the sheep love to eat, especially when it’s cold. they need as much energy as possible keep warm. yes, that wool keeps them warm, and even the donkey, without the wool, stays warm in the bitter temps. but it helps to stay warm when you’ve had a good amount of hay and water!

the animals normally greet us by walking up to the gate when they hear us open and close the house doors. but if the snow is too deep, they wait inside the barn, or meet us at the barn door.

of course i have my favorite!  violet, who is really dark brown, nearly black, but the wool grows out brown. we suspect sun bleaching, but aren’t completely sure. this is western pennsylvania, afterall. sun is not seen so much during the winter. she is always sporting the most hay and straw stuck to her wool during the winter.

we’ve had to lock the goats in their pen in the barn for the last several weeks. they were getting very greedy at feeding time, and with those horns, the sheep and donkey were afraid of them!

it’s so easy caring for sheep during spring, summer and early fall. it’s the winter that will test your dedication to hobby farming!