Isn't he a beauty? Sol, our rescue llama, loves his sheep but people can't get within 15 feet of him – that's his comfort zone. I wonder if he'll always think of us as scary.
We've caught him a few times, just for the exercise of catching him and letting him know we won't hurt him. It's less stressful if we do it in the barn by crowding him in a pen with the sheep. If there's no where to run, he knows it and somehow that's less frightening. Like the sheep, it's the chasing part that's scary. So we do our best to get him (and the sheep) into tight pens if we need to put our hands on them.
Sol's surprisingly calm once caught. Not much spitting. Eventually we'll have to do some stuff he won't appreciate, like de-worming him and trimming his toenails. I expect he will spit more.
This week has been BUSY. Hurray for shipping the remaining winter shares for Sheep Shares 2010 (even with the dye studio working at half capacity). Thanks to all for your patience and I hope you enjoy your yarn and fiber.
On top of that it's been darn cold which adds to the workload around here. Keeping critters comfortable at the farm means extra time for us, out in the cold. For example:
– Extra straw. We are spreading extra bedding in all barns right now so the sheep (and goats and llamas) can nestle in at night. You can tell where they've slept by looking at the depressions in the straw (like little nests) and the tell-tale piles of poop.They are sleeping close together for warmth.
– Frozen "frost-free" spigot. It happens every winter when we need it most. Despite heat tape, etc, the nozzle part of the water spigot gets cranky and impossible. If it's below zero, forget it. I have to haul water from the milk room.
– Frost bite. Amy, my 10 yo Leicester ewe, suffers from it every year on the tips of her ears. Poor girl. Holly led her into the milk room for bag balm treatment. Amy's been transferred to the Carriage barn with the mothers – the most protected of the buildings. I tried putting ear muffs on her yesterday; she looked adorable but shook them right off and looked at me with an expression that said, "What the HECK?" Such a sweetie. We're doing what we can . . .
– Corn rations; everyone is getting extra calories to keep warm at night. They gobble it up in a hurry.
I'm off to the barn now; hopefully the cold hasn't frozen the water pipe in the milk room. I'm so grateful for long-johns, insulated Carhartt coveralls, goretex gloves, and my favorite wool work sweaters.
Wherever you are, stay warm.
