An early spring

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA -- With spring just a few days away, the animals at

Centennial Farms are getting a jump-start on the renewal of life.

Five lambs were born in a week.

Lamb triplets were born a little more than a week ago, and two more

lambs appeared four days later.

Although twins are a usual occurrence, triplets are out of the

ordinary, said Jim Bailey, who manages the farm.

Bailey has, however, seen as many as four born to a ewe on his farm.

Other times there’s just one.

Although the practical manager said he doesn’t name the lambs, as they

are raised for meat, as well as their wool, he said the others working on

the farm do.

In fact, the lambs get visits from many who work on the farm.

Evy Edelo, 26, who teaches fourth- through sixth-grade students who

visit the farm, will sometimes bring friends by to see the newborns.

“They’re so little they can slip through the bars,” she explained as

one of the triplets squeezed through to join its neighbors. “In fact,

they go through and play with the cows. It’s so cute. They don’t hurt

each other.”

The public is welcome to visit the farm weekdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays at 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.