This past week, things were going very well. While I was in Canton, MA on business, our wood stove was delivered. Tammi actually started a fire in it the first night and found it to be rather comforting.
On Friday, the 4th, we let our little hens outside the coop for about an hour before dusk. The plan was to do this each day — increasing the amount of time incrementally. We had no idea if all of the birds would just run away and scatter – or if they would stick together. Fortunately, it was the latter. It was very entertaining to see our little leghorns scratching in the dirt and eating bugs. After a little while, we gently chased them back into the coop and sealed them up. Only one of them decided to go in a different direction and had to be redirected. I wondered if this wasn’t the same one who screwed up last week during the transfer…
Meanwhile, the grass in the pasture was nearly knee-high. The two goats certainly weren’t capable of keeping it down. So, I told Tammi I wanted sheep for my birthday — the sheep I had paid for nearly two months prior that had yet to arrive! Tammi was working with Molly to have the sheep delivered, but Molly could not find a trailer anywhere. Fortunately, Gary was able to come to the rescue. He and I visited Tractor Supply on Friday and I purchased a tarp and a bunch of bungee cords for him. I was expecting Gary to improve his trailer with them and meet us at Molly’s around 2 PM.
On my birthday, Saturday, Tammi, Brandon & I drove to Tractor Supply in the F150 and picked up two shepherds crooks – more for show than anything. We then headed to Mollys. Gary and Kim showed up a few minutes later with Gary’s old dump truck rigged with a Jed Clampett-like enclosure in the back. Gary backed his truck up close to the barn. Molly was very nervous about all of the openings, so Gary set about to seal them all up, including nailing an additional board across the back.
Then came time to transfer the sheep. The two ladies managed a piece of plywood that would act as a door on the back of the dump truck. Brandon stood watch with his junior shepherds crook while Gary managed the gate to the holding pen in the barn – ready to jump in and help, if necessary. Molly and I went into the pen to catch the sheep. The plan was for Molly to grab them first, since she knew which 5 of the 20 were to be ours. As soon as she had a hold, I would grab the sheep too, Gary would open the pen, and we would carry it out and onto to the truck — the ladies sliding the plywood and allowing the beast into the makeshift “trailer.”
We started with the two ewes – and all went rather easily. Next, we grabbed the two lambs — also rather easy. Lastly, we grabbed the ram. Molly had one of his horns and was being led around the pen by him, unable to gain control. I quickly grabbed the other horn and managed to steer him towards the door of the pen. The young ram writhed and struggled to break free, but Molly and I held our grip. As we passed through the pen door and went outside, Gary closed the door and followed us. As we reached the truck, we had difficulty raising the big boy up. Gary then took his hind legs and gave him a boost. Quickly, the plywood was slid open and shut — all 5 were inside. Gary then closed the gate in the back of truck, and we were ready to go.
The rest of the trip was very peaceful as we led Gary and Kim to our farm, following 174 from 233 all the way through Boiling Springs. At the farm, Gary backed into the pasture. We opened the back and nothing happened! Everyone encouraged the sheep to leave, but they would not! Then, all of a sudden, the ram decided to jump and make a run for it. Within seconds, his little flock followed. Within a few minutes, they were already eating the high grass. What a sight!
Happy Birthday!
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