Goodbye, Rambo and Obaama

Last Tuesday we moved the trailer into the Home Pasture with the sheep.  (Technically, they're still lambs under 18 months old.)

I put a feed tub in the trailer and sprinkled some feed on the ramp.  Rambo was quite curious while Obaama was more cautious.

Rambo figured out a way to reach the feed without having to go up the ramp.

It didn't take Obaama long to brave the ramp and get his share of the feed.  It took about five minutes for them to adjust to the idea of getting fed in the trailer.  Later on, long after the feed was gone, one of them was all the way in the trailer still looking for more.

By Friday we knew we could get both sheep all the way in the trailer, so we called Triple H Meats to tell them we were coming up.  As ever, Rambo was the tough, brave one.

Obaama was still shy--he hasn't changed from the day Matt had to drag him out of his truck!  Well, he has gotten a lot bigger!

I think Misty knew something was up.  She's already seen her charges (pigs, in this case) disappear into the trailer in the pasture and never come back.  I'm sure she has no idea what's actually happening, but you can tell from her face that she knows this is goodbye.

Herb gave Rambo and Obaama a nice, smooth ride up the mountain and backed skillfully up to drop them off.  At that point they both decided they wanted to stay in the trailer, and it was all Herb could do to wrestle Rambo off while Corey and I held metal roof panels up along the side of the ramp to prevent a prison break.  Once Rambo got off the trailer, Obaama was right behind him.  We left them there looking fairly calm and relaxed.  Rambo had the last word:  "Bleah!"

I talked to the butcher today about setting aside some meat for sausages, and he said, "Those are really fine sheep!  Do you have any more?"  So Rambo and Obaama, you may not have made us love raising sheep, but you made a good impression on the butcher!  And I'll definitely miss your photogenic qualities out in the pasture!

Four Wonderful Things

1) Pony rides!

 Charis went first.  (Thanks to Monique for the photos.)

"Look, Ma!  Only one (dirty) hand!"  Actually, it's just powdery paint from climbing the round pen.

Whoa, Julie, that's a little too fast!  Didi had to run to keep up which spooked Julie so she jumped, and Didi did his job--snatching Kol out of the saddle.

Brave cowboy Kol to get back on.  "Not so fast," he said--and the rider's the boss!

2)  New residents!

The newest residents of Zephyr Hill farm arrived after lunch.  From the way everyone in the barnyard acted, you'd have thought it was the circus come to town!

Nope, it was just sheep farmer and Covenant College sociology professor Matt Vos with (on the right) Rambo and (on the left) . . . wait for it . . . Obaama!

Rambo came, well, like a lamb!

Obaama, on the other hand, was a bit of a butt!  He didn't intend to cooperate, and that's what he showed Matt.

Matt is laughing here because of what I just said, "Matt, the way Obaama's giving you such a hard time, I'm guessing you're a Republican!"

3)  Ping's surprise!

The next wonderful thing is about Ping (and I'm a poet, but don't know it, but my feet show it--they're Longfellows'.)

Here's a picture, although you probably can't see the wonderful thing.  And no, the wonderful thing is not the serape-over-a-crib-springs awning I made for the lambs.  Check out that pile of hay.

Ping has laid a dozen eggs!  We normally just pour her food over the fence since the rain has kept her swimming pool filled, and today was the first time anyone has gone in her pasture in weeks, so it was a big surprise!

She did escape into the barnyard twice and fell victim to the Muscovies again, so the eggs could be fertile, but I'm sure they won't hatch since they're ice cold.  Ping doesn't seem to know that she's supposed to actually set on the eggs!  But we're proud of her accomplishment anyway.

4)  More meat in the freezer!

The freezer in the hay barn is chock full again thanks to a former, er, sibling of Rambo and Obaama.  Don't tell them because we don't want them to have nightmares, but we almost named them Curry and Souvlaki!  This lamb is partially grain-fed, but we'll transition Rambo and Obaama to a grass-fed diet because we love our grass-fed meat.

My youngest sister thinks we're horrible and refused to help me name the lambs if we're going to eat them.  At least she'll be happy that we didn't name them for food.  That just means that while I look out and enjoy the beautiful sight of sheep safely grazing, I'll have to make sure to picture Rambo and Obama like their sibling above so I don't lose sight of the reason they came to join us.

After all, this is a farm, and a farm is all about food!