Monday 28 March 2016

A Different Route........

 
Everything is drying out, thank goodness,
and here is Bonny going out to the big field.
 
 
Normally Lester would be leading her down the path on the left,
but today he is heading towards the sheep paddock .......
 

..... and through the gate......
 

 
..... and now here is Lissie, ....
 

.......... coming through the paddock.....
 

.... and on through the paddock,
and through the fence which Lester cut open yesterday....
 

And the sheep already out in the field,
happily going through the gap in the fence at dawn by themselves,
rather than having to wait to be let out later on,
when Lester gets up.
 
 
The little lamb whose mum abandoned him,
he is standing by the fence,
waiting to see if there if Lester is going to give him another feed.
He is doing well,
and runs happily with the rest of the lambs.
I am glad that we resisted the temptation to make a pet out of him.
 

And Bonny investigates the new fence,
which is this fence......
 

Lester has made a new fence line because the temporary fence line on the right of this photo was about to collapse at any moment,
which would spell disaster if we happened not to be at home.
The thought of everyone running amok up and down the lane
was a constant worry when we were out.
The cows, probably Bonny, used to think it a fun thing to horn the wire,
making the whole fence line wobble alarmingly.
She thinks her horns are things to get into mischief with,
she has already done unto death the entrance gate to her pen,
and she likes to flip her hay up in the air,
just because she can.
 


 
 
 
 
September 2015
 
This is the old route to the field,
down the side path,
across the ditch,
struggle with opening a temporary gate,
which was only a tangle of wood and wire,
meanwhile holding on to the cow, or in this instance, a calf,
which would have been pulling hither and thither,
trying to munch on tasty grass,
often testing Lester's patience to the limit.
 
 
..... and a better view of the ditch and 'gate'.

 

 
And then there was the mad dash at the end of the day,
when the 'gate' would be opened,
and everyone would barge up the side path towards their overnight accommodation,
sheep to the left towards their paddock,
cows to the right towards the barn,
only sometimes everyone would decide to go different ways,
for no reason other than that they could,
sheep going left and on out into the unfenced front garden,
there to have a wander on the lane,
and probably head towards a neighbours fields,
which most times has a crop on it,
which they then trample.
Or they might head back down the side path,
and have a stampede round the pig pens,
or have a gallop down the river path, etc.
 
 
 The cows, meanwhile, would be doing their own thing,
but in a different direction to the sheep,
and not together.
At least the sheep stay in a block of animal flesh,
the cows just go off in different directions,
making them more difficult to catch.

Most days everything would go smoothly,
and it was quite a sight to see the cows and sheep en masse,
galloping up the side path,
heading towards their supper which was waiting for them.
In some ways I shall miss that,
now the new entrance is done everything seems much calmer,
Lester included,
but it was quite an experience to see the supper time gallop.

So another much needed job is done,
apart from making the gate for the new field entrance,
now we have to get on with getting the chickens out of the courtyard,
because we are developing a thirst to have that space planted out with flowers.
After years of it being used a builder's yard,
 a chicken and geese pen,
and a general dumping ground for stuff,
we really do feel the need to have prettiness in this space
so the Chicken Project is next on the list.

And going off into my day,
so saying bye for now,

Vx

 
 

 

11 comments:

Ohiofarmgirl said...

that picture of her with the hay in her horns... hilarious!

Kerry said...

Sounds like you can create new jobs as you go along, like we can, when there's loads already to do. Love seeing all your animals x

Dawn said...

All is calm here at the moment, meaning we can get on with other jobs, our fencing ia all still new it will be a different story when we take on the new land with falling down fences and overgrown hedges :-)

PioneerPreppy said...

Fencing and gates are a real pain. Lots of money and time and you need the right conditions to get em done. At least once they are done they are done for years usually ;)

We still get a sheep stampede as it's a good 20 yards or so from the main field gate to the feeding troughs in the barn lot. The sheep really move for their grain.

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Looks like you have lots going on. I like your header!

Cro Magnon said...

I'm always finding escaped cows. My neighbour's fencing needs your help.

We now no longer have chicken. My lovely neighbour's 3 wayward dogs have finally finished them off. Just when I was going to have to declare my girls to the Mairie too.

Coco said...

The new fence looks great! Quite a lot of personalities to keep contained. Any advice on installing? Do you use a tractor to set posts and stretch?

Vera said...

OHIOFARMGIRL, the other day she was sat down very depressed because she couldn't see anything at all after having piled a mound of hay over her entire face!

KERRY, you are right.....you think that you are catching up with the jobs but more seem to spring out at you! Ah well, stops us from getting bored.

DAWN, all our fencing has stood well, but this section was never properly finished so has always been a problem, especially after the animals knew it was weak!

PIONEER PREPPY...the sheep can sure kick up quite a speed when they have to, don't they! This part of the fence line was never finished, so has always been a problem. It has now been ticked off the list!

LISA, we do have a lot to do, but it does stop us from getting bored!

CRO MAGNON, right from the beginning Lester insisted that we had strong fencing, and so far it has stood up well to the batterings of the animals. Sorry about your chickens. It's not good to lose them to other animals, especially a neighbour's dogs.

COCO, a farmer brings a pole driving machine from his vineyards, and rams the fence posts into the ground along the new fence line. We run four strands of wire along the posts, clipping them on to the posts, and stretching at intervals. Last job is putting the six foot high fencing wire up, clipping it to the strands of wire along its length. All our fencing has held so far, although the wire itself is looking very battered!

DUTA said...

Things are constantly improving on your smallholding. It seems Lester has done a good job with the fence, and now he's a true master and leader of the farm's animals.
You've mentioned worry when you're going out. I wonder indeed how you manage, as you don't live close to family and you don't have a worker to keep an eye on things. I suppose music will often draw you out of the farm, so even a good fence is not a complete solution.

Diane said...

The work never stops and spring seems to double it!!! Glad the fence is fixed. Love the photo of Bonnie draped in hay :-))) Keep well Diane

Vera said...

DUTA, you are so right about us needing help on the farm, and in time we hope to remedy the situation, but we do not have the appropriate accommodation, so, for now, we just get through on our own.

DIANE, ah, Bonnie! Living with animals has given us much insight into the characters they all have...they are all individuals and we feel blessed that we are able to share their worlds.