Adorable Baby Animal Alert

In the midst of a markedly smooth but drawn out spring lambing season, Farm and Woodlot Manager Megan Phillips shared a particularly sweet moment from the past week: “Semester students are signing up to come to the barn and check in on ewes at midnight and 3:00 am each night. They call a farmer over a radio if they see anything of note or concern. Though we’ve had mostly quiet nights this season, I did get a call from Orchard students Maddie and Phoebe to come to the barn at 3:00 earlier this week. The two students were waiting for me as I arrived sleepy and harried but filled with adrenaline, and both were beaming and happy to report in whispered tones that they’d found four new lambs already up and nursing upon their arrival. Two mothers had delivered twins between the midnight and 3 am lamb watch. First-time mother, Kamala (sheep #46), and seasoned mom, Lainey (sheep #37), were both instinctually cleaning off and tending to their lambs, and both Phoebe and Maddie had an opportunity to cut umbilical cords and assist with the weighing of the babies. These moments – despite the fuzziness that results only a couple of hours later when I’m waking for morning chores on little sleep – are some of my favorites of the year. The barn is sacred and quiet in the middle of the night, the only soundtrack an occasional low “baa” between moms and babes, cows and sheep rhythmically chewing cud, and students’ muted enthusiasm.”