Hi all, I joined a couple days ago but didn't have time to sit and read much, or introduce myself. My name is Tracey and I'm hsing my 12 yo DD. Brought her home for a quarter in 4th grade because she was having a tough time with the other kids, plus getting migranes. The headaches had been common for a couple years, actually, and went undiagnosed until about that point. Anyway, this is our third year, and I feel like I'm finally figuring it out...at least just a little. I bought text books this year, lol! And DD is working a bit harder at getting her work done; in the past it was a real tooth puller to get anything done. Aside from that, I raise sheep. DD adopted a wild horse from the BLM a few months ago. I've been married 27 years and also have a son, 20, who wasn't homeschooled because he was smarter than me by the time he was 8 :roll: Looking forward to participating here!
Hi Tracey, Welcome. I am Leslie and I have a ds11 and a dd9. we are in our second year of hs. We love it! Migraines can really be horrible. Have they slowed down for your dd since she's been home? Just wodering? You raise sheep...wow, my kids would love to come visit you! How many do you have? Great to have you here...join in anytime!
Nice to have you here! I am also in my 3rd year of hs'ing (and still figuring things out!). My oldest (ds10) went to ps for K and 1st. When my second (dd8) was ready for K, and we decided they needed to be home. I have 2 other kids (dd5 and dd2). Look forward to hearing from you!
Leslie, yes, the migraines stopped when she came home. I really think she'd been dealing with them from a young age, like 3 or 4, but couldn't communicate what was going on. Well...guess she didn't communicate it at all, really. She'd get sick and throw up, so headache wasn't what I was thinking. But the summer between third and fourth she had several headaches, and they lasted several days each. Couldn't get in to see her doc, but saw two on call dr's...neither one diagnosed her. Then with the third headache her doc was in and gave her a perscription...instant success! Now she only takes them if she feels the migraine coming on. Stress seems to play a big role in it (as well as affecting her eczema!) Oh, and anytime you want to make a trip way out west, you're welcome to visit the sheep! Actually, you can see pics of them on my website, but I can't post the link because I've not been a member 'for awhile', lol! I think it's in my profile, though, if you'd like to go visit.
Welcome Sheepish! I'm more goatish than sheepish, but I like sheep, too, even though goats are smarter and easier to milk! lol! Our Toggenberg "Tinkerbell" and Nubian "Ruthie" were top-of-the-line. The downside to goats is that the ornery ones are impossible to keep fenced in. I finally gave our 15 y.o. ds an enormous gift by selling the goats so that his landscaping project could progress. 'Told him I loved my goats but that I loved him more. We also hs his twin sis & have two grown children. I feel pretty peaceful about our hs curriculum, but can't say that I have the entire mother thing figured out yet--especially in the area of helping meet homeschooled teenagers' social needs in the middle of the Great Plains--Western Kansas. I don't get time to visit here every day, but when I do, it's always encouraging! 'Never been with a group like this b4.
Tracey, Welcome, to the homeschool spot. My name is Kris I am from Texas right now. I have been homeschooling for 5 years I have two dd's one who will be 14 and one who will be 12. Yes, my dd who will be 12 has had some bad migraines too until we pulled her out of the public eye. I said to young to have that many headaches. We want to come west and see the sheep too.
Oh, them's fightin' words! LOL! I milk my sheep...they give good milk. May not get as much as goat milk, but it's more nutritious :wink: And my sheep aren't as mean as goaties...they don't jump on my car or eat the clothes off my back (leaving me nekkid out in the pasture.) Anything goats can do, sheep can do better!! Kris, yes, way too young to suffer so greatly. Come on out and visit the sheepies!
Yes, Sheepish, from one animal lover to another, I was kind of expecting that. You have to admit that goats do have personality! We have had our own sagas with them! So, what kind of sheep do you have? Supposedly French Dairy Sheep give up to three qts. a day. That would interest me. My 4-H Hampshire, Suffolk, and Southdown sheep certainly would not have done that. I try to beg off of milking dd's Holstein/Brown Swiss cow, who gives enough milk for five (Yes! 5!) calves, because I can only get two or three fingers around her nipples. It's so uncomfortable & frustrating to me, after working with my lovely nannies and their large, soft milk bags. Why, I could almost just put the bucket under their faucets, and the milk would pour out, one beautiful gallon a day! But, as long as ds wants "Farm Beautiful," goats are out. How far from KS do you live?
OK, I see you're from Washington. Pretty far from here. When we go on trips, it's in the southern direction, like FL, where our older ds, ddil, & precious grandbaby live. Your home page wouldn't "configure" on my computer; so I couldn't see your flock. 'Saw the two you have on your profile. Are they mainly milk sheep or are they also good wool-bearers? Do you shear them yourself? (My older bro used to raise Catahdin sp? hair sheep--never needed shearing.) How long do your sheep lactate? Not to rile you, but one of my nannies gave milk for three years--admittedly less in winter, due to the fact that lactation in goats is light-dependent. But if we could keep her giving milk past the new year, it would increase with spring. Interesting. I'd have a LOT to learn with dairy sheep, but why not? Btw, some hs friends & dd & I made soap yesterday--'just noticed that was another similar interest of ours. We used some red palm oil. Boy! It doesn't take much to turn it bright orange and less, to give it a gorgeous yellow color. Have you used sheep milk in your soap? Using milk gives a double saponification, and therefore, a milder soap. At least, goat milk does. 'Not sure about sheep milk. Ahem! and lol! Just "kidding!"
Yes, I sell sheep milk soap. Higher in solids (double) than goat, so a challenge to get it all to saponify. Blew my mind the first time I made it...looked like an omellette on the surface, lol! Sheep lactations are far shorter than goats...meaning we sheep farmers get a vacation :wink: They're milked commercially for the cheese industry as it takes half the sheep milk that it does goat or cow milk to create a pound of cheese. 250 days seems to be the average. And yes, the French Lacuane is a heavy milker; I know a guy in WI who has a ewe that gives him 1000 lbs of milk per lactation. (They measure in weight, not volume.) I've got an eclectic mix; I milked my suffolk the past three seasons, just for a few weeks after weaning, for my soap. This year, grain free with just grass, she gave three lbs per day after weaning her twins. That's a pretty high amount for a non-dairy breed. I've got a couple of icelandics (which I'm selling) that are really a wonderful homesteading breed as they've been used for milk, meat and wool up in Iceland for centuries. This summer I just shipped four East Friesian lambs in from Wisconsin...they're known as the queen of the dairy sheep. We'll see how they do in the coming years; the mother of one was milked out one day when her udder was too large for the lambs to get their mouths around; she gave 4 lbs from that one side! Three years is a good long time for your nanny! A friend of mine breeds with longer lactations in mind with her dairy goats and is getting over a year from each of them now, with a couple that have gone about two years now, I think.
Hi Tracey, I am Beth from N.C. We have seven kids and are homeschooling the youngest two. The only animals I know anything about are my three very spoilded maltese! It has been very interesting reading about the sheep and goats. Welcome.
Hi Tracey, love your name! I'm new here too. I have a 4 year old ds, no goats or sheep though. Just 3 fish, 2 cats and 2 hens. Happy homeschooling! Tracy
Sheepish, I may finally have found your farm, by using Google. If so, it was listed on a lamb "palace" site which featured a strikingly beautiful black & white sheep. Are Dolly, Spice, and Licorice yours? Or just Honey? And is that your beautiful daughter? Now my MFH (mighty fine husband) is worried: I want a milk sheep! My older dd left me her spinning wheel, which I have considered selling; but then again, if I'd have my own source of wool...
Welcome, I think we have already talked in few threads. But I want to say Hi and introduce myself. I'm one of the Amys (AmyU) and I have been married for 14 years and have one great son. He is 11 and we have been homeschooling for 3 years. Welcome to the spot!
Thank you for the welcome, AmyU! Prairie, don't sell the wheel! I was going to sell mine after selling the llamas, and I'd be in a world of hurt now if I had, lol! You can always purchase wool if you can't talk your dh into sheep. Or you could tell them they just followed you home one day :angel: Yes, that's my DD and our sheep! Dolly has been sold, as has Spice. I think I've got a buyer for Licorice, who is DD's ewe, and Lic's lovely black ewe lamb. Which is good, because I can't afford to feed everyone all winter. But I'll miss Dolly, as she's been the backbone of my farm since we got the sheep. I do know she's in a great home, though, where they also will be milking this next year. But tell me, where did you find that page? Our farm name is Bucking Lamb Palace, but the current website hasn't got pics of DD and Honey anymore; instead she's with her new horse. If you search buckinglamb palace the website comes up on google and you can see the current photos (maybe!)
I think I am going to have to do a field trip out there. Sounds like you have way to much fun, without us. Can we join in. LOL
Oh, certainly, Kris! We'll teach your kids how to use a drop spindle so they can spin their own yarn while you're here! Or would you prefer learning how to make a nice, soft cheese for pastas or salads?
