SageHill Ranch Journal

[SageHill]

Out again this morning - but a lot to get done "down the hill" (aka in town). Temps 46-66 with a few clouds.
Took all the sheep out this morning. The ram lamb decided to be stupid and ran around the outside of the pasture -- once he realized no one was following him he was not happy at all. Obi and took the sheep back to the barn where we eventually had the silly ram lamb rejoin the flock. We took the north ranch road - headed for the meadow -but Obi and the sheep decided the better place to graze was the hill east of the meadow. Who am I to say otherwise??!
Lots of time munching the green. It was a beautiful morning, one that makes you know there is a higher power.
With the sheep and barn chores done it's time to go down the hill - I've put it off long enough .

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A funny pic - think I'll make a card out of it.....

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[Baymule]

I especially like the far white sheep with the sheep head growing out of her shoulders.

 

[SageHill]

I especially like the far white sheep with the sheep head growing out of her shoulders.

Perhaps breeding mutants would be a good idea!! big $$$$ there for sure!

 

[SageHill]

I had plans today - then I kinda got caught up in the shiny object syndrome - Was going to graze, then decided not to. BUT I've been thinking about this for awhile -- get the sheep used to going through chutes. Yeah - the old retired trial sheep should know - but they forgot. - the newbies (now not so new) don't know. Yeah - I've got some "chutes" set in arenas on and off for students but somehow that doesn't translate. Still a good thing to always work on anyway. I Made a chute using the panels from the creep feeder and Obi and I gave it a try. The sheep said "nuh uh, nooo way" so rather than force the issue I made the chute BIG and tried again. Still a bit hesitant. Patience is a virtue. Fast is SLOW and SLOW is FAST. We took our time. I was loaded with horse treats and animal crackers too. At first there's no way anyone was interested. Made the chute even BIGGER and I walked through leading them, Obi steering from behind (but didn't let him go through the chute). It worked. Did it several times then made it smaller, worked through a few more times, then smaller again, worked through, changed the configuration and repeated. Obi was loving it, I was having fun and the sheep learned the drill and then tried to raid my pouch of treats. We'll do this for a few days or so and then add in a palette for a gate at the end. Loving the process.
When we were done I let them out into the pasture/turn out to eat greens. As I was headed back into the barn I spied an Anatolian out of the corner of my eye. Locked Obi in the barn, grabbed a long line and went and got not one but two Anatolians - Maggie and Gunner. They live with the goats down the road. A quick text and their owner came up. All is well, I don't mind them up here. We had a great chat about goats, sheep, dogs, etc. She has goats to milk - does milk and cheese --- I told her "add me to your customer list!"
So the day was slightly derailed - but all is good. Life out here
On to making some potato chip cookies!!!
Oh - took a pic of the sheep in the turnout - and Siri thinks they are birds!!!

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The wandering duo -

 

[Baymule]

Mute Swan? There is nothing mute about sheep!! LOL

 

[SageHill]

Grazed out today with the old regulars. Saw coyotes twice yesterday - so with that in mind I played it cautious and left the lambs at the barn. Didn't see any coyotes. Though yesterday the last one I saw I tried a little persuasion - sadly close up I was "off" probably too low as while there was a reaction it wasn't a lot. . It's slow going loading one pellet at a time. Saw that one do that "hop and pounce" (like the videos of foxes in the snow). Angles got me on it. BUT as he moved what I thought was out of range - I tried one more time - remembering angles etc and it then left at a high rate of speed. Target acquired.
Besides the escape out their opened gate I'm thinking that the wandering duo from yesterday came this way for a reason. Good dogs.
AND two eggs from the chickens - must be Christmas. The probably would have put bows on them if they could. .
Oh and a funny pic from today.....
caption it -- "Peeeee ewe"

 

[Mini Horses]

AND two eggs from the chickens - must be Christmas. The probably would have put bows on them if they could. .

I feel the same! Got 2 yesterday, 5 day before. Between weather and short days for light, I'm thankful for those I get. Well, a touch annoyed as I bought $60 worth of feed....uhhhh, step it up girls! . But, I rarely eat eggs. Most are given to friends and family. The hens do free range, so there are benefits.

 

[SageHill]

I feel the same! Got 2 yesterday, 5 day before. Between weather and short days for light, I'm thankful for those I get. Well, a touch annoyed as I bought $60 worth of feed....uhhhh, step it up girls! . But, I rarely eat eggs. Most are given to friends and family. The hens do free range, so there are benefits.

Ha - yeah I get it - feed 'em good and nothing when you need eggs!! So surprised to get any at all in Dec. And from the Araucanas no less. Green eggs for Christmas.
I love eggs for breakfast. On toast with bacon and cheese - either fried (usually that's on an English muffin) or scrambled. LOL and I hated eggs as a kid.

 

[SageHill]

Grazed again today. Took all of them out and they did well. No giant race back to the barn when we were done. Mama ewe decided to challenge Obi quite a bit today. I stepped in once and bopped her one. That helped a little, but what it did do was show Obi that I've got his back. The next time she tried to challenge him he let her have it with a HUGE BARK. He's never been a gripper so I'm hoping that the bark will be enough.
When I'm out there I run across old stuff. And I wonder who used it, when was it put in, and all sorts of things like that. What was this land like before anyone got here? Who put in the first crops? Were they avocados, or oranges, or something else. Who put in the irrigation - it's ancient -- back to when things were turned on manually throughout the old grove. The previous owners bought it 20+? years ago and let the grove die. They were going to build but never did. So they are no help. One neighbor managed the grove and could tell us a little about it. That's where it ends though. So the rest is left to the imagination. Not a bad thing.
History pics....Old irrigation - manual set up. There are a lot of these. Connected to an old rubber hose (brittle) that goes underground to connect to various types of drip irrigation.

Old paint can, where did it come from and why??!! It's not from
our build.

The things that make me go "Hmmmm".

Made another batch of Christmas cookies - chocolate java chip and butternut squash soup.
Soup and salad tonight for dinner.

 

[Baymule]

The farm I just bought was in the third generation. Their son and daughter have no interest in the land, except to sell it and spend the money. So that’s why they sold my 25 acre parcel and the 40 acres across the road. They still have 40 acres on the north side of me and 16 acres on the south side of me. They are spending the money their own selves. More power to them.