Anticipation… Is Makin’ Me Wait…

Farming involves a WHOLE lot of waiting.

 A WHOLE LOT.

Some days, you wait for the sun to come up so you can get started with the business of the day.  Some days…no, MOST days, you wait for dark so you can end the business of the day. You wait for rain, sunshine, warmer weather…cooler weather….the mail…

You order seeds…you wait for their delivery.

          You plant seeds…you wait for their germination.

                            …and then fruiting

                                       …then harvest…then FINALLY…the eating (or selling)!

Every aspect of my life involves some degree of waiting.  EVERY.SINGLE. ASPECT.  Sometimes this is frustrating.  It is made especially frustrating when the Boss quotes his dad, saying “your time will come!”  Honestly, old Dad Womack and I would have had words over that one, but we missed each other in this lifetime. L

All that aside, today we got one step closer to something for which I have been WAITING for well over a year now. 

We turned Waylon in with the ewes today.  While you may be tempted to think “big deal!”, I would disagree (and so would Waylon!) 

Part of my job as a shepherd is to understand (to some degree) genetics and growth rates.  I should have the knowledge and confidence to know that X ewe and Y ram will make AWESOME lambs (no matter their sex).  Through a LOT of trial and error, I can honestly say…I’m pretty good at this now.  Make that…WE’RE pretty good at this now.

In February of 2011, we had some beautiful ewe lambs. We watched them grow.  We made our decision.  We kept a number of them for breeders for this year. I bought one more because she was quite possibly the most beautiful ewe lamb I had ever seen.  I cannot tell you how very difficult it was not to “expose” them to the ram last year.  They were big, they were beautiful…but, I learned my lesson in ’11 about THAT one. Read this...

So, as of today, I may be only 150 days from finding out if my gamble, my intuition, my knowledge has any validity.  I have often compared lambing season to “Christmas morning on steroids”.  This year it really will be…Christmas Eve is the first possible lamb date.

I am SO excited, anxious, apprehensive…but….

                 All I can do now is….WAIT!

…and please tell me I am NOT the only one who remembers  THIS!