We were up early. There was a message on the chat as soon as I switched it on. Neil was still testing positive so he couldn’t help. Meryl came, we all got waterproofs on and we went to Garth Hall. My father adjusted the run set up somewhat and then we went to the barn. Meryl caught the sheep that needed tagging. I checked, it was a wether. I held him while my father tagged.
Then for the difficult job – getting the bloody sods out of the hatch. I chased them round for what felt like hours. Meryl came in to help while my father kept the gate shut. Finally we caught a few and they started to go out. Once they were out, they were kept in the run so we could check their teeth to age them. They have small baby teeth but each year after that, they get adult teeth. Anyway we did this and sent them into the trailer. Half the job done. Back for the next lot.
We took about 5 minutes, trying to undo the twine on the pen gate. I undid one knot. It didn’t allow the gate to open. Then Meryl undid a knot but it still wouldn’t open. I cut it with my penknife. I got a bucket of food and shook it. Blam came immediately and others started following. This was looking good. You’re ahead of me. You know I’ve spoken too soon! We got them in the hatch pen and shut the gate. I kept shaking the bucket and calling. I climbed through the hatch. They looked through the hatch but stopped following there and then. I ended up going back in but these were better behaved and they went out. We repeated the teeth/aging process and loaded them. Meryl manned the gates and we left. She locked up for me. Although the weather wasn’t the best, we had an uneventful journey. I drove over the bridge onto the hardstanding area. “Drive right up to the top.” I was just doing that “NOT THERE!” “Well this is where your instructions are going to take me. You don’t make sense!” I put the handbrake on, pushed the seat back and got out. Easier to leave him to it. I went to talk to Sam. And that was where the fun started…
“You weren’t here for the last market were you? You don’t know what happened” Shocked face from me. “My rams?” She nodded and started laughing. I put my head in my hands. It couldn’t have been that bad or there would have been phonecalls and lawsuits. Sam went on to tell me that she decided to separate the rams. The two big ones definitely stood out as better so she decided to sell them separately. They were put in their own pen. When they were herded towards the ring, they sniffed and saw ewes. They were jumping pens to get to ewes. Everyone was running round like headless chickens. Robin the auctioneer had to suspend the auction because he was laughing so much. I kind of wish I’d seen it… Anyway, they were sold. They were down as cull rams but the buyer knows he’s onto a winner. They are working rams! On the way out they were jumping into pens again. Ah well, it gave everybody a laugh 😁
We left then and went to Tregurnog. We parked the trailer up. I walked a still sleepy Skye and sorted the chickens out. I dropped them both off at home and went to Garth Hall. Neil popped up as well but stopped off on the lane to talk to Richard. I parked up and went to look at the downed fence again. When Neil got there (from a distance) he said he would mend that fence when he was well enough. I fed the few left in the wellfield and then we went to turn the ewes and rams out. That was fun. We had to get them into the blue shelter pen. The alpacas followed me straight in because I had a bucket that I was shaking. The sheep however, wouldn’t come near. They normally follow me but this time they knew! In the end we managed it.
We got the rams and one ewe into the blue shelter. I mixed the raddle powder with oil. Neil caught the rams and I put the paste on. Both my hands are now a reddish brown. Normally muddy hands can be ‘cleaned off’ on long wet grass. Not this bloody stuff. It just spread. We let them all out then and I went to the brook where the hand-wash is. I put loads on my hands but the fact that it’s oil asked meant it kept spreading it rather than removing it. Awesome. So, with my mucky hands I went down the bottom fields. I don’t mention them much, it’s where the cattle used to be. The route is boggy, muddy and difficult. I needed to take some ‘before’ photos because of the intended ground works. If they make a mess of the land or cause any damage, we will be entitled to compensation. It was a nice walk to be honest. It dried up and was getting warmer. One of my summer jobs from the age of about 10 was to move the cattle every evening. We have one field, in amongst someone else’s fuel. I’ve no idea why we have that field. I used to let them out of that field, into the main area every evening. My father put them back every morning. Now granted, it’s been 40 years but that place has changed!
With that done I fed the alpacas while Neil drove around looking to see what Starsky and Hutch were doing in the open with extra ladies to attend to. Hutch had gone. He was full speed ahead chasing ewes. Starsky was just outside the gate. He’s limping a bit. It’s a side effect of their job to be honest. Once he gets the scent, he will be off, or rather on an ewe. I walked up while Neil rode his quad. We were discussing jobs and it was hot. Coats were off. Unbelievable to think its November!
Hopefully there will be some red bums to report tomorrow!
Helen x
