Hay delivery

The last few years we have fed large round bales through the winter.

They are delivered before the first snow and a neighbor moves them all up hill.  I roll them down hill as we have need.  Either my calculations were bad this last fall or the sheep have wasted more hay than normal.  Of course if anyone is to blame for not taking into account wastage, it is me.

Sheep are not interested in thrift.

There is way too much ice to have large bales of hay moved around, so it is time to resort to the time tested method of feeding small bales.  In the loft of our small barn we can fit 50-80 bales depending upon their size.  More can be fit in the storage side of the barn.

A 120 bales delivered with two of my three helpers ready to go.

Thanks to them I only had to carry 116 bales up the hill to the barn

The third helper was in the loft doing the stacking.  

It was cold enough, I don't even care that this guy could reach through to steal some nibbles.

118 bales later.

The Icelandic Sheep approve of the new hay.

When I came in this man-pup was doing push-ups.  I guess I need to find some harder jobs.

Ram and Steer are Friends

Old Tom went to the processor.  Young Tom made friends with our alpha ram.  He's been following the old ram around ever since.

I was watching him for any signs of distress.  I don't want to get another calf until next spring, when the grass is fresh and free but I was considering it if he appeared upset or distraught at being alone.

Luckily, that does not seem to be the case.

Some friends are food

Took this guy to the processor this evening.  He's lived with us 18 months and in that time he's had a lot of good grass, time to roam, and another steer to pal around with.  

In other words, he got to live like a bovine.  That is what we owe them: safe, thoroughly bovine, lives. 

In return, since we did not have as many lambs as normal this spring, he will be our main source of protein for the year to come.

Some friends are food.

This is life in the Anthropocene.