Happy New Year!

Bromley's litter is now into it's third month, and all pups have homes. "Peter Pan" remained here in Essex, just a few blocks from us, and was happy to be with his new family for Christmas. (Can there be a more spoiled pet than a new puppy at Christmas?!).

Our next litter will likely be sometime in March, with blacks and yellows, ready to go home by late May, if all goes well. Feel free to contact us via our website: http://threesistersfarms.com.

And then there was one...

What a difference a week makes...

This weekend almost all the little guys went to their new homes, stretching from Elizabethtown, New Jersey, to Glastonbury, Connecticut. Quite a whirlwind, considering it takes from 2 - 3 hours to process each departure (we spend a lot of time with the new owner going over the care and nurturing of the new puppy). Now, there's only Peter Pan. Our 7-year old remarked this morning, "Of course, it's Peter Pan--he doesn't have a home in the movie, either!"

One Down, Eight to Go

Now eight weeks old, our little guys are about ready to go to their new homes. This group of pups has shown great personality. "Sleeping Beauty", aka Miss Independence, loves to explore and is quite confident in her personality. Gorgeous and a head like a male (destined to be a 'blocky beauty'). "Beast" (M) is still a bit needy in that he will stand up and ask to be held when the others are bedding down for their naps. "Mickey Mouse" was the first to go, leaving today for his new home in Old Saybrook, CT. He'll be remembered for his unexpected dip in our fish pond! Yes, Mickey the Man, as Glenn liked to refer to him.

Snoozers!

Puppies are active for 10 minutes and then can snooze for a few hours--unless a brother or sister intervenes and bites an ear! These guys are now nearly six weeks old.

Solid Food, Scamperers

The pups are growing into their personalities. Now four weeks old, their eyes and ears have been open for about two weeks and they now pick up on sights and sounds outside the whelping box. Solid food is now on the menu and they love to be carried into the kitchen to tear into their chow. Here, they're waiting anxiously to be picked up and carried to FOOD!

Today was warm enough for them to get a taste of the outdoors. This is always an anxious experience for a new puppy. New sights and sounds, as well as textures and obstacles await. The most surprising is the step off the porch (it's a long way down when your legs are only three inches long!); really, it's more a stumble than a step. After a few minutes one or more pup invariably finds its way through the fence cordoning off our fishpond. Only 10 minutes into the adventure, "Jack Sparrow" is shivering and ready to return to the warmth of the INDOOR whelping box!

Bromley's Litter - 10/7/2006

Our Bromley gave birth to nine healthy pups, six boys and three girls, all yellow. As is our custom, each litter has a theme and the pups are named accordingly. This year we traveled to Disney World and so our pups are: Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Beauty, Beast, Tinkerbell, Peter Pan, Jack Sparrow (Pirates...), Prince Charming, and Snow White. To distinguish each yellow puppy from another we mark the base of their tail with a colored Sharpie pen.

All pups were born healthy and were fairly uniform in size, at just about 1 lb. each.

Nearly Six Weeks! (Mingus Litter)

As summer begins, our little rompers are earning their nicknames. They love to chase our two ducks, giving their feathered friends a good run for the money. One pup will chase a duck only to be distracted by mother, Mingus, who happens to be standing with a couple of nursing kin below her. Soon another pup spots the quacking duo and attempts to catch up to the wadders before they escape to the baby pool. Quite a sight.

The litter will be six weeks old on Sunday, and they continue to grow, now averaging about 12 lbs. each. They're fed three times daily with our favorite kibble, from Canidae. We like this brand because it is an all-ages balanced food. No need to transition from puppy chow to adult to senior fare. This makes it easier for the owner. All you have to do is use portion control. As a puppy grows it will consume twice the daily requirement of a two year old adult. After six months, feedings are reduced to twice daily and portions can be gradually cut back. We monitor the weight of our dogs, insuring they get plenty of exercise, but adjust their portions to maintain a healthy size.

We've moved the puppies outdoors during the day. Their favorite hangout is around our kids' playscape. They can find a cool shady place to burrow and snooze, or they can play tag around the legs of the playscape itself.

We've been quite busy with other tasks but will soon update our site with new photos.

Eyes Right!

Those of you with some military experience (hey, even watching your local Memorial Day parade may qualify) recognize the title as the command given to parading troops as they pass an American flag flying to the right of their formation. However, now that America has an all-volunteer military, you may instead understand the title to refer to eyesight. And, in this case, you're right! Two weeks after their birth, our pups are beginning to see their world for the first time.

They eyes start out blue but will darken to brown in the coming days and weeks. Next up: walking!

Introducing our NEW litter -- Aloha from Hawaii!

We had a welcome treat on Mother's Day when our black lab, Mingus, gave birth to EIGHT gorgeous pups. Perfect symmetry: Four black, four yellow. Four males, four females. Two black males, two black females. Two yellow males, two yellow females... what are the odds of that?!

Mingus had an easy delivery. Pups weighed between 13.5 and 17. 5 ounces. As is our tradition, our litters are given temporary names around a theme. This year, to honor our recent trip to Hawaii (Glenn returned to his roots after 29 years!), we decided to give the puppies temporary Hawaii-like names. I say "Hawaii-like" for a reason, as you will see.

We have Plumeria (flower used in making leis), Nene (Hawaiian goose), Hanauma (after the famous snorkeling bay), Guava (well, we visited a guava plantation), Macadamia, Matsumoto (a famous brand of "shaved ice" - Yummy!), Pearl Harbor (we have a black pup with a pearl of white on her chest), and of course, Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (also known as the Hawaiian trigger fish -- you may find us calling this one simply "Trigger").


Hawaiian Trigger fish

Web Page Opens Up the World

Since we established our website (Three Sisters Farms) I've been amazed at the power of the web and its ability to extend the distribution channel of the business. We've had inquiries from as far away as Gambia and Russia from people who would like to retail our honey and/or soaps. The biggest stumbling block for a small business is overcoming the steep shipping costs associated with small quantities. I talked with a business owner today whose manufacturing operations are in Thailand. Her company fills eight containers per week just with one product! In contrast, shipping a small case of soap to Russia would cost us over $3.00/lb., thus likely snuffing out a wholesale relationship with prospective vendors there.

What's really funny is the cost of shipping with the 'majors'. You know, the UPS, DHL, and FedEx's of the world. A 6 lb. shipment with one of these guys reaches as high as $333 for a 4-6 day delivery window. Are these guys kidding?!

Wind Sends Chills Up the Hives!

Yikes! Winter weather can play havoc on one's hives. Often it's the extended cold spells that can result in disaster. Bees need to take cleansing flights every few weeks or they can suffer dysentery and death. The fabled January thaw is welcome indeed. This winter has been mild and the bees have had more opportunities than normal to venture out to do their business.

What's changed this winter is the violent ping-ponging of the temperature. Last weekend the weather went from upper 50s to near zero in 24 hours. From rain to snow just as fast. Well, on Wednesday the rapid change in barometric pressure brought winds that exceeded 60 MPH in some instance that helped fell power lines and trees across the state of Connecticut. I got a call from Jerry, who has graciously given us space for one of our apiaries, with a heads up that the wind had blown over a hive.

My initial thought was, "Oh yeah, it's the stack of empty boxes that I had next to the row of hives I checked on Monday." When I arrived to the bee yard I was horrified. Before me lay the entire row of hives, all spilled over onto the ground and partially submerged in water. A tiny drainage was overflowing with runoff from the downpours earlier in the day creating a soggy bog where my hives had stood. Maybe the bees are nestled inside... and then, I noticed there were no bees flying. The temperature had dropped from a balmy upper 50s to the upper 40s. Oh my goodness, perhaps I've lost all four hives!

My first action was to restore the base foundation. Apparently a gust of wind had caught the tightly clustered group of hives like a sail sending them sprawling forward and into the streamlet. Once the wood beams were righted I began rebuilding each hive one deep hive body at a time. To my relief, the first hive's occupants had clustered in the upper hive body. The size was not large but clearly the queen was still there. And then the next, and the next, were returned to their former position. Only one of the five clusters was empty! An hour later, the temperature had dropped to more seasonal norms - high 30s. Whew! If Jerry hadn't called when he did we would likely have lost all the hives.

It's only mid January, and our hive count is already down 30 percent.

Bad Luck Day

They say Friday the 13th is Bad Luck Day. Most of the time I think the idea is bunk. But not today. I inspected the hives for the first time since November and it was not a pretty sight. Four dead outs. I'd fairly expected a couple of hives to be lost, as their numbers were a little weak going into the winter. But four?! Most likely these hives had succumbed to varroa mites, the scourge of modern beekeeping.

My immediate reaction was, "What could I have done to prevent this?" Working the hives organically limits one's options to some degree. Still, I should have been more faithful in applying the 'Dowda method' of treating hives with powdered sugar. Named after Florida's State Bee Inspector who developed the strategy, sprinkling bees every 10 days with powdered sugar helps the bees fend off the mites. I'm also tempted to try another approved method: formic acid. A multistrategy, integrated approach is necessary to offset the debilitating effects of the mites. Our customers love our organic honey and we're determined to increase production to meet the demand. Clearly, it will take a full court press on the beekeeper's part to keep the colonies healthy enough to coexist with the mite problem.

Fun on a Sunny Day

It may be cold outside but when the sun is shining, it's time to get out and see the world. And that's what our guys did this morning. "Mammoth", a.k.a. "Collins" and "Bryce" discovered the chicken coop for the first time. Both hen and pups eyed each other curiously for a few moments. If only these digital cameras were more responsive (need fresh batteries, I think).

When out together puppies waste no time finding mom, and today was no different. As the weening process progresses the mother dog becomes more tolerant and eventually gives in to the play atmosphere. Mingus isn't quite there yet but, as you can see, she doesn't have much choice.

Meanwhile, here's a look a few other little guys from this litter:
That's "Zion", (M) and "Yellowstone" (F)

We still have three pups available... why not bring some playful joy into your home this holiday season?

Wow! Six weeks already?

Hard to believe how fast time goes by, and how quickly little pups become big pups! At six weeks it's time to see the vet for first shots. In customary fashion, our litters arrive in the office as little snoozers. What a mellow bunch!

We've been very pleased with the temperment of Mingus' litter, especially with people. You can pick up any puppy and hold it on its back and it will just stare into your eyes (or give you a lick!). No thrashing or flailing about with these guys. Why? We think a lot of a dog's temperment is derived from how it is raised early on. From the very beginning we work with our pups to condition them to human contact. They're very comfortable with us now. So when they arrived at the vet's office, this is what he saw:



Don't get us wrong, they're not always like this. In fact, they're reaching the stage where they like to play for up to 45 minutes before hitting the snooze button. There's a fair amount of puppy snarls as they chase each other's tails and romp with their Aunt Bromley and Cousin Sedona.

Online Store Open!

Whew! We did it! Our NATURALS business (soaps, lip balm, honey, etc.) got off to a good start this summer as we expanded into shows and fairs. Now, our website is up and so is the
online store. All of our products, from our organic honey to handcrafted soaps are available for purchase.

We have some exciting new soaps, and even gift "Bath Tubs".
Customers have a variety of shipping options (though we're still working out the kinks for the USPS option), or can arrange to pick up their items.

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

Play Time

At four weeks, our little guys are starting to show some personality. We don't have a kennel mentality so our adult dogs share our house (and sometimes the furnishings: "Get off the couch!") and really enjoy having new "family" members to interact with. When the pups are this young we like to give them their own space as the bigger dogs can be a bit rough in their play, thinking nothing of "pouncing" on the little furballs. But it isn't long before the two groups become one extended family pack.

First Steps!

Two weeks and paws ahead! The little guys are finding their footing, literally, and have begun the transition from rugrats to puppydom. Right around the time their eyes begin to open the pups begin testing out their legs with brief sojourns (sometimes in circles!) as they awake and search for a meal from mom. That's where we're at! A couple of the pups are beginning to open their eyes.

These pups are our most gorgeous yet! What a combination! Big W-I-D-E heads. We're amazed at the distance between their eyes. Of course, it's still very early in their development but these pups seem to be on their way to having big blocky heads with great coats. Our Mingus is a beauty and her best qualities appear to have blended with the best Jonathan has to offer, with the result being the classic English line labrador retriever.

Beautiful Pops

We've been fortunate in breeding our labs to select quality mates for our females. Starting with Broad Reach Ruff Stuff, a.k.a. "Colby", the 2000 and 2001 AKC #1 ranked labrador retriever in North America, and continuing with this litter, Willcare's Prestige, a.k.a. "Jonathan", our pups have stellar AKC champion credentials.
For a photo of Jonathan, check out this site:

http://www.lighthouselabradors.com/masonget.htm

Colby sired our Mingus, mother of this litter. A great article about him and his owner, Kevin B., can be found with this link

Although it's still quite early to tell, we believe these pups have the potential to be our best yet. They are shaping up to be gorgeous!

Nine Days Six Pups

Mingus' babies are growing fast! And Mother-of-the-Year award goes to Mingus. Wow! We've been somewhat surprised at how good a mom she is. This is her first litter and she'd not shown the same interest in pups as our other dogs had so we were uncertain how she would handle the job herself. But she's shown herself to be perhaps the most attentive mother of all. She rarely leaves the whelping box and has been quite selective when it comes to allowing the other dogs near her brood. In fact, only Grandma Caicos is allowed in the whelping box. As with Bromley's litter, Caicos feels it's her duty to check in on the grandkids from time to time. She cleans them and then settles in to to let the little 'nes try to nurse on her. Guess she misses the days of motherhood...

Sadly, we lost one of the male pups on day four. "Little Big Horn" stopped eating after the second day and would not respond to our handfeedings either. Always difficult to lose a puppy, but perhaps it was best that it occurred early on. It's not uncommon for such an event, although we've had extraordinary luck up until this point. We now have six pups--four blacks and two yellows. These young 'rangers', Yellowstone, Bryce, Zion, Jewel Cave, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Rushmore, have doubled in size and are just beginning to try to stand. Another week or less and their eyes will be open and they'll become little hikers!

New Pups! Mingus' first litter

Our black lab, Mingus, gave birth this morning to seven pups--five black and two yellow, four males and three females. All are pretty uniform in size (about 11 1/2 oz). They remind us of little chipmunks! Mingus surprised us with the first pup about 7:45 AM and was finished birthing by 10:30 AM--a very quick delivery, indeed.

We've named the pups after national parks we visited this summer. Our tradition with our litters is to give them temporary names around a theme. Past litters were given patriotic (all born on July 4th) names, or after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Lord of the Rings, and Vermont ski mountains. It's a fun way of keeping track of individual pups until they're placed with their new owners.

These pups were sired by 3-year old CH. Willcare's Prestige of New Hampshire. He's a gorgeous yellow with terrific show credentials. Our Mingus descends from AKC champion and former #1 ranked lab (North America), Broad Reach Ruff Stuff. She's a beauty and is turning out to be a good mom.

Look for pictures in the coming days. We currently have three puppies available.