Farm Fresh Blog

Bertha is one of the latest additions to the farm. She is a nice ewe but has a loud mouth.  Seriously. That's what the lady told me when I bought her. 

"She has a loud mouth.  She will just stand in the pasture and holler for no particular reason. No lost lamb. Not hungry. Just screaming to hear herself scream."

 If her mouth is empty . . .

. . . she's screaming.

Since I have another one just like that, I wasn't too concerned. So I brought her home and plunked her in the paddock with the weanlings, where she would fit right in. So what if she screams?  Everyone in there is screaming.  But yesterday . . . oh dear!

Yesterday the weanlings and Bertha, were in the back yard and I was plinking away on the computer.  I heard Bertha on the porch screaming.  I checked her.  She was fine.  She was peeking through the dog nose smudges on the sliding glass door.  Once she saw me, Bertha was convinced that this indeed, was the pickup window for the drive-thru restaurant and amped up her screaming. 

The Border Collie was beside herself.  She is the self-appointed hall-monitor/taker-of-names-when-the-teacher's-out/crossing-guard kid who firmly believes that it is her duty  to make this farm run as tight as a battleship, and sheep begging at the back door did NOT float.

 "LEAVE!!!"

I ignored Bertha and went back to typing. The Border Collie settled down under the table.  And that's when I heard it . . . the unmistakable sound of someone trying to break in the house!  YES!  I KNOW!  Can you believe it??!!  That stupid ewe was banging the glass on the back door. 

Aging Sliding Glass Door vs Hooves & Forehead of Impatient Sheep = Catastrophe

I couldn't get out of my chair fast enough.  It clattered back as I catapulted across the room.  Border Collie led the way.  Fortunately before either of us could get there, my Livestock Guardian Dog took care of the problem.  Believe it or not, this creature can move very quickly.

Just as I rounded the corner, I saw Briar body-slam Bertha. Normally she wouldn't consider bouncing a full-grown ewe, but in the instance, even the DOG knows sheep who bang on glass doors end up in freezers! Border Collie was voting for this anyway.  She was livid.  I flung back the door to verbally abuse the sheep and Bertha grinned at me,

"There you are!"

Lambs were gathering on the porch to see what Bertha had found. It was definitely time for some Border Collie intervention.  I gave the word, and she moved them off the porch as Bertha was placing her order in the drive-thru window.

"I'll have some alfalfa.  I said, ALFALFA.  Hey! Is this thing working?  I said 'I'll have some alfalfa. Hold the fries."

(And to answer your questions, "No!" Bertha was not a bottle baby. She came off a 600 acre sheep ranch.)

I think my Indian name must be "Walks With Goats."

Each morning I take the Dairy Goats for a walk.  They're learning to browse.  (What goat has to be taught to browse???!!!!  I KNOW!!!  Whodathunkit?!)  Nevertheless, this little group has never been allowed to free range so the concept of browsing is a bit alien to them. 

 "Weeds???"

They're used to eating Goat Chow and alfalfa, not trimming fence lines, but they follow like puppies while I sip coffee. (no, the dogs don't come along on this walk) They are beginning to discover honeysuckle.

 Clover/Copper

I may have to re-name Clover, since for the life of me, I keep calling her "Copper,"  (Gray Hair Syndrome) We are ending our little walks with an arrival in the Kitchen Garden/Pet Cemetery.  The goats were a bit reluctant to enter the garden at first, (Understandable, since 6 dogs are buried there!) but they have now gotten into the hang of pruning roses, jasmine, weeds, and lemon trees.  I like keeping them there because I can peek out the window and monitor their progress.

 Through the Kitchen window

 Yard Crew   

I'm pleased to announce that Trace is "Back In Bidness!"

After weeks of trying to keep a baby Border Collie quiet and confined . . .

. . .  so his broken leg could heal . . .

. . . we have let loose The Beast!

(As if we were ever able to keep him quiet anyway! But please don't tell the Vet!)

I call this creature the White-Chested Sneaky Snake.

When I'm headed to the barn and I don't want 5 dogs running with me, I put them, one by one, into a kennel on the back porch. Dutifully, each pup slides behind the bars.  Every pup, except one . . . the White-Chested Sneaky Snake.  This creature hides.  It hides behind the Toy Tub.  It hides behind the Tomato pot.  It hides behind the barrel. It flattens itself into the pavement and stays really, really, REALLY still, like a little green lizard, blending into her environment.  It wants to go to the barn. The White-Chested Sneaky Snake knows that I will, at some point, need her help . . .  

 . . . because there are sheep at the barn.

 "Are we going?  Are we going?" Are we going?  What are we doing?  What are we doing? Are you ready now?"

How To Confuse A Livestock Guardian Dog

Step 1: Wean lambs

Step 2: Add some more adult sheep and a few goats

Step 3: Move rams daily

Step 4: Wean more lambs so the screaming is in "surround-sound"

And for the final step . . .  have the Dear Friend put HER sheep on the property next door!

Poor Briar saw the sheep next door and had a mental melt-down this morning.

 "My sheep??!!"

No, not your sheep. Cathy's sheep.

"MY sheep!!!"

No! Cathy's sheep on Roberto's land. NOT your sheep.

"MY sheep! My sheep! MINE!"

Do NOT go over there!  The fence is hot!

 "Not my sheep? Why not?"

Because they're Cathy's sheep.

"Why not My Sheep? I hear sheep screaming. My Sheep screaming. Sheep not happy."

Mommy won't be happy either if you climb that fence!

"STRESS!  STRESS! 

The sheep won't shut up! I cannot stand the stress!"

I feel the same way, Dog. I feel the same way.

Texas is staring down the barrel of a Monster Drought. This means we have to take calves and lambs to the sales sooner. I'd rather wait, but feeding hay all summer will off-set any profit to be had by weight gain. Unfortunately, some of the lambs I had planned to keep, will have to go.  We have to concentrate on managing grassland rather than allowing areas to become overgrazed and feeding hay. 

The best way to manage the property is multi-species mob grazing with fewer animals.  So we're selecting the best and selling the rest.  (but keeping Roanie!)

That said, the dairy goats are still staying.  They are part of the program.  Goats are a pain in the butt, but a necessary part of farmland management, and great comic relief. 

Besides, although meat goats, and sheep are currency, bottle-raised dairy goats are pets who double as a lawn crew . . .

I keep trying to get good pictures of this goat, but it hasn't happened. 

 This is what I get.

 And this.

And this. . .  peeking from under my shirt tail.

 Someone told this goat we were culling critters, so she is making darned sure that we aren't cutting dairy goats from the team. Cute and cuddly tends to stay. Clover knows this!

I'm at a Death Investigation Conference this week (such is the nature of my job) and Other Half is in charge of taking care of my sheep and goats.

Do I feel in the least bit guilty about saddling a cow man with the responsibility of sheep and goats?  Not a bit!  How many times does he jet off for work and leave ME to take care of his cows?!!  So Ladies and Gentlemen, it's payback time!   I did take great delight in telling him that he had to make a special effort to sit down with the dairy goats to pet and cuddle them. Yes, there was a moment of silence after I told him that was one of the chores.

But I predict that this little girl will charm him like she charms everyone else.

"May I have a tummy rub?"

Trot on in to see the newest Spring Brings!

 New Cowpony!

This fella is bred to work cows.  (Colonel Freckles on top/Double Hancock on bottom)  Very nice baby! Very calm. He is already dragging calves.  Other Half already has friends trying to talk him out of this guy.  The poor fellow came from North Texas and went from temps in the 30s to temps in the 80s down here (with high humidity!)  I can just hear him saying (with a George Lopez accent)

"I can't breathe! I can't breathe!"

 And water, he drinks LOTS of water.  (Give him a few weeks to slick out and he'll be just fine.)

New Ewes!

 Very nice big-boned girls to add to the breeding program.  Like 'em a lot! (I might just call the one up front "Big Bertha!)

And I just couldn't help myself! I've wanted dairy goats for years.  The deal was too good to pass up. (package deal from Sheep Goddess)  I've been eating their cheese, and bottle feeding their babies, so when Sheep Goddess needed to part with bottle babies to make way for more, I ended up with goats again. 

Calypso & Swan 

 AND . . .  I just happened to fall in love with this girl who is pregnant.  She decided she wanted to come home with me too.  (Despite the headaches, there's something about goats that I just love!)

 Clover

And so there were goats again at Failte Gate Farm! (somehow I knew the state of being goat-less wouldn't last long!)

But wait!  There's more!!!!

Drumroll please!

The latest, greatest addition to the family . . .

more drumroll . . .

Grandbaby #2

Is this not the most adorable little face??!!  It won't be long before his momma has him on a horse! He will be riding The Supervisor's pony in no time! Remember THIS little girl?

Two years later . . .

It doesn't come much more adorable than this!

(No bias at all!)

I finally found a breed of sheep that meets with Other Half's approval!  Check these out!  They're perfect!  Easy on the fences. They eat practically nothing. Not loud. No shearing. No health problems . . . yet!

But wait until one of the dogs climbs onto the piano!

Then there could be some serious health problems!

I think they may be a bit difficult for the Border Collie to herd though! However something tells me she has other plans!

And she may not be the only one!  Run, Little Sheep!  Run!

This breed is also pretty cheap at Kroger's:

Sheep: $7.99

Lamb: $3.99

 Spring has sprung!

 Pony hair is everywhere!

Hairy ponies everywhere!

In reality, despite the size, everyone is a horse. (but I still call them all "ponies")

Montoya is lonely.    

He wants to be with the minis. Cows just don't cut it.  He wants to be with horses, even pint-sized horses. So this morning I caved and put them together. The minis, who need to be on a dry lot because they get fat when they even sniff spring grass, raced to the spring pasture.

and everyone lived happily ever after . . .

. . . until the mean owner decides they've had enough grass

 and they need to go back in their dirt lot again . . .