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The flock spent the night in the winter barn as I thought the weather was going to be severe and they’d appreciate the roomier quarters in the event of rain. This morning I took them out to the near field, they know the way on their own. Sidney has become an effective sheep herder, by default. You can see him laying in the driveway behind them. He blocks their options taking the rear every time. Where he picked this up we do not know!
When the sheep arrived at the field, they filed one after the other up to the top where we reseeded a section this spring. Instinctively, perhaps, they could spot the lush and brighter green grasses. They never looked back at me!
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I was cheerfully cleaning off a big ledge which has wonderful, natural steps against the back side that leads off into the woods behind a barn. It had been a few years and they needed to be cleaned out again. Trees ARE a renewable resource!
All of a sudden I realized I’d been stung and then again. I threw the rake down and ran like a mad woman far away, turned around to see if they’d followed me and, realizing that I still can run really fast, found I was safe. And then one more sting right between my fingers! But not to be daunted, I slowly crept back to the scene and lo and behold there was a lovely paper nest full of mad hornets right at the bottom step of the ledge. Daringly (or is it stupidly?), I stepped close enough to grab the tip of the rake and went off to lick my wounds.
This is a dark picture but the nest is visible (now!) just to the right of the green branch, a whitish area, some of those are the hornets!
Looking back I realized I’d been extremely fortunate as they could have really done me in…up my pant legs, down my shirt. Usually it’s Jack that finds the nests and many a time I’ve seen him doing the high step out of the woods or a field. And I always get such a kick out of watching him escape. When he heard the story he was sorry he hadn’t been able to return the laughter as I fled down the lane!
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Just a few hours ago the summer solstice began. And although the days actually start their trend to less daylight hours it feels quite the opposite. Long, lazy days and cool, beautiful evenings. The woodthrush are back and in the evening their throaty, fluid song is icing on the day. The flock of chicks is set up on our screened summer porch where they can feel the days to come when they are old enough to venture forth on their own, months from now. We added a maple branch and leaves to entertain them. They are busy learning to dust themselves and perch on the branch and beat their little wings around their protected world.
The bushes and trees boast loads of fledgling birds and still some bird nests full of wannabe fliers. Under three barns alone we have 4 current nests with babies in various stages of development. Any project we do around those areas is always first considered for the brood’s feeding and safety. In a few short weeks the nests will be empty and we can start to watch flying lessons, bug catching and worm pulling contests!
The sheep are on pastures now fulltime. Each of our pastures has electric fencing, a shed for shelter from the heat of the day as well as any violent weather. We have water supplies at each field and they still get hay daily which they dearly love, even with all the green grass. We rotate the flock through the fields gaging the time based on the height of the grass. Optimally the height should be 6-8″ when they go on a field and no less that 3″ when they come off. It has been harder this year with the lack of rain so early in the season so the grass isn’t growing as quickly as it should. But there is certainly enough grass to keep them happy through September. Cheers to summer!
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And on our farm we have some chicks….EIEIO
Just arrived. Six cute little Buff Sex Links. All now to be collectively known as Buffy. Chickens, a great source of daily entertainment AND eggs!
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We have started sending the flock out to greener pastures with a bit of a treat factor. They get the winter barn at day’s end to bring relief from the bug season.
No matter how pretty the farm and how romantic the pictures, here in New England, on any farm and in any field, in the background are hundreds and hundreds of biting bugs from black flies to mosquitoes and later in the summer months, the “no-see-ems” (the littlest flies, so small you can’t see ’em, but they are insidious and most voracious at dusk and overnight).
I always feel for the wildlife such as the deer and moose during these months. The North Woods are especially fraught with biting bugs. Fortunately here on our farm the bugs are not as fierce because we are at a higher elevation with very little standing or running water around us.
I take a proactive position and every morning and night take the time to rub some organic bug repellent on their foreheads and ears. They love the smell and walk up and take their dose with pleasure!
Presently it is black fly season which will come to an end in another week so the sheep are day tripping to the pastures while the breezes blow and then back to the winter barn for the overnights until the spring bug season winds down. Call them spoiled, yes, but until you have endured a day without bug repellent, no matter what your species, the biting is maddening and exhausting!
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Ahhhh, smell those apple blossoms this morning!
