Head Farmer Once Again
What happened to winter? Not only was there no snow, but it went too fast. Melissa started back to work full time on Wednesday, so that means I'm in charge of the farm again. I must admit that I took a break over the winter---Melissa did all the chores---so it's going to take a day or two (or twenty-seven!) to get myself back into 'chore' shape.
Life in the barn is tricky this week. Because we're shearing this Sunday, and the weather was predicted to be rainy (and it has been), we locked the sheep in the barn to keep them dry. This means that instead of the sheep serving themselves from the hay feeders outside, I must bring their hay to them. We are SO not set up for this.
Basically I must pitch hay from the steers' bale, the closest to the barn, into a wagon, then drag the wagon into the barn. I'd rather the steers not be around when I do this, since they like to chew on my sweatshirt and nuzzle me in places I'd prefer not to be nuzzled by a 500-pound steer.
So I trick the steers into their pen in the barn and lock them there. Here they are, wondering what sort of game I'm playing...
The sheep are milling about, telling me in no uncertain terms that being locked in the barn just isn't funny any more.
Tucker the llama hums angrily at me the entire time.
I begin pitching hay---hot, sweaty work. I tell myself it's all exercise! (Although in the Weight Watchers' list of exercise, I doubt I will find 'pitching hay.') Finally get the sheep fed so they quiet down.
Tucker the llama keeps humming at me.
I get the cattle fed so they quiet down.
Tucker keeps humming, but I fill the water troughs and head back to the house. Only when I get inside do I realize why Tucker was so upset---I'd forgotten to feed him his treat. Too exhausted to make the trek back up there, I resolve to do better the next day.
And I do.
Even though the thought of doing chores nearly every day for the next eight months makes me want to crawl back into bed, I must confess that I do enjoy doing them. It gives me 'animal time,' which is one reason we're living this crazy life.
What's ahead? Once shearing is over, then I must wean the steers off their corn, and get them out into the nearest pasture eating grass. (They're already nibbling, but it's too short for them to get much.) I want to get both the steers and sheep out on pasture as soon as possible so I can keep the fastest-growing pastures eaten down. It's going to be a challenge, but one I relish.
Life in the barn is tricky this week. Because we're shearing this Sunday, and the weather was predicted to be rainy (and it has been), we locked the sheep in the barn to keep them dry. This means that instead of the sheep serving themselves from the hay feeders outside, I must bring their hay to them. We are SO not set up for this.
Basically I must pitch hay from the steers' bale, the closest to the barn, into a wagon, then drag the wagon into the barn. I'd rather the steers not be around when I do this, since they like to chew on my sweatshirt and nuzzle me in places I'd prefer not to be nuzzled by a 500-pound steer.
So I trick the steers into their pen in the barn and lock them there. Here they are, wondering what sort of game I'm playing...
The sheep are milling about, telling me in no uncertain terms that being locked in the barn just isn't funny any more.
Tucker the llama hums angrily at me the entire time.
I begin pitching hay---hot, sweaty work. I tell myself it's all exercise! (Although in the Weight Watchers' list of exercise, I doubt I will find 'pitching hay.') Finally get the sheep fed so they quiet down.
Tucker the llama keeps humming at me.
I get the cattle fed so they quiet down.
Tucker keeps humming, but I fill the water troughs and head back to the house. Only when I get inside do I realize why Tucker was so upset---I'd forgotten to feed him his treat. Too exhausted to make the trek back up there, I resolve to do better the next day.
And I do.
Even though the thought of doing chores nearly every day for the next eight months makes me want to crawl back into bed, I must confess that I do enjoy doing them. It gives me 'animal time,' which is one reason we're living this crazy life.
What's ahead? Once shearing is over, then I must wean the steers off their corn, and get them out into the nearest pasture eating grass. (They're already nibbling, but it's too short for them to get much.) I want to get both the steers and sheep out on pasture as soon as possible so I can keep the fastest-growing pastures eaten down. It's going to be a challenge, but one I relish.
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