Our grass is back!
What says spring more than green grass and sunshine?!
Easter weekend we moved the sheep out of their winter pastures and back onto the big field.
We use 2 different types of posts. Step-ins like these (no hammer necessary!) and smooth fiberglass like the picture above.
Which means we’ve been out there every few days moving temporary fence lines.
I try to keep Speedracer's hands full to keep him out of trouble.
We’ve split our big field in half (it’s not really square, but it’s close to half anyway) with an alley between the two sections. We can leave animals in the alley for grazing, winter pasture, or sorting if we need to, and the alley has several gates on each side to move the animals back and forth for rotating.
It doesn't always work. {grin}
Then we use temporary electric fence to divide each half into more sections. Our sections end up as long strips. And we move the animals every couple of days.
The Ladybug is the only one that can work without constant supervision. Half the time she's working, she's not even within shouting distance.
The first couple times we lay out fence for the year usually takes a few hours–especially with the kids as helpers. But by the end of the first week, we’ve got it down to less than an hour to take the old section down and put the new section up and move the animals in–even with having to wait for Speedracer to catch up.
Moving the animals is actually easy. They get into the routine and know that when we come out there they’re getting new grass, so all you have to do is open on end of the fence and call them and they come charging through.
These two I keep within arm's length!
The Ladybug is actually a huge help out there. The Cowboy tries to help, but he’s under constant temptation from Speedracer to just drop it all and chase grasshoppers, or have sword fights with fence posts, or use the hammer claw to dig a hole…but I’ve already seen some real progress this year. And Speedracer? Well…we’re working on it.
What kind of outside work becomes part of your good weather routine?
Whew – that is a lot of work
How cool that your little lady is already able to work alone!!
We are happy to see grass here – but that means tick season, so I generally avoid our grass until it’s cut low. I’m silly like that
Ugh-tick season!
We’ve already had a few here too. Why can’t they make people medicine that last for 30 days like dog medicine? (Although we usually don’t let it go more than 20-25 days in the summer, just to be sure.) I’m as militant about the bug spray as about the sunblock!
We are getting ready to move our cows and calves to their summer field too. We like to keep them close to the house when they are need round bales and when they are calving. We have the vet come and worm them, give them their pink eye and black leg injections. Then we use a long electric fence, just like yours, to move them from “the sould 20″ to the “very north 40″ (our house sits in the middle)… With our kids being older it isn’t always as hard but some times one thinks they should stop and answer their cell phone while we are in the process of keeping 13 cows/13 calves going in the right direction…boy does that upset dad! LOL! Your little ones are so precious! I am chuckling now because these things used to drive me crazy. Hope you have a blessed weekend!
We are getting ready to move our cows and calves to their summer field too. We like to keep them close to the house when they are need round bales and when they are calving. We have the vet come and worm them, give them their pink eye and black leg injections. Then we use a long electric fence, just like yours, to move them from “the south 20″ to the “very north 40″ (our house sits in the middle)… With our kids being older it isn’t always as hard but some times one thinks they should stop and answer their cell phone while we are in the process of keeping 13 cows/13 calves going in the right direction…boy does that upset dad! LOL! Your little ones are so precious! I am chuckling now because these things used to drive me crazy. Hope you have a blessed weekend!
The babies are always the toughest to move. The mothers pretty much know what’s going on, but the little ones can get all excited and mixed up and then their momma’s start freaking out…I just keep reminding everyone (including myself!) that calmly and quietly gets the job done.
Yes, our boys get distracted by everything!
Keeping them on task is a full time job all by itself.