I started today like any other day. I worked the horses and did chores while Dad got the mower ready to lay down the hay on the Right-a-way! While I was doing the chores however, Mom noticed Cinnamon trying to get to the horse feed (you know the one that sends her skin into fits of itching until it bleeds??) So we caught her and put her in with Dimples and Grace. That got Mom and Dad to talking and me to wondering how many of you know things that we take for granted that people know about farm life.
It all started with Mom Calling. Let me just say, that I like to think I just have really smart animals but Mom can sort certian livestock out of the pasture with just a call. No Dogs, No fussing … She just calls a certain way and they come. I know you think It is crazy don’t you but even our preacher did a sermon on how shepherds called their sheep in the old days a few Sundays ago. I thought everyone knew it but as it turns out I guess not many people really do.
Mom has three very different calls on our farm. Let me point out that I can call and clear a pasture but then I have to sort out what I want. Mom on the other hand can call out what she wants and there is no sorting …. I hope everyone understands the difference even though I don’t think I am doing a very good job of explaining it. Let’s see if this helps….
I can go out and yell and almost all the livestock run to me and I can then put them as a flock where I want them. Mom can step out of the back door, yell “Holly, Sweety” and then do a whistle and nothing comes to her but her milk goats. Then She can yell “Wendi, Charlie” and clap a certain way and the Alpaca come running (Albert doesn’t come right away he kind of lags but he hasn’t been here very long so I am sure he will get it in time) Then Mom can yell “HOOOOOO, Let’s Go, Come on!” And everything comes to her.
I know that some will say it is because the milk goats are coming to get milked or the Alpaca are coming to be penned for the night or that it is just routine. The thing is that it isn’t just routine. Mom will see Holly getting into things by the barn and she will step out the back door and call her back to the house. Anytime of day! Now that I think about it … Maybe it is kind of cool! If you own livestock I would love to hear if you can “call” your stock out like Mom does or if you do it like I do.
Anyway, Today after I did Eddie’s chores again, we dropped the front of the Right-a-way to cure. It is drying very nicely I might add. Tomorrow we will rack it and bale it …. Then we will haul it … Fun, Fun, Fun… As for what I did while it was drying … Well, I sacked my dyed locks in one ounce packets for the fiber booth and reskeined all the yarn I had to get done and I packed everything. I only have the samplers left to put together…
Barn on the Web 