Mama hates me today. I have begun the process of weaning her lambs from her. She is getting worn down, her udder is looking banged up with dry patches and these lambs at almost three months old are big and pushy. Watching those two fly at her at full gallop, charging straight at her udder is too much now. They almost knock her over. They are too big and she is just too old. Her udder too fragile. One side is already shrinking. 
They say that it is harder for the lambs but Mama takes this stage badly. For a week now she has been in a harder field with no clover. Yesterday I brought her into the barn where she cannot see them and it is cool. Her diet will be further restricted for three days, so that she does not produce so much milk during the drying up period. Minty has managed to talk herself in with her so she is not alone. I am Minty’s milk bar so she will be OK in there. Nowhere on the property is out of earshot though. Mama cried at intervals all night and the lambs cried right back. 
Meadow, The Murphy and Aunty Mia are left in the Rat House Paddock.
So the farmy was at odds yesterday and all last night and will be for a few days yet. Even Kupa could not quiet them last night. All the bleating and carrying on is so sad. I had to sit on my hands to resist letting her back with them. But it is time. Mama has had enough. But she has a big gravelly old sheep’s voice and hearing her cry is heartbreaking.
When she has dried up and has put on some weight, I will put them all back together but realistically that will not be for a few weeks. Over the next few days I have to watch her carefully for signs of mastitis. But she has never had trouble with that before so we should be OK.
These guys don’t care though. 
Look at those smiles.
The bad beans are growing. In their slightly wonky lines. 
Chooks drink milk too. Raw milk is good for their tummies.
Good morning. Yesterday many of you asked for the Pickled Onion recipe. I shall tell you what I did. Remember these are fridge pickles – designed to be eaten straight away.
Fresh Pickled Onions
Heat one cup of cider vinegar and four scant tablespoons sugar. Add a teaspoon each of peppercorns and coriander seeds. (or whatever spices you fancy). To the jar add a clove of garlic.
Slice two white onions and one red onion thinly. Slice one fennel bulb thinly. Sterilize a jar.
When the vinegar has come to a boil add the onions and fennel. Let them blanch in there for 30 seconds. Then pack the onions into the jar and pour the hot vinegar in on top. Tap the jar to get out the bubbles and seal. Refrigerate when cool. 
I love the pink hue that the red onions bring.
You all have a lovely day. As I have been writing Mama has been quiet. Weaning is my least favourite time.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
85 responses to “Mama hates me today and the Pink Pickled Onion recipe.”
This is such a tough time for all of you.. if only you could speak to her, she’d know she’ll be reunited with her babies soon! Love your wonky lines of beans and milk slurping chooks:) xoxo Smidge
Poor Mama. The Li’l Ones grow up so fast. They’ll be starting schewel soon and, after that, it’s the empty flock syndrome. It’s not easy being a Mom, no matter the species.
Seeing the chickens, all ponied up to the milk bar, gave me a chuckle. Who knew?
Have a wonderful day, Celi!
Weaning time is hard. Terry finds it harder than I do…he would walk around to each cow and tell them he was sorry, but it just had to be done. I love his soft side….
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Oh poor Mama, poor lambys, poor Cinders! 😦 But I have a feeling there’s going to be alot of pickled onions going on soon, all over the country!! 🙂 Thanks so much for your recipe…can’t wait to try them!! I make fridge pickles every summer, so this will be a nice addition to them!!
I adore pickles, esp in cider vinegar, we must see some of your pickle recipes.. cinders!
My heart aches for mama. I know exactly what she is going through. My youngest is moving out in a few weeks, off to college, and my oldest and her hubby are moving away to grad school. It is a hard time for mamas when their babies grow up. This mama has intermitant crying splls too, in between trying to keep very busy. It is the way of nature.
Oh no, it is so hard isn’t. When my kids all left home I left too!! c
Great journal as usual. You’re really cropping your pictures very well and purposefully. Another great pleasure for me to read after I’ve struggled trying to be a carpenter, which I’m most definitely not, all day.
You are so right calling this a journal.. I looked up my own blog the other day to see when the lambs were born!! c
Poor Mama, though at least Mama and babies are all being loved regardless 😉
What huge little pigs!
I thought you might like it.. look out for tomorrow though..even more piggie fun! c
The pickles look great, but sorry that Mama is suffering the separation – always the hardest thing with animals, for me, is when you have to do something you know is the right thing for them, but they may not understand and/or expect you to help..
It is true. It is our job to make the hard decisions when animals put their faith in us! c
Poor Mama’s circumstances provide us such a metaphor…sometimes it’s these really difficult circumstances that are our preservation! I guess that’s all you hold onto when you hear that pitiful bleating…it would be heartbreaking. Thanks for the photos of the bad beans…it’s incredibly ironic that they are so completely in your face, Celi! I will focus with you on the good stuff…like those gorgeous onions! Debra
Thankfully the bad beans (I presume you mean the naughty Shush sisters) will be on the farm for a while yet. John wants to keep them both and is trying to talk me out of selling Charlotte! c
Oh Celi! I think I missed something! I somehow got it into my head that when you mentioned the bad beans you were talking about the view of the farm “next door.” Ha! Isn’t that funny! Well now I know that Charlotte and the Shush sisters have a chance to stick around! That’s a good idea…I say. LOL! D
i think i would be horrible at weaning. the cries would break my heart. i love making pickles and rarely are without them. i just made sauerkraut and i love pickling beets with hardboiled eggs. we still have not had a single drop of rain and are in the upper 90’s endlessly!
OO I must find out more about your picked eggs.. I should do those.. esp the pink ones. We could have a pink pickling theme! c
Celi, on a pink theme for pickling, Plum vinegar is a beautiful shade of pink with a soft vinegar taste or Sangiovese verjuice; a deep pink with a slightly more acidic taste………now where is that recipe I have for pickled eggs?………….
plum vinegar.. that sounds divine.. c
Poor Mama…I’m sure this never gets easier. How old is Mama, and how long does the average lamb live and breed? Love your pickled onion recipe, so pretty and I must try them…thanks for sharing!
Mama is probably about 6 years old. She is getting on. She probably can do a few more rounds but not too many more. Generally she is a pretty healthy and robust ewe. And a good Mum.. c
So glad she is healthy and robust…and knew she was a good mum, as you are to her! I hope she feels calmer tomorrow. 🙂
Poor Mama and poor you! Such a difficult time! What would ultimately happen to Mama if you did not intervene?
good question Chris. She would carry on being beaten up by these big lugs and if she did not get mastitis from udder damage and keep getting thinner then she would ultimately wean them herself in two or three months. Often a sheep will feed ;ambs for about 5 months if left to their own devices. Mama did this last year, but her udder is looking a bit shaky this year and I am calling it. They are old enough. Morning Chris.. c
Doesn’t sound fun to be Mama right now. Ouch.
Well, I have no sage advice for you at this difficult time but those are two beautiful pigs!
Oh no, I couldn’t cope with the bleating but I suppose in natures way they would have had less to eat and mammas milk would dry up sooner. Love the fennel with the onions and this method is so much easier than whole pickle onions