Lamken's Lambs-Registered Shetland Sheep

12/12/2019

07/15/2019

Wow! You just never know how a day on the farm is going to go...

Got a call from a good friend and former Shetland Breeder on Friday. It so happened that a very kind woman named Susan had tracked her down via the NASSA database because while on vacation at a ranch south of LaPine, a very friendly and shockingly tame ram came wandering down the driveway. He was happy for a scratch and some assistance, as he turned out to be on his own in the wide world.

After some google searches to determine what type of sheep he might be, Susan and friends determined him to be a Shetland, and they figured out how to search his flock ID on his ear tag via the NASSA database.

Well. This guy turned out to be Maddie’s first ram, MSM Duncan. We’d sold him about 3 1/2 years ago. Sadly he seems to have been passed about, and we have no idea who his most recent owner is or how he came to be out in the middle of nowhere; but we were quick to volunteer to come get him, to be sure!!

So, sweet Duncan is back at Lamken’s Lambs. We’ll get him sheared off, vaccinated, f***l tested, and on some quality hay. After that... only time will tell... but for now, it sure is nice to see the old guy! ❤️

05/27/2019

It’s been a while since we posted any pictures of the flock. With all the rain this spring, the High Desert has been producing an abundance of green stuff. Trying our hand at intensive grazing of our generally unproductive property. So far, so good! Happy sheep and Lower feed bill!! 🙌🏻

04/19/2019

More pics of the day’s adventure with Michael Estes,

04/19/2019

After Michael’s instruction it was Maddie’s turn...

04/19/2019

It was a primer on shearing school for Maddie today. Ooofff! Hard.Work. One hundred million thanks to Michael Estes and Estes Farm for the schooling and ultimately for getting the job done! So glad to be doing this sheep thing with you! Big huge thanks to

04/04/2019

The last set of lambs was born on Sunday last and yesterday they enjoyed their first day out of the jug.

It was a great lambing season with 4 ewe lambs and 4 ram lambs! Never had an even split before, so that was fun.

03/24/2019

Beautiful and inspiring ❤️

03/20/2019

It was an eventful 10 hours from 7:00 pm last night until 5:00 am this morning. Two beautiful sets of lambs.

First was LL Poppy x Soncroft Orc. First time mama and she just popped those twins out like it was a stroll in the park.

Then, this morning, our ginormous girl MSM Melody x SevenSisters Claylock finally got with the program and had her lambs. Had to give a little help as the first lamb had both legs back, but Maddie got it sorted in no time flat and ewe and lambs are all doing great!

03/18/2019

Shearing day for the preggo ewes. And holy smokes! Melody is HUGE 😬😲

My friend Michael Estes is THE BEST! After a big weekend of shearing with the he stopped on his way home to do our ewes. Very thankful for the !! 🙌🏻❤️

Ready for lambs now...

03/17/2019

It’s always fun to have friends visit the farm and love on the babies. Looking forward to our 6th year of showing sheep in 4H with you, Anderson Family!!❤️

03/15/2019

She likes her lil man, too. ❤️. Good mama!!!

03/15/2019

There’s a fair likeness between mama and ewe lamb!

03/15/2019

It was a 3 am wake up to “new mama” sounds from the field. Glad we had that family meeting at dinner to make a game plan in case Shalom decided to lamb tonight. 😄

So tonight, we welcome our first Shetland lambs of the season. A braw black ram and a bonnie white ewe. They are following in their parent’s colors! (Estes Shalom x Soncroft Orcdraught).

03/03/2019

It was a super relaxing day staying in and having fun washing some lovely merino, felting some soaps, and watching a few tutorials on nuno felting. And for dinner.... home grown braised lamb shanks.

02/26/2019

Silly lambs playing in the snow ☺️❤️

02/26/2019

It was quite a day on the farm. Between digging out sheep and shoveling off barn roofs....I’m tuckered out! But the sheep are fed and watered and hopefully the snow is DONE. 😬🙏🏼

02/21/2019

Took a few pictures of the lambs this afternoon while out feeding. They’re growing so fast! Can’t wait to get updated weights on them this weekend.

02/14/2019

02/01/2019

A well timed delivery tonight! We welcomed a Ewe lamb and a Ram Lamb just a few short hours before we need to head to the airport for our trip to Colorado State. Well timed mama! So thankful for an unassisted lambing experience for this first time mama! 🙏🏼🙌🏻☺️

01/21/2019

Lambing season is always an exciting but nerve-wracking time. And always there are the risks... This year has not been our easiest, but I am grateful for so many things.

For our sheep...for the privilege of having them, being able to tend them, and all that we learn from them.

For amazing mentors and a community to call upon in the hard times when we need help.

For new life. It’s a miracle every.single.time.

For this messy, muddy, exhausting, joyous, heartbreaking, beautiful life. ❤️

01/02/2019

It was clean up day in the barnyard! Two new lambing jugs were set up, and the new camera was installed... now we’re T-minus 9 days and counting till
🤗❤️🤗

12/13/2018

Christmas gifts galore! This auction will support the 2019 Fiber Market Day to be held in Redmond on March 30, 2019.

This is going to be a very simple auction. It starts at the time this post goes public, and ends at 6:00 pm Saturday, December 15, 2018, Pacific time. Please place your bids in the comment section with the photo of the item you are bidding on. Payment may be made via Paypal or in person. Locally won items (central Oregon) will be delivered to you by December 21. Items going to outside the area will be shipped December 17; buyer pays shipping from 97760. Thank you! (more items may be added on Friday evening).

11/21/2018

Just a young shepherd and her adorable ewes ☺️.
pc: Alli Golden

10/03/2018

Well... been trying my hand at tanning our first pelt. Lordie that’s some work! 😅. This first one has been a great learning experience and while it won’t be perfect, I think it’s turning out ok.

Stretching has proven to be the hardest for a couple reasons... aside from the obvious physical workout, needing to be here to do the stretching has been tough with the schedule these past couple days. It probably won’t have been stretched as much as it should have been, but even still...I’m happy with it and I’ve learned a lot!

09/24/2018

Awesome video! 😂

09/24/2018

Being part of High Desert Wool Growers this year has been an incredible blessing! It was a great time camping and spending time with you all this weekend! ❤️

09/24/2018

It was a wonderful weekend at Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. It really is our favorite show! Fun to show with some incredible Shetland breeders and chat with folks who love sheep and wool and all that goes along with it!

09/19/2018

Woo hoo! One of our fleeces finally made its way back from the Oregon State Fair. Super excited to report that Maddie received Champion Shetland Fleece and even more exciting...it was also the Grand Champion Wool Fleece at the Oregon State Fair!

This fleece and the ram that it came from will both be for sale at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival this weekend in Canby at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds.

08/08/2018

Woot! Maddie and her Shetlands featured in the local newspaper following showing last week at the Deschutes County Fair! ❤️

While some attendees at the Deschutes County Fair and Rodeo were content with rides, music and food, Redmond agriculture students picked up valuable life lessons.Among those was Maddie Lamken, a 17-year-old incoming senior at Redmond High. She took home several awards for the sheep she raised in com...

07/25/2018

This young Miss was not at all impressed with her halter training session tonight. But a few nibbles of alfalfa pellets she was persuaded to make a couple laps around the circle and begrudgingly stand for a couple of pictures.

LL Dot is a sturdy black ewe lamb that has all the parts and pieces and will make a nice addition to any breeding flock. Beautiful soft black fleece, to boot!

Loving the structural improvements we’ve seen!

07/25/2018

We like this young man! LL Simon is a handsome musket lad with a nice horn set and pretty great structure. Very pleased with the improvement of structural correctness that we’ve seen this year!

He’s got a soft intermediate fleece and is out of our softest ewe.

07/08/2018

Trying to get some updated pictures of the spring lambs... they are just getting so big. And now the games begin! Halter training to commence immediately 😆😜. Needless to say, the lambs are not excited!

05/06/2018

Moved some sheep down the road to green pasture today. So thankful for the opportunity to rent some green this summer!! Not sure I’m going to be ok with not seeing their sweet mugs every day, though... Thinking with all the lovely pasture...they won’t be missing me. 😏😜

04/23/2018

Productive weekend! Got the rams shorn and MAN are the lamb fleeces gorgeous! 🤗😍. Maddie did a phenomenal job shearing them.

04/20/2018

Well, while Maddie is off at FFA leadership camp, I’ve gotten to spend some quality time in the barn. These babies are so sweet!! ❤️. Willow’s girls are the most friendly, but the antics of them all... so much 🤗❤️🤗. Kevin calls them ‘The Black Pack’, and when they get to running and jumping, it’s an hilarious sight to see.

But, for this quiet morning, it was quiet munching of mamas and lazy babies crashed out in the freshly cleaned barn. 💕 my farm life!