Filed under: October 2012
Hoss, Knight and Duke saying “Hi Mom”
October 4, 2012
The other day my wife was walking around the farm taking pictures. The horses came to see her…right up close. It reminds me of a guy who said, “Why is it that you spend hours playing catch, holding a football, giving pointers..and when he finally makes the winning touchdown…he turns to the camera and yells …….. “Hi Mom!” No matter, they like us too…boys, as well as, horses 😮
Most of our animals come to greet us. I do have a black ewe currently, that is not so friendly. I think she makes it her mission to run from me at the first sign of flock movement. No big deal, except that now, half of the flock goes with her. I hope to win this battle before she catches me on the wrong day and runs all the way to freezer camp!
The little black ewe doesn’t have a name yet … well at least not one that I can publish. She and her rouge daughter can be seen plotting their next diabolical plan. It usually involves going the exact opposite way that I am trying to get the flock to go. She even looks like she is smiling!
Her trick is simple. She runs a short ways off and her daughter becomes startled and yells something like “Hi Mom!” or “Wait up mom!” While I try to call the other sheep. All the blatting between mother and daughter, is confusing to my otherwise calm flock.
There is a little running back and forth while the sheep sort out what the heck is going on. Then the older ewes obediently follow me. The younger members of the flock, who have not been fed in winter or moved to lush pasture very often yet, take off after the convincing, runaway ewe.
I am winning though, because my tried and true flock leaders, like Persephone and Dolly, follow me no matter what. Their “no fear” approach and calm obedience, relaxes the rest of the sheep… so they follow me, after the pandemonium stops. The reason I know that I am winning? It’s because the black ewe’s daughter is starting to come with us…leaving her wayward mother to her own vices!
A few nights ago, I left the little black ewe behind in the field next to where the rest of the flock went. She laid by the fence all night just to be with her pals. She is coming around… and just in time too. Soon it will be breeding season and I sure don’t want her to miss that move.
Our rams come right up to the fence too. At first they came to be petted or to eat an offered a treat. Now, with the shortening days, they are waiting on the epic move to the breeding pasture. It will be a while yet… not until December! Sorry guys.
Building projects continue, the corn harvest looms, but things are progressing in a positive direction. The horses wait while I work, the rams pace the fence. The black ewe’s daughter runs the wood line yelling, “Hi Mom!” as they play in the autumn sun.
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