Sheep May Safely Graze?

Despite their best efforts Ouseburn Farm’s poultry fell to bird-flu and, for a while, the yard was sadly quiet.

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7 September 2022 at 10.23

We had an interesting day at Ouseburn farm yesterday. 

The Farmlad had sciatica so spent most of the day wincing (he's off for a couple of weeks now). 

One of the trainees had a complete meltdown at lunchtime which lasted most of the rest of the day; so everyone decamped to a classroom for breaks. 

And when the Farmlad went to get the sheep from the field below the Cumberland Arms he discovered someone had let their dog off the lead and it was chasing them. 

The shouting could be heard right across the valley. 

The dog walker had the nerve to tell the Farmlad he shouldn't have spoken to him like that!

However Ferretfingers did quite a lot of muck shovelling and carting, water carrying, straw bag dragging and spreading and some sawing so it was fine for us.

And the chicks and ducklings are half grown and gorgeous. 

The sound of hens and ducks is back, together with the cheeping of bantam pullets. 

I spent a goodly amount of time leaning on the poultry pen fence just enjoying them.

The house is silent: Thunderthighs is at Hextol, Ferretfingers at the Rising Sun and Fester at the Mining Institute. 

The sun is out, there's washing on the line and, as soon as I've breakfasted, I shall strip our bed and load the washer.

Libet in parvis.

(go on - google it)