Thursday, May 16, 2013

Woe is me, said she

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2013/05/double-entendre.html?m=1

"Can we please stay inside until daybreak? Please." And I grabed a bag of chick feed to lead them back into the main gates by the horse's paddock. Merlin and Jasper watched the parade behind me, giving me their own heckles for rewarding acts of anarchy. One by one the sheep came back inside the fence to join Sal and the Cotswolds who didn't escape. Then in the near black of real nightfall I walked up the hillside repairing holes and hatches in the poor quality fencing. What I needed was a clean, fresh, string of electric wire right at nose level. I had a new grounding rod on order at the hardware store and plans to do it this week. But for now it's all about reaction and repairs. I did what I could and prayed it would make it till morning. The last thing I needed was a school bus driver beating on my door to tell me to move my livestock out of the road.

This morning, they of course escaped again. Three times. And right now this blog post is the first writing I have done all day. That's a crime and a pity with two weeks to a manuscript deadline. But a woman needs to vent, so there you go."

Previous days post:

http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/2013/05/lambing-soon-escape-is-nigh.html?m=1

"I like watching the flock this late breeding season. They are all stuck in one paddock, the ground all eaten down to moss with petals of apple blossoms all over like falling snow. They eat and bitch, circle and butt heads. As a woman (albeit, not a mother) I can tell when others who share the gender want more personal space. Atlas the ram seems only interested in food, his job done for a while. He has escaped (and lead three other escape attempts) into the woods so far in search of the lushness all around the fence lines. I guess it's hard to deal with that level of matriarchy inside a fence? But sheep escapes are easy to thwart. A bucket of grain and a lifted bit of woven wire they can shimmy under and they are back inside the safe zone. I have been repairing the weak areas these past three days, trying to stop all the exploration committees, but Atlas is clever. He knows exactly the spots I have missed. Jerk."

Fact:
1. Cold Antler Farm fencing is of 'poor quality' and 'weak' (the Woginrich way?)
2. Quality of grazing in the sheeps pasture? Ground eaten down (the knowledge of how her farming techniques are harming the soil, increasing erosion, and contributing to agricultural runoff is a fright)
3. Edible vegetation just beyond the fence sheep are repeatedly attempting to (and successfully do) access.
4. Acknowledging the ewes interest in increased personal space as lambing nears.
5. sheep escapes are easy to thwart (hey, she said it not me).
6. Existing woven wire fence is so pliable merely lifting it allows enough space for sheep to pass under back into their paddock (albiet temporarily).  paddock rather than pasture or field which would actually contain grass.
7. Fencing is constructed to contain animals (safe zone...ding ding ding, she's on to something here folks)
8. The sheep are targeting and exiting through 'missed' areas (maybe the second set of eyes is needed to bring attention to the faulty fencing? Jerk? Nah, I'd call that guidance).
9. Several days of fence repair to no avail. Isn't there some quote on doing things right the first time?
10. Jenna likes watching the flock...butting heads and searching the fence line for routes out of the fence to graze.
11. Believes the answer includes fresh electric wire and new grounding rod (making sure to add its on order so nothing can be done at this time).  Do sheep even require the reinforcement of electric fencing
12. Reaction and repairs make for a better blog story than fool/sheep proof preventative fencing measures.
13. This individual has had sheep for years and offers pricey workshops where you can learn how to keep sheep (though, probably not how to keep them in an enclosure).
14. Prays the sheep will stay behind a fence, and asks them please stay in...at least until daybreak.
15. The last thing needs is a school bus driver knocking (I mean pounding) on the door to let her know Cold Antler Sheep are in the road.  let's not factor in the safety of the sheep (or investment - hit by car? Possibly down a ewe and lamb) or those driving vehicles past the property. 

Fallacy
1. Any of this being a pity or crime....well, for anyone but the sheep and the vehicles passing her property.

Get it together girl, there's more to farming than writing.

1 comment:

  1. So you post about going to a prayer vigil and the spend the rest of the time ripping someone else apart? I find that very hypocritical n if someone annoys you that much then stop stalking get blog which is what it seems like you're doing. For all your post about there being more to farming than writing you spend an awful lot of your time writing about someone else's mistakes. If you don't like her stop stalking her. I tried to enjoy your blog but I can't with all the negativity and hypocrisy.

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