The scurs and Weather Eye spoiled us yet again last weekend with another 50-degree high. Will the hits keep on coming or will Old Man Winter finally put his foot down? Starting Wednesday, mostly sunny with highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the low 20’s. Thursday, partly sunny with highs in the low 30’s and lows in the low 20’s. Sunny Friday with highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the mid-20’s. Saturday, sunny with highs in the low 40’s and lows in the mid-20’s. Becoming mostly sunny on Sunday with highs in the mid-30’s and lows in the low 20’s. Monday, sunny with a slight chance of snow. Highs in the mid-30’s with lows in the mid-20’s. Sunny for Tuesday with highs in the low 40’s and lows in the low 20’s. December 3rd the sun will rise after 7:30 a.m. On the 8th we start losing less than one minute of daylight a day. The normal high for the December 8th is 29 and the normal low is 12. The scurs put away plenty of wood in the woodshed so not to worry. Snuggle up under a wool blanket.
Still some farming going on in area fields. Sunday I spied someone doing some primary tillage on Highway 30 and also saw some evidence of anhydrous ammonia applications being made. Mud on the road locally indicated that some pack manure was being hauled as well. Still cattle grazing in pastures with the lack of snow. While it isn’t shirtsleeve weather, one has a difficult time complaining about weather such as we’ve had this time of year. The ground freezes overnight and, with little precipitation recently, tracking mud on the road is minimal. Still offering an opportunity to go after some of the auger eating trees in the fencelines as well as burning brush piles while destroying skunk and raccoon habitat.
At the ranch we continue to appreciate the weather too. Our pasture has held up into December, something that is almost unheard of. As usual, one can gauge the decreasing quality of the forage by the amount of mineral being consumed. Yes, the day will come when we need to put a round bale or two in the feedlot, although it’s been a pleasant surprise to forego feeding hay outside thus far. In the meantime, the ewes are in excellent health going into the winter. They tend to thrive when they can be outside and get plenty of exercise. When your mom told you to go outside, she was right.
This week’s temperatures and dry conditions should allow some time to finally get the barn cleaning going. Too much time being spent elsewhere while the weather has been nice to allow it thus far. It would also be great if the weather holds long enough to be able to go after some of the boxelders, ash, silver maple and mulberries that have invaded the windbreak. There are also a couple storm damaged trees in the pasture that have accumulated the past couple years. Getting them cut up and piled so they can be burned would be a real feather in my cap. Actually, getting them burned in the People’s Republic of Steele Co. might be a stretch.
The time I mentioned spending has involved most of the weekends this fall. This past weekend I aired up the tires on an old IH #37 disk and got it maneuvered around so it was pointed the right direction. I also liberated a ‘59 Studebaker Lark from the ash trees and assorted brush for transport back to the ranch. It will end up being an organ donor, mind you, but it’s still better than sending it to the crusher. I’ve already harvested some of the trim that is in pristine condition. All the windows are intact and I suspect if I can pull the brake drums they could be in good enough shape to be turned and run down the road again. In other words, the Crest toothpaste-colored Lark VI did not die in vain. Parts of it will live on.
After doing that Saturday, I had to set up my Sunday. As part of my deceitful nature, I went to the kindly neighbors’ and baited the sheep. I placed hay in tubs inside, hoping that they’d be ready for grain later that afternoon. That way I could close the door behind them for easier loading. Chasing sheep around a pasture is a fun packed pastime, said no one ever. After moving equipment out of the way at home, it was time to load up some ewes a friend had requested earlier this summer. Odd how animals are always tougher to get into a trailer than they are to get out of it.
As sheep go, Cheviots are notoriously ornery to catch and move once caught, very quick and strong for their size. The trick is to avoid handling them any more than necessary. Gates and panels are your friends. Luckily, one of the little natural-colored ewes had a concept. After a little hesitation, being squeezed by the gate behind the trailer, she jumped right in. The others followed, well, like sheep. Imagine that. Unloading went even easier once they saw and heard the other sheep around the building. After unloading, of course my friend and I had to catch up on the recent news, even with the wind howling. Not many of us left, so if you’re a sheep farmer, it’s what you do.
Later in the afternoon, it was time to head for the kindly neighbors’ pasture and bring that group of ewes home. As anticipated they were waiting inside the barn, bellering like they’d never been fed. I dumped the screenings in their tubs and one natural colored ewe standing in the doorway was leery about what was up. I decided to decoy her by dumping water buckets and putting other equipment away. I then quietly walked around the barn and slid the barn door shut. I got an assist backing the trailer up tight and centered perfectly from the kindly neighbor.
Once the barn door was slid open, several ewes hopped in the trailer. Of course, when the rest didn’t follow suit, they came back out. I bent a hog panel around to confine them more and, when I got behind them, they all went in except one of the natural colored ewes. The light bulb came on and she jumped right in. With my cat-like reflexes, I slid the trailer door shut. The kindly neighbor commented that I moved pretty fast for an old fart. I took that as a compliment. It takes one to know one!
The sheep had been at the kindly neighbors’ for around 6 months, looking back on the calendar. That’s a lot of daily trips to check on them, make sure the fencer is working and that they have clean, fresh water. Monday, as I was heading home from Bugtussle, I almost put the blinker on by the substation out of force of habit. Happens every year once we bring the sheep home. It’s been like that for over 25 years now. Old habits die hard, but not sure I’m up for another 25 years. Oh well, I guess as long as no one is killed or maimed…
See you next week...real good then.