From Rebecca's Kitchen Window

Hello Everyone,


I am so amazed how busy I get and then forget to blog! It's Sunday today and I thought that it would be good to go out and help Gary and Ethan with getting the sheep herded together. I also got Leah, our 19 year old daughter to come out with me to help. Gary needed to get the sheep all together so that he could pick a couple to go to the butcher tomorrow and to take the rams out from the group. The rams are going to another pasture. Luckily, they are not aggressive and are used to people and to being moved around! Gary thought it would be better getting this done today since they are suppose to get them to the butcher, by 8am Monday morning! My thought was I'll go out, it's 9:30 am. and we can hurry up and get them herded and I will come in and get ready for church and get lunch started! Obviously, I had no idea what a project herding sheep is! This morning I learned several things, first, sheep don't like to be herded, second, I don't like herding sheep, third, sheep herding takes a lot of time!
Well, the sheep herding process went more like this! Ethan, Leah and I hopped on the Kabuta and went out to the pasture. Stopped picked up corral fencing, which are tall and awkward to pick up, although Ethan could do it by himself, he's also 22 years old! We then got back on the Kabuta, headed down the pasture, turned off the electricity and then went on to set up the gates. Got them all set up and Ethan decides that we should make the corral bigger and that we should go back and get those two other gates! So back we went, put two more gates on the kabuta and then went back to finish the corral. Got those up and then went back to the very back part of the pasture to get the sheep. I now know for sure sheep are not the smartest animals, instead of them being on the right side of the fence where theres all kinds of green pasture to eat, where are they? They are on the side where theres mainly just dirt where the farmer is waiting to plant his field! So here we go again, with the saying the "grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"! Except, where is the grass? So Ethan decided to leave those there, he thought most of them had babies anyway and would get them later. I get on the kabuta and got behind the rest of the sheep, to get them moving, Ethan and Leah were along side of them with a wire that the sheep know is electrified, except of course this wasn't! So things are going really good and we get closer, so I stop the kabuta and start walking them too. One thing about sheep, you go very slow and don't startle them. Now Gary has arrived and all 4 of us are getting close to getting them in the corral. We have the wire behind and beside them. All of a sudden one sheep freaks out and turns around bolts through then wire, it tears and all the sheep go crazy and take off running. So now I take off running to stop them from heading all the way back to the back of our pasture. Okay, got them stopped. Let's start over again. Before we start, Ethan goes and gets another type of fencing to put up on one side of the fence, so they at least won't get out that way again! Gary and Ethan got that up and now it's time to herd the sheep again. The four of us, surround them and slowly and I mean slowly herd them in! This time Success!! Gary needed to find 2 sheep to go to the butcher. Well, we only found 1, the others all had babies. So Ethan and Gary got it out and put it in the trailer. Next, time for the rams, got both of those in the trailer. Next, Gary said we need to get the sheep that are on the outside of the pasture and in the field. Off we went to get those, so we got those up to be put in the corral with the other sheep, Gary opened the gate, and we were starting to chase those in and guess what happens. The sheep in the corral bolt out and now all the sheep are out again! Are you kidding me! So I ran after them to make sure they don't go to far. We stopped them and then slowly herded them back into the corral! Finally, all the sheep are in the corral! We didn't find another sheep that could go to market, so we were finally done! Ethan and Gary picked up the one fence and Leah and I headed back home. I started on baked chicken, homemade french fries, and cooked up some green beans, and broccoli and cauliflower. Leah had to get to work at the nursing home that she works at, so I made a quick lunch for her. Then we ate our Sunday dinner at 2:30!!
Getting married at 19, I had no idea all these farm adventures were in store for me! I didn't know how much work a farmer does each day either! Especially now, Gary works 7 days a week! Trying to not work as much on Sundays, but usually something comes up, like today!
The guys really do know what they are doing, unfortunately, the animals usually have other plans! Well, that's just another day on the Luginbill Family Farm! P.S. I sure hope you enjoy your Lamb Chops!