April 2025

Dear Farm Friends,

Spring is in full swing at Palmer Farms, and April is shaping up to be a busy month! Here’s what’s happening on the farm:

• Breeding for Fall Lambs Begins Soon
  We’re gearing up for breeding season, which will start at the end of April. This ensures we’ll have healthy fall lambs arriving later in the year!

• Shearing Progress
  We’ve completed shearing for half of our ewes, while the ewes with young lambs will be shorn later this month. This gradual approach keeps both the lambs and mothers comfortable as they adjust to the changing temperatures.

• Weaning & Vaccinations
  It’s time for weaning the lambs and ensuring both the lambs and pregnant ewes receive their Covexin-8 vaccinations to protect them from clostridial diseases. Healthy sheep are happy sheep!

• Rotational Grazing Through Cereal Rye
  Our ewes are moving through fresh cereal rye pastures as part of our rotational grazing system. This helps maintain healthy forage and soil while providing them with high-quality nutrition.

• Cool-Season Grasses Flourishing
  The pastures are greening up beautifully! Our overwintered cereal rye, volunteer ryegrass, and fescue are growing strong, providing fresh, high-quality forage as we transition into the warmer months.

• EM1 & EM Nitro Application with Forage Testing
  We’ve completed our first EM Nitro application, and after careful assessment, we’re preparing for a second round of EM1 inoculant and EM Nitro to further boost soil microbiology and pasture productivity. As part of this process, we’re conducting forage testing to monitor nutrient levels and ensure our pastures are thriving for the flock.

April is a month of growth and preparation here at Palmer Farms, and we’re excited about what’s ahead. Thank you for following along on our journey! If you have any questions or just want to check in, feel free to reach out—we always love hearing from you.

Wishing you a wonderful spring,

Ian Palmer