Kate and Magoo have come to an agreement that she will give him space and he won’t harass her.
He must have forgotten their truce this morning…
Poor Kate was just trying to do her job.
Her focus never wavered though.
In time, Magoo walked away and let her get on with her business. I wish I could have that fierce determination to not get distracted 🙂
Darby loves to chase. Once upon a time, he actually ‘herded’ and did a really good job. He earned a couple ‘high in trials’ and made me proud, but it wasn’t what he really wanted to do. He really wanted to chase them away and then run back to bring them to me at a dead run. You should see the glee on his face when he gets to do this. Unfortunately, because of the stress it causes the animals that are being chased, he doesn’t get to do this often (ever).
The other day I had a job that had ‘Darby’ written all over it! Magoo, the llama, has been giving Kate a hard time. He wants to stay in the tall, green grass instead of going to the barn at night with the sheep.
I had already moved the sheep and headed out with Darby. He didn’t need any direction or coaxing from me.
He was quick to run out.
I love the look on Magoo’s face – like ‘really’???
Then Magoo had a change of heart. He decided that the little gnat was pestering him enough…
and Darby had a change of heart too. He lost a little bit of his bravado, but only for a minute…
Then he was back. Darby at his best. Corgis don’t know they are short.
Magoo finally started moving the way that he should and I figured they had had enough fun, so I did my best to call Darby off. His hearing is very selective 🙂 There are times when I think he is going deaf, but then I will shake a food bowl from around a corner to discover that his ears work just fine 🙂
Pure joy on the old man’s face!
Amazing what a little sun, a little rain, and a few weeks can do…
before…
and after 🙂
In just 17 days!
Can you hear the excitement in my voice?
The sheep have been locked off the pasture and I have been feeding a lot of hay. With the rain and warm weather we have had, the grass in the big pasture was finally tall enough to turn the sheep out – I’m not sure who was happier, me or them. A very good thing! In addition to having green grass growing in the big pasture, my husband has been reworking a few of our smaller pastures. It has been on the ‘to do’ list for the last couple of years, but moved up in priority thanks to this stuff…
foxtail.
A horrible, vile plant that has slowly been taking over our place. It isn’t palatable for the sheep – but worse than that, it can work into the skin of animals and cause large abscesses. We have to mow, mow, mow to keep the foxtail low and out of the sheep’s eyes. It is also horrible for the fleeces – hard to pick out and very pokey.
I have been a little apprehensive to start…tearing up the ground just seemed scary! Luckily, my husband didn’t have those feelings 🙂 He started by plowing. Seeing the pasture like this really scared me! I just stayed inside and knew it would be ok.
The boys were happy because they got to borrow the neighbor’s big tractor!
After plowing he tried disking it, but the result wasn’t what he was looking for. So, he rototilled it and that helped a lot. The foxtail’s roots were so thick and entwined, that it looked like a 5 inch thick piece of root felt.
After plowing, rototilling, and disking – he drug it – a very dusty job!
Finally it was time to spread seeds – good seeds, seeds that are aggressive and can outgrow the foxtail. We planted chicory, annual ryegrass, white clover and a pasture mix with fescue, orchard, and ryegrass in it.
The weather cooperated and it started raining a couple days after the seed was spread. Little sprouts are so exciting!
And look at it now!!! The sheep are going to have to stay off for awhile to let it get established, but the idea of having GOOD grass for them to eat next year is AWESOME!
Magoo agrees 🙂
Status update – still no lambs…
So, I’ll write a post about the best helpers ever!
Kate and my son make an awesome team!
Most of the time I can just open a gate or two and have the sheep go where I want them.
Moving through a pasture of lush green grass, can be a little difficult though.
Time to call in the first part of the team.
I love this dog! She has so much power, but knows when to use it and she is so gentle with my very pregnant ewes.
She has tremendous work ethic and wouldn’t leave a sheep behind, but I have to remind her to get the llama 🙂 Here she is after I told her to ‘look back’.
She obediently heads back to get him, unfortunately he doesn’t have a lot of respect for her. I know from experience that he will finally move for her, but sometimes it is better to call for back-up…
there, that got him moving!
Kate’s got his back just in case he needs it.
I would be remiss to not mention Magoo in my list of helpers. He often makes catching the sheep a little more difficult than it should be, but I am very grateful that his watchful gaze is always watching over the flock.
Thanks guys!!!
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