We have some REALLY weary Woofers tonight!!! Today was a bad day to be a Sumo chicken and a pretty awful day to be Holly, our youngest farm volunteer. Holly, who somehow manages to always have a huge smile on her face won the most coveted prize on the ranch…recipient of the Sumo projectile poo award !!! Today was the day that we started to process our Sumo chickens ( fast growing broilers) and the day that our ever enthusiastic students graduated. Poor Holly will find it hard ever to forget the experience and her fluorescent green T shirt will possibly never be quite the same again.
Bran had a wonderful day, having learnt that trying to humanely process the chickens and keep the dog a hygienic distance from the process was not possible, we allowed him to keep a watchful eye on Gimpy, the older ewe that is convalescing in our “hospital wing”. Gimpy was not too appreciative of his diligence and spent the day making him acutely aware of the fact that whilst she may be up there in years she most definitely makes up for it in attitude. A Gimpy “look” and a Gimpy “stomp” is enough to persuade Bran that he would probably ( almost certainly) be better advised to find another object for his undivided attention…. But Bran is either too smart to be mindful of an aged sheep’s warning or too stupid to be cautious and Gimpy the ewe was happy to remind him that her mean disposition is not to be ignored!
Two fellow farmers came to visit and as they were leaving the ranch, Tony smilingly looked over his shoulder and commented “you usually pasture your sheep in the garden?, that’s new” There she was, larger than life, not a care in the world,not looking like she needed to be in the hospital wing and happily taste testing the peas beans blueberries and strawberries. Whilst the A team were rounding up the Sumo chickens, Gimpy went for a walk…into my vedgetable garden. Gimpy was VERY quickly evicted and at least for the moment peace restored to the ranch but Gimpy wasn’t done for the day yet….
The A team also fell foul of aged ewe attitude when Leslie and Holly headed off to Gimpy territory armed with a bucket full of grain. With a stomp of the supposedly not too healthy foot and a “we are not amused” look from the ewe our two interns were left watching the dust as the ewe disappeared into the south forty of the pasture The more persistant Gimpy’s carers were, the more determined that dogged ewe became. The feed bucket is usually a Gimpy magnet, not yesterday, we could have put Rodney the rampant ram in there and that old lady would still have given us the cold shoulder. The A team called for reinforcements which duly arrived and were disdainfully viewed by the old ewe stomping her feet in the corner of the pasture. Game over…the A team …and the food bucket made a tactful withdrawal…..actually probably technically a retreat with one last scowl at Gimpy. All the other chores completed, horses goats cows and sheep bedded down for the night when the errant ewe was remembered. Greg said that he would deal with her….looks passed between the girls…yeah, right! Leslie ran for the camera, sounded like a perfect blog photo. Greg took the bucket…we followed, trying SO hard to hide our smirks….Greg walked confidently…we followed anticipating a Greg/Gimpy duel. Where was that contrary ewe…all tucked up in her stall waiting for dinner and the light to be turned out!!! DOH. Greg wins again !
So, tired aching and not really willing to see another chichen for quite the while the A team retreated to bed. Thank you so much Derek leslie and holly for helping Greg, you are the best.... and I'm SO sorry today is another day! Keep smiling, keep safe, M
Bran had a wonderful day, having learnt that trying to humanely process the chickens and keep the dog a hygienic distance from the process was not possible, we allowed him to keep a watchful eye on Gimpy, the older ewe that is convalescing in our “hospital wing”. Gimpy was not too appreciative of his diligence and spent the day making him acutely aware of the fact that whilst she may be up there in years she most definitely makes up for it in attitude. A Gimpy “look” and a Gimpy “stomp” is enough to persuade Bran that he would probably ( almost certainly) be better advised to find another object for his undivided attention…. But Bran is either too smart to be mindful of an aged sheep’s warning or too stupid to be cautious and Gimpy the ewe was happy to remind him that her mean disposition is not to be ignored!
Two fellow farmers came to visit and as they were leaving the ranch, Tony smilingly looked over his shoulder and commented “you usually pasture your sheep in the garden?, that’s new” There she was, larger than life, not a care in the world,not looking like she needed to be in the hospital wing and happily taste testing the peas beans blueberries and strawberries. Whilst the A team were rounding up the Sumo chickens, Gimpy went for a walk…into my vedgetable garden. Gimpy was VERY quickly evicted and at least for the moment peace restored to the ranch but Gimpy wasn’t done for the day yet….
The A team also fell foul of aged ewe attitude when Leslie and Holly headed off to Gimpy territory armed with a bucket full of grain. With a stomp of the supposedly not too healthy foot and a “we are not amused” look from the ewe our two interns were left watching the dust as the ewe disappeared into the south forty of the pasture The more persistant Gimpy’s carers were, the more determined that dogged ewe became. The feed bucket is usually a Gimpy magnet, not yesterday, we could have put Rodney the rampant ram in there and that old lady would still have given us the cold shoulder. The A team called for reinforcements which duly arrived and were disdainfully viewed by the old ewe stomping her feet in the corner of the pasture. Game over…the A team …and the food bucket made a tactful withdrawal…..actually probably technically a retreat with one last scowl at Gimpy. All the other chores completed, horses goats cows and sheep bedded down for the night when the errant ewe was remembered. Greg said that he would deal with her….looks passed between the girls…yeah, right! Leslie ran for the camera, sounded like a perfect blog photo. Greg took the bucket…we followed, trying SO hard to hide our smirks….Greg walked confidently…we followed anticipating a Greg/Gimpy duel. Where was that contrary ewe…all tucked up in her stall waiting for dinner and the light to be turned out!!! DOH. Greg wins again !
So, tired aching and not really willing to see another chichen for quite the while the A team retreated to bed. Thank you so much Derek leslie and holly for helping Greg, you are the best.... and I'm SO sorry today is another day! Keep smiling, keep safe, M
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