Our First Month Home

 We brought the Shetlands home on June 18; one month ago.  

Just today we moved their fencing onto a small section of the "sheep pasture."  Until today, they have only been rotated through the yard; spaces we have mowed in the past.  It has been several years since we even mowed the pasture area.  The forage is tall and mature... lots of weeds.  Obviously the ewes would prefer the tender nibbles of baby forbs and clipped grasses.  But the pasture is decent forage, if not delectable.  As they are moved frequently, they will only be forced to eat the upper third of the plants.

Baby Heidii loves me just a little bit more than fresh grass...
for a couple of minutes anyway.

Green Beans

Mom and I harvested approximately 150 cups of green beans today from my auntie's garden.  It has been years, maybe even decades, since I've picked beans with Mom.  I had to smile a little when she shouted across the rows a reminder to "pick'em close."

 

As if I knew any other way to pick them! I believe I've had more green bean picking training than all other types of preparation (academic, life skills, or otherwise) combined!  Though I've come to realize, later in life, that my veggie and berry picking skills may be specific to my matriarchal line.  These truths I know in my bones:

Truth 1: If you don't pick green beans close, you have to pick them EVERY DAY. If you want to do something fun tomorrow, you better pick those beans CLOSE today!

Truth 2: If you don't pick clean, you will spend your afternoon cleaning beans instead of playing, while your mother describes, in detail, the subtleties of how to snap a bean off the bush perfectly, without sacrificing any length of bean, or damaging the brittle vines or delicate blossoms of the bush.

Truth 3: Bean season doesn't end until Mom says it does. At which point, the vines are ripped up with exhausted, exasperated viciousness, and thrown over the fence to the eager cows.

Every woman in my excessively large rural family had a monster of a garden and put up a year's-worth of food during our short Northern Minnesota growing season. I don't know how other kids spent their summers because I was too busy spending my childhood planting, weeding, picking, snapping, washing, cutting, and filling canning jars with green beans. If my sister and I didn't pick the beans closely enough on the first try, we had to pick the row again. Mom definitely checked our work. If she found one missed bean of appropriate picking size, we had to repeat the row.

I'm not complaining. I'm rather proud of the fact that I know how to pick "close" and "clean." It just made me smile that Mom thought she should remind me.

Cool Morning. Hot Day.

Last night was deliciously cool and we slept with the windows open.  There is only one drawback that accompanies that free luxury: we hear every growl, howl, and bark of our livestock guardian dog, Lleulu.  As well as the sassy nocturnal opinions of the cat.

At some point during the night, I remember hearing a terrible yip.  My sleeping brain registered the sound as "dog touched electric fence."  I should have woken up to investigate.  But I trust Llu to manage things during the night and experience has taught me that she makes a different kind of noise when there is trouble.  So I didn't surface from my sleep.

 My first view of the day.

This morning, much to my surprise, I found Llu sleeping inside the ewe pen.  As a free-roaming "farm guardian" I do not pen her with the sheep.  She can deal with predators a lot better if she can maneuver around all the pens.  I have no idea how she came to be in the pen, other than I believe I heard that yelp of hers the moment it happened last night.  There was no damage to the fence, and the ewes were sleeping peacefully on the other side of the pen, under the tree.

Llu inside the fence

I opened the gate and let Llu out.  She came quickly and seemed relieved.  If she came to be in the pen by way of her own naughty mischief, she may have learned her lesson.  For all I know she pursued a rodent through the electronet...or saved the flock from a coyote in a wrestling match.  Or maybe she just couldn't wait any longer to introduce herself to the flock.  Regardless, I'm grateful everyone was ok this morning.

It didn't take long for the refreshing morning to burn off in the oven-like heat of mid-day.  All of us, human, dog, cat, and sheep alike, are just trying to stay cool in the shade.

Holly, waiting out the heat.

Heidi, in the deep, dark shade.

 

Slightly Curious

I was empty handed tonight when I visited the ewe pen. 

Mirta came right up, sniffed me from arm's length, determined that I was not carrying treats, and dismissed me. I'm learning she is a no-nonsense, forward kind of ewe that is willing to take calculated risks.

Mirta and Amber, the moorit and black katmogets, are usually the first two sheep to approach.

However, it was Holly, that approached next.  She was shy but came in much closer than I had expected.  All on her own.  I think if I continued to bring treats I could make some progress with her.

 Holly

After Holly departed, Leda took her turn at coming in for a closer look.  Of all the ewes, I consider her the most "skittish."  This is the first time I've actually seen her show any interest or curiosity in me.  Until tonight, she has behaved as if I don't exist, unless there is a significant treat barrier between us.  I'm encouraged that she is looking toward me with expectation.

 Leda

I'm content with this evening's progress.

Heidi Snuggles

My random, quiet, calm visits to the ewe pen have paid off.  The ewes no longer jump up and run when they see me coming.  They are starting to associate me with "tasty snacks."

This evening I walked straight out to the girls as they grazed, sat on my stool, and shook a dish of oatmeal. (About a quarter cup in total)  Heidi came running with the rest close behind and all five girls tried to shove their noses in the dish.  While the chaos ensued I simply reached in and caught Heidi.  She made a few attempts at bolting but I was rubbing her chest and ears and she settled down.  The ewes wandered off and I gently restrained Heidi a bit longer.  As she relaxed I released my hold until she was standing freely while I was petting her.  Then she walked away and I left the pasture.

It may take a few more sessions.  But I've had success befriending lambs in the past with this method.  I'm hoping it works again.

Mirta & Heidi

Getting to Know My New Flock

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
John 10:27

Even the sweetest, tamest sheep do not automatically transfer their affections and trust to a new shepherd.  Bringing a new flock to Boston Lake means I need to gradually build a relationship with my sheep until they know me. 

Yesterday I started by putting a little dish of oatmeal on the ground and then sitting on a stool about 10 feet away.  Eventually, Amber and Mirta were curious enough to investigate and get the treat.  I spoke quietly to them the entire time they ate so they would associate my voice with good food.  Later in the evening, I strategically sat under the tree where the shade was the deepest and the biting flies were few.  The ewes came in from the pasture and laid down in the dirt under the tree with me.  Enough progress for one day.

Amber & Mirta

First thing this morning I put a tablespoon of oatmeal in 5 bowls and visited the ewes again.  They came forward but hung back with hesitation.  So I pulled down a basswood branch full of tender leaves they had not been able to reach.  Little Heidi galloped over to the leaves and started munching the treat.  Within a few minutes all the girls were crowded around me eating leaves and discovering the dishes of oatmeal.  Over lunch I pulled down a branch and the girls came running.  This evening, I even scratched Mirta, Amber, and Heidi on their throats for just a few seconds while they were busy vying for the best leaves. (Petting sheep from the underside is less threatening to them than petting from above like a predator.)  It will take a bit more time for these girls to trust me as they did their original shepherd, Kelly.  But I'm delighted that all the girls are willing to mill about my legs to get a treat.  Little Heidi even used me as a brace to stand on her hind legs to reach higher.

Amber, Holly, Mirta

Mirta & Leda

Heidi

Yet there is no vacuum in nature.  Last night a wolf was howling quite near, which set off a whole pack of high-pitched coyotes...also very near.  Wild animals are so intimately aware of their surroundings, irregardless of how oblivious humans are to their environment.  It is probably not a coincidence that both species of canine predator announced themselves 24 hours after the sheep arrived.  I'm relying on Lleulu and the Electronet to keep us all safe.

Shetlands Return to Boston Lake

There are sheep again at Boston Lake Farm!

Introducing my flock of Fine Fleeced Shetland Sheep from Kelly & Mike Bartels' farm,
OK Acres, in Monroe, Wisconsin.

Thank you, Kelly, for selecting this breeding group just for me from your outstanding flock.

Thank you, Clancy, for rigging up such a functional sheep hauler and driving to Wisconsin and back.

Thank you to our son, Asa, for dog sitting the puppers while we were gone.

I'm so happy to be a shepherd again.

OK Acres Mango.  He leads so nicely!

The ewes in the front yard.