We've Gone To The "Dark Side"

Albeit, a short trip -

For awhile, when we got this farm (and even before we had a farm), we debated on what animals we would get.

I knew I wanted a cow but, as for what else.....?

I thought about sheep.

A neighbor - an old sheep rancher - told me at length, the good, bad, and ugly about them, especially the need for shearing - and finding someone to do it. Sheep were thus put at the bottom of the list.

Goats became the stock of choice. No need for shearing (at least the flavor we wanted). They can be aggravating, obnoxious, infuriating.......*@#^& creatures, but all-in-all, fun to have around.

Besides, Deb's dad gave us two bred nannies, to start us out.

Then again, he's the reason we now have a sheep in our midst....

It's all about competition.

Every year, we, and her parents, have people who bring us deer meat. Since there is an "over-abundance" of deer in the area, and an over abundance of hunters who only hunt for the antlers, it's a "match made in Heaven" - the hunters get to go hunting, and get to keep any antlers they get, and we get the free meat.

Her mom and dad, also have friends and neighbors bring them deer. So, every year, Deb and her dad go at it in a "friendly" competition to see who gets the most free deer.

I don't care who wins, as long as I'm fed....

Well - this past deer season, Her dad let us know that his neighbor got a deer for them. They get all the knives, pans, scale, grinder, etc, etc, all ready to go - then, half an hour later he e-mails us to say it was a false alarm - it seems that the guy shot the deer, called her dad, then, when he came back with the tractor to pick up the deer, it was GONE....

They actually did find it later, but it put a hex on the whole competition - they would only get that ONE deer all season long...

Meanwhile, Deb once again won the "un-official trophy" as Deer Slinger for the year - we received SIX deer.

Of course, Deb couldn't resist a little good natured ribbing and bragging at her dad's expense.

This past Saturday, Deb's brother and niece came out for a short visit, so we sent a box of Deer Burger back for her mom. We also told them about the sheep/goat auction we have nearby every week. They usually have sheep that go for $10 - $12, that are PERFECT candidates for the freezer.

Hence, meet "Frau Burger", who came home from the auction with me for a little over $11:



(She is the one on the left with the black ankles.....)

She weighs in at 205 pounds, and is even shorn. I put her out with the cows for a few days (or whenever she gets to go to Deb's parent's place). I WOULD have put her with the goats, but she is a "mosey" sheep, and the goats move a bit fast for her. She seemed happy and content to be where she is.

She doesn't even mind the beat up, Hillbilly hay ring.

Hopefully, our foray into the sheep business is short, even though the prices at the sale were the highest I've seen in 6 years, I think I'll stick to goats.

I'm just not used to the LOW BAAA a sheep makes - it sounds like a cow on steroids.

Besides - goat, sheep, cow - it all tastes like chicken....

Odd thing about the auction - we normally go for goats, and have to wade/wait through the 6 BAZILLION sheep to bid on a goat. THIS auction, I wanted sheep, so - NATURALLY - I waded/waited through 6 Bazillion GOATS!

I can hardly wait for the competition to begin again this fall.

Maybe we can "spot" her dad a couple - just to make it fair.....