So we were pardonably pleased that our paddocks stayed green, produced an abundance of grass for our flock, and were the envy of our neighbors. At least of our bovine neighbors. The above picture is our quarantine paddock. We use it only as a holding paddock when we buy new stock. The new stock acclimates to our sounds, smells, etc. while shedding all their toxins, chemicals, etc. through elimination (poo and wee to the less finicky). This way our other paddocks remain pristine.
Good, sound agricultural practice? You bet. And deeply appreciated by our neighbors. So appreciative are they that they have taken to butting their way through the fence on the right and into our paddock for some serious grazing. Imagine my surprise when, as I drove by, to see white heifers placidly munching through our grass. They barely looked up. They knew what they liked and they were helping themselves.
So I turned around and headed back up to the farmhouse and Dan. We called around and finally got hold of the heifers' owner. He was down to our paddock within 2 hours (he would have been there sooner but he had a sick child to take care of). He rebuilt the fence better than new and I have seen nary a cow since. That is what I call a 'good neighbor'. The heifers, not so much. But now you see the down side of doing everything right. Some 4 footed animal is sure to take advantage!
Til next time.
