Andrew's Common Sense

That adorable face belongs to the newest member of Common Sense Farm, in many way's Cold Antler's bigger brother. I say that because from the month I moved to Jackson and started meeting locals it was the community at Common Sense

Andrew is the first lamb ever born to the farm, the fruit of their tiny flock of three blackface sheep (two ewes, Annabel and Rain and a ram named Cloud). Andrew came as a surprise since they weren't sure the fall breeding would even take! But here he is, a gorgeous ram lamb and named after a homeschool story about a sheep that was so loved and special, and then fed to the community. That is Andrew's fate as well, this being a working farm with Cloud already holding the only open male position on staff. But until that day comes Andrew will live a life many sheep can only dream of among the stone walls, hundreds of acres, friendly people, and constant care. When a flock of four has an 80+ person community on a mansion's property to watch it, it grows up pretty good.

I met Andrew because I offered to do any lambing work they needed with their two girls. This is Anabel's boy and she was nervous when I showed up with my Doctor's bag. I have an old lunchbox that carries things like tools for tail docking and castrating, needles and shots, vitamin paste and other odds and ends. We lifted Andrew out of his lambing jug and mama yelled but between Yeshiva, the farm intern, and myself we got the lamb work done quick. In a few minutes his tail was banded and he had a little anti-toxin to stop any possible infection from the band or ear tag. I was honored to help, and so proud of the job they did with my farm's sheep. I have to share a shot of Cloud, because compared to my ram, Atlas, he is a TANK! If Atlas was Joel McHale Cloud would be the late Michael Clarke Duncan. Both rams brought some new Sottish Blackfaces into our little hamlet, and that isn't to be scoffed at. Atlas managed a pair of twins, too. Not that I'm keeping score or anything!



P.S. Common Sense Farm accepts Organic Farming interns for weekend, week-long, or even longer stays here in Veryork. Work with livestock and vegetables, get fee room and board, and learn what it's like to be a serious food producer. It is a religious commune but the working farm interns are not expected to convert! If you are interested, go look at their workaway profile and read the reviews and get the information to work on their farm.