Why I Don't Have Time to Blog

I suspect that if I just told you I've been too busy to write you would think, "Yeah, yeah, we're all busy. Whatever." So I figure I better show you what I've been doing with all my time lately. 

This is Elmo, the friendliest of the four cats at work. The first priority of every work day is to feed and rub Elmo. 

Elmo is the same color as Blue, but they're not related. It is taking me a while to learn the pedigrees of all the stock, but I think I've at least got this one straight in my mind. Blue is a Randall Lineback. He prefers to be next in line for feeding and rubbing. 

Feeding the big stock is always an adventure. Remember the scene from Jurassic Park when the people were being chased by the dinosaurs? Yeah. It totally felt like that the first few times I did it, but I'm better now.  Kittens are more ferocious than these cattle.

The flock of Tunis sheep get their provisions next. 

Along with a healthy dose of rubbing for the beggars.

Inside the Animal Encounters barn are the Horned Dorset ewe lambs who are temporarily sharing their space with a few Nubian goats. I often have to stop here for a minute or two to clean Mine off. She tends to wear her breakfast. 

For the moment, two calves are still in another pen inside the barn. They will be moving out very soon. Dena is a dual-purpose Shorthorn. A breed who's dual-purpose genetics fell out of favor. Her father has been dead for 40 years but thanks to modern technology we are bringing those genes back.  

New inside the barn this week is Houdini, an Ossabaw Island Hog and his lady friends. They have taken over the goat pen as their love nest and will help loosen up the layers of straw and wood shavings to make the pen easier to clean out. Well, in theory. None of the pens are particularly easy to clean out, but that's a whole 'nother blog post.

The rest of the 40 or so pigs are getting fat in two other pens on the property until it is their turn to go to market. We are all pretty much ready to see them off, the 50 pound bags of feed are heavy, not to mention expensive.

Then there is this guy. I tried to completely ignore him for months. Then it happened one day; I looked him in the eye. He's had me wrapped around his hoof ever since. Donkey-Otie is the guardian over the Horned Dorset breeding flock. 

Who pretty much have me at their beck and call as well. I mean look at that face. This is the worlds sweetest little ram.

Last, but certainly not least are the chickens. There are two roosters. They don't care for living together. One has taken up residence elsewhere. Sound familiar to anyone? Only here he isn't getting a private suite, instead he's taken up living with the pigs. How he has convinced them not to eat him I'll never understand.

So you can see why I've been busy, that's just the morning chores!