Three fire trucks came and about a dozen men. I am thankful for this service to help out when it is needed.
The last few days have been crazy here at the farm, with little Angora goat kids being born, sheep due any time, horses busting out of their pen and running around the yard and then today, the skid steer stood on its front tires, upended by a hay bale on a down hill slope, which disabled the hydraulics, trapping me inside.
The little newest Angroa kid finally was able to nurse from his mother. She would not allow him anywhere near her and for the first while, I had to hold her down and let him such while she was on her side. That would have made a funny video with me straddling the mother goat, one leg outstretched over her neck and her two back legs in my two hands, while positioning junior to get a good meal. Whoot whoot!
The horses were running amuck at midnight.
The dogs were barking like crazy, so I went out investigate and sure enough, Willa and Zeb had pretty much cleaned up the duck's oats and were looking for anything more tasty. I tried for an hour to get them back in their pen, but they were having none of it. Finally, I went to visit the Angora kid, to be sure his belly was full and he was warm. If they do not eat, they get cold and then it is problematic to bring their temperature back to normal so they will suck. Fortunately, he managed to drink from mom on his own, so I went back to get the horses in with a bucket of oats. Grain is like heroin. I have said that before. Any animal that tastes it, is immediately addicted and will do almost anything to get it, plus eat themselves to death if they are not stopped. Willa followed me and the bucket and I wired the gate shut. Today I let her and Zeb out and they immediately went around to the llama's side to bug them. They dominate the llamas, which are gentle clean creatures. Horses eat and poop in the same spot, but llamas do not, nor do they poop where they sleep, so the horses always foul up their side. In addition, they bite the llamas and kick them to keep them away from the food.
That is how problem number three started. I fired up the skid steer to put what was left of the bale over the fence so the horses, who are pigs in disguise, could eat as much hay as they wanted. The trouble is they waste so much that way too, because their feet are dirty and they poop and step in it and then on the hay and do not eat it. I did not want to fork hay over to them, since they were not allowing the llamas to eat. I thought if I sent the bale over, and then put several other piles over, the llamas could eat too. That worked fine, though I needed another bale, so I went to get one. That area is on a fairly steep slope and the bale upended the back wheels enough so I could not sit in the seat. There is a safety that stops the hydraulics if there is no weight detected, so I was stuck half upside down and could not get out. Fortunately, I had the cell phone in my pocket and phoned 911. In minutes, three fire trucks with about a dozen men came and some pushed the bale off. Immediately the skid steer righted itself and I could use the hydraulics, so I lowered the forks and shut the machine off and got out. That was enough excitement for the past two days. Now I need to have a nice long bath and go to bed to catch up on the sleep I lost the last night. It sure is a good thing I had the cell phone. Who knows how long I would have sat there in the cab unable to get out?
The little newest Angroa kid finally was able to nurse from his mother. She would not allow him anywhere near her and for the first while, I had to hold her down and let him such while she was on her side. That would have made a funny video with me straddling the mother goat, one leg outstretched over her neck and her two back legs in my two hands, while positioning junior to get a good meal. Whoot whoot!
The horses were running amuck at midnight.
The dogs were barking like crazy, so I went out investigate and sure enough, Willa and Zeb had pretty much cleaned up the duck's oats and were looking for anything more tasty. I tried for an hour to get them back in their pen, but they were having none of it. Finally, I went to visit the Angora kid, to be sure his belly was full and he was warm. If they do not eat, they get cold and then it is problematic to bring their temperature back to normal so they will suck. Fortunately, he managed to drink from mom on his own, so I went back to get the horses in with a bucket of oats. Grain is like heroin. I have said that before. Any animal that tastes it, is immediately addicted and will do almost anything to get it, plus eat themselves to death if they are not stopped. Willa followed me and the bucket and I wired the gate shut. Today I let her and Zeb out and they immediately went around to the llama's side to bug them. They dominate the llamas, which are gentle clean creatures. Horses eat and poop in the same spot, but llamas do not, nor do they poop where they sleep, so the horses always foul up their side. In addition, they bite the llamas and kick them to keep them away from the food.
That is how problem number three started. I fired up the skid steer to put what was left of the bale over the fence so the horses, who are pigs in disguise, could eat as much hay as they wanted. The trouble is they waste so much that way too, because their feet are dirty and they poop and step in it and then on the hay and do not eat it. I did not want to fork hay over to them, since they were not allowing the llamas to eat. I thought if I sent the bale over, and then put several other piles over, the llamas could eat too. That worked fine, though I needed another bale, so I went to get one. That area is on a fairly steep slope and the bale upended the back wheels enough so I could not sit in the seat. There is a safety that stops the hydraulics if there is no weight detected, so I was stuck half upside down and could not get out. Fortunately, I had the cell phone in my pocket and phoned 911. In minutes, three fire trucks with about a dozen men came and some pushed the bale off. Immediately the skid steer righted itself and I could use the hydraulics, so I lowered the forks and shut the machine off and got out. That was enough excitement for the past two days. Now I need to have a nice long bath and go to bed to catch up on the sleep I lost the last night. It sure is a good thing I had the cell phone. Who knows how long I would have sat there in the cab unable to get out?
Three fat ewes waiting for their delivery date.
Dominique being watched over by his mother. His first day outside in the sun. Tonight he is back in the stall in the barn, private accommodations for the two to keep them safe.
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