As most of you know our ram Merlin did not do his job this year of producing babies, which in the past has been his claim to fame.
His record was 16 babies in two week's time. On our farm it is very difficult to have more than one ram. Rams are very territorial and will actually try to kill another ram.
So the question was....what do we do with Merlin??
He has done his job well in the past but obviously he is past his prime. A "real" farmer does not feed an animal that will take up space for a ram that can't produce....plus he has horns and knows how to use them.
....So I started to pray for a solution.
A few weeks ago I got a random phone call. The man said, "My name is Jimmy, and your number is in my phone and I am trying to clear out numbers that I don't need. Do you know who I am?"
I had no idea.
He asked me if I had sheep and I told him about my sad story of having no lambs born this year and I really need a new ram, but Merlin is really mean and no one would want him.
Jimmy told me that it was funny that I would say that because he was hired by the state of New Jersey to clear land with his goats. He was apprehensive to put his goats out in this fenced area because he was afraid that someone would steal them. If he had an "attack ram" in with his goats, then no one would bother them.
I told him to come and get Merlin for his new job.
When Jimmy got here to pick up Merlin he had remembered coming to my farm about 3 years ago to pick up sheep for someone else, so that is why he had my phone number.
About one week later a girl scout troop came for a class and I shared this story with them. The girl scout leader told me that the department that she works for hired the goats to clear the land. She explained that there is an endangered species of turtles that live in bogs that are being overtaken with briars and if the goats eat the briars there would be cleared bogs for the turtles to live.
Now I am even more proud of Merlin for having such an important job.
Jimmy had asked me what I was looking for in a new ram (I guess he travels around the sheep circle). I told him that I use the wool for spinning and making wool creations. To make a long story short.... he found a Black Shetland Ram for me that we are naming MoJo.
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| Isn't he handsome? |
The next hurdle that needed to be jumped is my sheep shearer comes once a year and he is coming on April 18th. So my new friend Jimmy is bringing MoJo on that day, and bringing Merlin back so he can get sheared to so I can have his last fleece before he starts his new employment.
It just makes me so happy to know that God cares about making all things work together for good. MoJo has a new home with six eager ewes for next year's Lamb Celebration Day, all the sheep will be sheared, and Merlin has a job working for the state.
Win. Win. Win. Win. Win.
If you would like to meet our new ram, Mojo, plus wish Merlin luck and give him a good send-off, you can come to our annual SHEEP SHEARING DAY!
This Saturday, April 18th at 1:30, the shearing will begin and our ram will be delivered! Come to the farm for the FREE EVENT. Our shop will be open with lots of felted goodies, baskets, jam, scarves and more. (Think Mother's Day gifts!!!)
Looking forward to seeing you there!
For directions and more info see our website: www.handsonhistory.com
There is something to be said for Letting Go and Letting God. This is a wonderful end to the story.
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