature snow will not make snowballs or snowmen because it is too dry to compact into a shape. This type of snow is great for fast sledding.
Turbo likes the dry snow because it doesn't pack into his hooves. We like it because it is easier to shovel.

Hope you have a fun weekend.

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We have a fashionista in the barn.I found this little ewe lamb curled up in a corner where the breeze couldn't reach her...
01/10/2025

We have a fashionista in the barn.
I found this little ewe lamb curled up in a corner where the breeze couldn't reach her. She was reluctant to move when we fed the flock. As soon as I picked her up she snuggled against my arms as I carried her into the grain room. The inside of her mouth was warm so I knew she wasn't hypothermic but she obviously was having difficulty maintaining a normal comfort level. Once she had her sweater on she pranced around like a model.
Tonight our temperature is predicted to drop to the lower single digits. This evening we filled the hay racks with plenty of second cut hay. Giving the animals an extra late in the day meal helps give them the energy needed to maintain their body temperature through the night.
I am glad I spotted this little one before I left the barn tonight. I dread thinking what condition she would have been in by morning. She will spend the night cuddled up with the five orphans in a cozy spot filled with lots of warm bedding.

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With the wind dying down overnight the drifts around the barns range from knee deep to mid thigh. If the wind had contin...
01/09/2025

With the wind dying down overnight the drifts around the barns range from knee deep to mid thigh. If the wind had continued I am sure the drifts would have been waist deep in some places. A younger me would have enjoyed diving into them. As an older me carrying containers of water to replenish the water troughs I am not enjoying walking through them. Turbo is definitely not enjoying the drifts. I think his older joints make him feel uneasy as he pushes through the deep snow. To help him navigate we created paths.
We drove from the bank barn to the gate to clear a wide walking path for him. From that barn to his barn I made walking trails that he follows. As I was trudging along he was walking by my side. I also made a loop around his barn that continues to the cleared driveway. Later in the day I noticed him making a few circuits around my paths. I also had to create a path to his dinner stone. Once again we tried to get him to eat from the nice dish I bought but he refused.A dish I could place outside the barn door where we had cleared. Instead he stood outside the door and banged on it with his hoof. After an hour of him being grumpy I made the path to his stone. By that time his mash had started to freeze so I had to add hot water to thaw it enough for him to safely eat. He was impatiently waiting at his stone for me to serve him. Yes, he is spoiled and yes he has me well trained.

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Garby loves having special time with me. To him I am his mom. He often follows me around as I do my chores. When he wa...
01/08/2025

Garby loves having special time with me. To him I am his mom. He often follows me around as I do my chores. When he was a lamb we spent quiet time together with him curled up on my lap. I think he wishes he could still fit across my legs.
Today, with his nose pressed against the gate he impatiently watched as I navigated through knee deep drifts. As soon as I returned he pressed his head against my leg. As I wrapped my arms around his neck he gave a deep sigh.
This warm hug was a much appreciated moment on a cold day.

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Before the snow storm I was walking around the ewe's paddock. On the lower side there are a few maple trees. I noticed i...
01/07/2025

Before the snow storm I was walking around the ewe's paddock. On the lower side there are a few maple trees. I noticed ice formations on a branch of one tree. The ice was only on this branch and only on this tree.
In a few weeks any ice formations will have a sweet flavor due to the rising sap.
The ice formations I saw today were a reminder of how things are at the moment with everything frozen and filled with frustration. A closer look reveals the promise for the near future as the tree grows buds that will burst into tiny red blossoms.

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We are having a snowy winter weekend. The animals are safe and sound in the barns. They still have the ability to go out...
01/05/2025

We are having a snowy winter weekend. The animals are safe and sound in the barns. They still have the ability to go outside to the water troughs. A breeze carried enough snow through the door to prevent anyone from lounging too close. The few that tried ended up with a dusting of snow. Our area is in the path of some storms tomorrow. There is the possibility of deep accumulation. Hopefully it won't be too deep since we have to navigate to the barn.
One of my most disliked chores growing up on the farm was having to shovel a path through the deep snow from the house to the barn.
One time a storm arrived just as I tossed the last shovel full of snow. By the time we finished milking and doing the chores my shoveled paths needed cleaned again. Fortunately the snow wasn't too deep and my brothers helped. Of course we accidentally tossed snow at each other which resulted in a snowball battle. I am sure dad's animals thought we were a bunch of silly humans.

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Turbo loves snow. He will go inside when the snow is accompanied with winds. During normal snow showers he stands just ...
01/04/2025

Turbo loves snow. He will go inside when the snow is accompanied with winds. During normal snow showers he stands just outside the door to his barn. Lee has tried to lead him inside but Turbo refuses to stay there. On occasion I have had to brush the snow from his back and wipe the snow from his eyelashes.
An old timer once told Lee how to decide the amount of snow accumulation.with this formula.
Big snow, little snow;
little snow, big snow.
In other words if the flakes are big the accumulation will not amount to much. When the flakes are small then be aware that there could be significant accumulation.
We have noticed when the flakes are small the ground does have some covering.
Turbo doesn't care what the old timers say or even what the forecasters predict. He is happy standing outside his barn with the snowflakes floating around him.

Hope you have a good weekend.

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We are two very happy farmers today. A good friend gifted us a few cut barrel water containers. We were in the process o...
01/03/2025

We are two very happy farmers today. A good friend gifted us a few cut barrel water containers. We were in the process of buying new troughs so this gift was a welcome surprise. A new larger water heater will keep the water from freezing. The heater doesn't make the water hot but it does keep the temperature above freezing.
These heaters are made for indoor and outdoor use. They run all day and night during the cold months. The lifespan of a heater is a few years. As the years go by their effectiveness starts to diminish. We replace them when we notice a skim of ice forming on top of the water.
When we have a lot of snow on the ground we scoop snow into the heated troughs this is in addition to the normal water that we put into them.

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Happy New Year from everyone at Appalachian Hills Farm. I think Diamond overdid celebrating.Thanks for stopping by.
01/01/2025

Happy New Year from everyone at Appalachian Hills Farm.

I think Diamond overdid celebrating.

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A New Year's Eve toast.When The Bells Ring Out The Old YearOr When The Bells Ring In The NewI'm Wishing Hours Of Joy And...
01/01/2025

A New Year's Eve toast.

When The Bells Ring Out The Old Year

Or When The Bells Ring In The New

I'm Wishing Hours Of Joy And Cheer
Unendingly For You.

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I brought Bonnie into the pen with the five orphans. Her fleece has grown to an amazing five inches. I was worried the w...
12/31/2024

I brought Bonnie into the pen with the five orphans. Her fleece has grown to an amazing five inches. I was worried the winter weather would destroy this beautiful fleece. My concern is that the wool on Bonnie would felt which would create a dense fleece. The weight of a felted fleece can pull on the skin creating pain. A felted fleece does not have the insulating factor of a fluffy fleece.
I have some choices in regards to Bonnie's fleece. Once the holidays have passed I could shear her but she would have to stay inside until her fleece grows enough to maintain a warm body temperature. My other option is to keep her inside until the weather moderates then shear her which would not interfere with the flock shearing schedule. Regardless of my decision Bonnie is thrilled with her new living arrangement. She has access to grain and hay without having to worry about being pushed out of the way. The five orphans are not pushy because they are much smaller than Bonnie.
Bonnie was born a steel gray color with a black face, legs, and tail. All of my other gray sheep started as black lambs that turned gray as they aged. Bonnie has maintained this color. Her nose is the only area that has changed color.
Bonnie loves treats. She came running to my side when she heard me open the bag.

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Every night before I leave the barn I give each orphan lamb a back scratch and a hug. I don't know if it means much to t...
12/30/2024

Every night before I leave the barn I give each orphan lamb a back scratch and a hug. I don't know if it means much to them but I feel that having a small amount of extra attention will keep them relaxed. The only kindness they had in their early life was from Lee and myself. Being ignored and alone as newborns can cause stress that can prevent them from thriving. As six months old lambs they are doing well. Each one has a unique personality that ranges from Christian's quirkiness to Twinkle's shyness.
Their antics keep us amused.

From left to right: Christian, Espresso, and Latte. Not pictured are Belinda and Twinkle.

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We bought a couple of buckets for the barn. I like to wash new buckets before I use them because you never know what the...
12/29/2024

We bought a couple of buckets for the barn. I like to wash new buckets before I use them because you never know what they were in contact with. My quality control officer immediately inspected my work. I must have done a good job since they received Onyx's stamp of approval. As soon as he found the perfect position he slept for hours. I think he was a bit upset when I took them to the barn.

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Latrobe, PA
15650

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(724) 423-8107

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The squeak and crunch of the snow adds a rhythmic cadence to my steps. That squeak and crunch also makes it impossible to quietly walk to the barn. When Turbo walks beside me his four beats added to my two create quite a background to our conversations. The colder the air temperature the higher the squeak. This is due to the drier snow. When the temperature is in the middle twenties to the low thirties the snow has a muffled sound. Snow in this temperature range is more damp. Very cold temperature snow will not make snowballs or snowmen because it is too dry to compact into a shape. This type of snow is great for fast sledding. Turbo likes the dry snow because it doesn't pack into his hooves. We like it because it is easier to shovel. Hope you have a fun weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

I say Turbo is a horse but in the equine world he is a pony. Any equine under fourteen three hands is considered a pony. Turbo is thirteen three. Ponies are well known for their attitude. I often call Turbo " grumpy pony" because of his attitude. He is never mean. He just has his grumpy moments. He is also very impatient, especially when it is time to eat. Usually he stomps his feet and pushes on the door. Recently he has started doing this while he waits. He air paws with one leg then he changes to the other. If I don't have his food ready in a timely manner he then stomps. When Lee takes his bucket of food to the stone he tries to motivate Lee to walk faster. His method of motivation involves walking fast past Lee then returning to circle around him. The whole time he is walking he is making snorting noises which is his way of saying he is irritated. He sure is an amusing pony Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

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