What Goes Around Comes Around

Geese, geese, geese. We have mean geese here at P&CW Organic Farm. All of the goats and puppies have been bullied by the geese at one time or another. The chickens and guinea hen are used to being chased away from any feed laid out for them so that the geese can guzzle it down. Even those of us who are larger animals have been hissed at quite vehemently. Now, that has changed.

Some weeks back the geese left the home pasture enclosure, I think they were being chased by the dogs and felt unsafe. While I do like coming out of the house to be greeted by honking geese, I very much dislike stepping out onto the mat--or even the boot scraper--to find that some goose has left a fresh, green calling card. And when the upper portion of the driveway began to look like I needed to tend to it with the doggie pooper-scooper, well, I sent the geese back into the pasture.

Shortly thereafter I had the pleasure of watching JoJo being subjected to curious Spencer's all-over inspection. Alpacas are curious creatures, and Spencer likes to check out any goats or dogs or people who enter his territory. Whiskey, the larger, grey-and-white fainting goat, now stands most resignedly for Spencer's inspections. Oddly, though, JoJo and LaLa first chose to flee the young alpaca's attentions--only to find themselves the target of a happily chasing romp. Eventually JoJo thought to sit still and acquiesce. Spencer did not hurt the goose, unless perhaps geese are prideful, and he did ascertain what a goose smells and tastes like from neck to tail.

What goes around comes around. Those mean geese had it coming.

Matched Mowers

Although the goats make for a splendid sight when spread across the front lawn, our matching mowers--Millie and Stella, the black-and-white spotted saddle horses--actually do a much better job overall. Now that they've been on the job together for a few weeks, the grass is pretty evenly mowed all over. They even clean between the planter pots in the orchard, but I suspect they taste the trees-greens and bush-sprouts as well because the orchard has once again been denuded. Certainly most of the blame goes to the goats; they really are very thorough when browsing the orchard and garden areas. Sometimes in the evening when I'm sitting in my office, I am delighted to hear Millie and Stella thundering by, racing up to the gate for no other reason than they can run.

Unfortunately Millie has developed some very bad habits. Not only does she believe that fences are made to be broken through, she has now decided that "animal-proof" feed bins are here to provide her with an entertaining--and tasty-- challenge. Such behavior led to her being sequestered to the lushest, greenest pasture we have on the farm. Poor gal.

Junior Livestock Guardians

We still have several purebred Great Pyrenees pups needing to find farms of their own. Bred from generations of working stock, born in the barn and raised among our livestock, these pups are ready to break free from the pack and settle on a permanent farm. Most are from a registered litter; all are purebred. Wormed; up-to-date on shots; price negotiable: good homes are our primary concern. Call Cynthia to discuss your farm's needs and arrange a time to meet these puppies who will grow into loyal, hardworking livestock guardian dogs. We're located some 40 minutes east of Nashville off of I-40. Call 281-2699.

Farm Sitting

Our newest undertaking--Farm Sitting--began last week with two dogs staying in the kennel here and a farm down the street left in our care. All went smoothly and we enjoyed the change in routine enough that we'll add it to our repertoire. Grace and Cody, the two chocolate labs that stayed with us, were exceptional guests. They barked at intruders, behaved admirably on leash, and refrained from hunting any of our fowl even though they are trained bird dogs. Likewise the little farm down the road had cooperative and friendly animals. The chickens, cats, and goats were eager for feed but never pushy (unlike the animals here!). Visiting another barnyard was good, too, for it got us thinking about ways to improve our own operation.

As for farm sitting, we are now available for gigs in and around Wilson County. As every situation is unique, we will need to discuss each case as it appears to determine charges. For well behaved dogs that require only food, water, and brief potty excursions and can stay on this farm with us, we expect to charge $20 per day for a single dog, or $15 per dog per day for multiple dogs. In order to stay here on the farm, though, visiting dogs will need to be up to date with their vaccinations and disease free. For those animals we will visit in their own environment, charges will be based upon the distance we need to travel, the frequency and duration of visits necessary, and the level of care required.

Readers in and near Wilson County who need to get away--whether it be overnight or for the season--may contact Cynthia at 281-2699 to discuss arrangements. Thank you!

Frisky Spencer

Spencer is a curious fellow and seems to feel obliged to closely inspect other animals. In this photo he is checking out Joshua, a Tennessee Fainter male purchased in Mt. Juliet last spring; Joshua appears to be hustling away. Goats usually stand for Spencer's inspections for a time, but soon tire of his scrutiny.

This weekend, though, I saw something I had not seen before...Spencer standing beside the dog Luther, looking down with his head perched atop his long neck. What was incongruous about the sight, though, was that Luther's back is still higher than Spencer's. There stood a big, fluffy, white dog suffering the furry brown alpaca's inspection. At some point Spencer's Mamma, Goldie Rose, decided that Luther was threatening her little baby and came to Spencer's "rescue."

Now, Luther knows his job is to guard the alpacas and goats. He stood pretty well for Spencer's inspection, but had begun to try to walk away when Goldie charged onto the scene with a screech. Knowing better than to try to stand up to Goldie's wrath, sturdy Luther dropped to the ground, rolled over, and bared his tummy in total submission. He's no fool: the ploy worked. Soon the alpacas had moved on and Luther hustled to the far side of the paddock to watch his flock from a safe distance.

I don't know if it's Spencer's age or the chill in the air, but he has gotten quite frisky of late and can be seen skipping around the paddock in that funny manner of alpacas on any number of occasions. Last night we had a hard frost and the alpacas all gathered outside to cush beneath the stars, grateful for once to be rid of the Southern heat and to be resting in a climate that feels more like home to them.

Roiling Waters

When we first moved here, we understood that the West Fork of Spring Creek, that stream running along the front corner of our property, would run seasonally; however, this year it has held water even through the dry spells. (For readers who remember an earlier entry, we moved here under the misconception that the creek was named Dry Creek. I'm sure I saw that name on some internet map of the property way back when this area was all new to us. When the time came to begin applying for grants to assist with the farm, I learned that we live in the Spring Creek Watershed, on Spring Creek.) Names notwithstanding, this morning's roiling waters quite impressed me. To be able to see the water in the creek from the front porch is unusual indeed.

True, I did hear the deluge of rains pounding atop our metal roof in the wee hours of the morning. (The sound soothes me and I used it as my excuse to discontinue the paperwork with which I was struggling at the time and to return to the refuge offered by a soft pillow and a cozy bed.) The volume and unceasing nature of last night's rains combined with the flooding being experienced in other areas of late should have prepared me for the rushing river of water along our creek bed. Yet I was delightfully surprised to encounter the living entity of that swollen creek this morning.

The plant life that usually lines the creek for a few yards was wholly submerged. Noting the additional width of the stream, I was glad to have had the restricted access fencing placed so far back. (The Natural Resource Conservation Service [NRCS], a division of the USDA, granted some funds to help us install fencing that restricts livestock access to waterways. While the front perimeter fencing falls into that category, we have more restricted access fencing to install at the back of the property [where the creek is most generally dry].) The NRCS guidelines state that such fencing be placed twenty feet from the banks of the creek. Today's swollen creek helps to illustrate why the fence must be set back so far from the actual creek.

At this time the vivaciously rushing water has abated, but the creek is still readily visible from my second story office window. I don't know what it is about moving water that speaks to me so clearly. Rushing creeks, ebbing and flowing oceans, gently moving rivers and streams--all of these are so alive that I feel pulled to stand by, to look closer, to listen longer.

So Long, Sweet Nadege

The first pup of our two litters to be named was Nadege, the only all-white Pyr pup. When I couldn't tell the others apart, already Nadege was easy to identify. Smart, like all Pyrs I've met, she understood that she had a name and it was "Nadege." Before the pups were even walking, she responded to hearing her name.

Her name was an outgrowth of variations of "white" and "snow" beginning in Blanc, Blanca, Bianca,then Neige, and finally Nadege. Some years back I had the pleasure of mentoring a young mother by the name of Nadege. The name appealed to me and stuck in the back of my mind. The little white pup provided the opportunity to finally use that name.

Puppy Nadege moved on a week ago today, leaving P&CW Farm for Angel Acres Alpacas in Manchester, Tennessee. During the time her new family and I chatted on the porch, Miss Nadege formed an attachment. By the time they departed for Angel Acres this gal was smitten, and with good reason--the folks at Angel Acres clearly value the animals in their lives.

We are thrilled to have her going to such a good home, where she'll have her own alpacas from the start.

"Sweets" Moves On

The pup known on P&CW Farm as "Sweets" has moved to a farm in Alexandria, Tennessee. He enjoyed being combed in preparation for his move, but then sensed that something was amiss and vanished just before his new owners arrived. With their help, he was located underneath the storage trailer. Sweets then made a point of lying down and rolling in damp, dirty cedar shavings before allowing himself to be picked up, carried downhill, and introduced to his new family. He now has two clever girls for companionship and care.

From his going away photo taken on our porch, I gather he approves of his new girls. I certainly do; Sweets has found himself a lovely new home. He will have twice the acreage to roam that he had here and a new canine friend about his age for company.

Soon he'll probably have a new name, too. (After all, what kind of a name is Sweets for a boy?)

So long, Sweets! Enjoy your new home!

The Tails of Two Mice

Once upon a time we had a puddycat to manage rodent control here on the farm. Known by several names--Sydney, Puddycat, Sissibelle, RastaKitty--she soon slipped off her CEO of Rodent Management hat in favor of a paw-loose, fancy-free lifestyle. Rail as I might against her adjusted mission, I could not convince her to take up residence in the barn. By the time she disappeared--on an evening when the coyotes were particularly active--the dynasty of barn rodents was fully established. Next I turned to the strays that feed on a neighbor's porch without success. Finally I invested a few dollars in three good-old-fashioned snapping mousetraps in newfangled plastic enclosures.

Success came quickly. Within two days we had captured 21 dead mice and one live mouse (who died running from that trap into the one we set facing its entrance). Sometimes the traps would snap without catching any mice, and scavengers could enjoy the peanut butter bait without breaking their necks. On the second evening, I found myself rebaiting and resetting traps frequently--probably every 15 minutes. Claiming that the mice were lining up for a turn in the trap, I turned in for the night with a flush of triumph. I was particularly pleased with the occasion when I found two mice together in one trap, quite dead.

The next day activity was slower, and I stopped hovering. When I did check, sometimes I found sprung traps empty of rodents and bait. Sometimes a trap would have yet to be sprung, or would have sprung and caught a mouse. Always I could hear the rodents rustling around in the hay which made me all the more eager to catch them.

Last night ended with another flush of success: one trap found with two lifeless tails hanging out its entrance. The spoonful of peanut butter bait that I stored in the barn is dwindling now. By tomorrow it will likely need to be refreshed.

Sorry Puddycat. You've been replaced, and quite effectively.

Good Fences are Essential

If I had known then what I know now with regard to fencing, I would have held out for a place that was fenced and cross-fenced. But, I was just getting a handle on what those terms meant and had no clue the amount of time, labor, and money required for adequate fencing. We bought this farm as “fenced,” meaning that a perimeter fence was in place. It was, kinda-sorta.

Beginning last winter we beefed up that perimeter fence to enclose a bit more than half of the farm with fence adequate to hold dwarf goats. I say “we,” but it was really Jeff of Barns & More who we hired for the task. Seeing how long that job took him, I began to get an inkling of what was involved. By the time the fencing was completed, Jeff was solidly established as a very good friend.

Perimeter fencing contained the animals (mostly), but it did not address the issue of keeping males from females. Indeed, we have two litters of rapidly growing Great Pyrenees pups to attest to that. When the alpacas arrived with two pregnant females, separation became an immediate issue. I’ve tried moving the girls and Spencer down to grassier locations but the gals got nervous at the change and the vinyl-coated fencing on step-in posts didn’t appear up to the task of containing alpacas should any decide to bolt.

Although I can now work more closely with the alpacas, we’re stuck in a rut of alternating males and females in the home pasture. I’m suspecting that Spencer is ready to graduate to the boys’ club, but have no direct evidence (I always look up to Van’s squeals after whatever set her off). While I did try to get Spencer out with the boys one evening, Goldie got mad and I wasn’t sure the “screen door” would hold up for the challenge of an hysterical momma so I returned the boy to his usual abode.

Now we have installed additional perimeter fencing, to enclose the front acres. I can keep the goats and dogs separate by gender, but the alpaca pasture has yet to be adequately divided. We’ve begun moving chain-link panels from two of the kennels I picked up on Craigslist and aim to provide a divided pasture within the week, but I am such a scatter-brain that it slows down any progress we make. To separate kennel panels to move, we had to forfeit both the extra goat enclosure we’d been using for “dates” and the blockade that was keeping the orchard safe from the goats. Before getting panels in place in the home pasture, I somehow managed to lose track of the collection of metal fasteners designed to reconnect the panels. Drat!

Currently dates occur in the last stall in the barn, the orchard is again denuded of greenery, and revisions to the home pasture remain incomplete. We always plan to finish a project today but get distracted from the task repeatedly. Plus, there’s the matter of the dogs. For a time two of them were scooting under and through fences, but we seem to have gotten that under control and they are staying put in whatever area we assign to them.

My dream is to have the farm cross-fenced enough to pasture alpacas, horses, goats, and fowl separately by species and gender, using rotational grazing and fences through which Millie won’t venture. For now we’ll work on separating the alpacas in the home pasture.