Chopping Thistles And Other Fun Things...

The Upper Pasture has some regrowth on it, so it's time to rotate the sheepies back up there. All the rain has been a blessing for the pastures. I think this field will hold the sheep for at least three more weeks, so it looks like I might make it to September before I have to start feeding hay. Yeah!Whenever I've had the sheep off a field for 4 weeks or better, I always go through the pasture before turning them back on.

I check fences, and look for things like wild cherry that might poison them. I also take my chopping tool and whack down any thistles. Once in awhile, the thistles will get ahead of me, and one or two will make blooms. I try and dig them up by the roots, so they won't come back, but I know a few of them still survive. I'm not even sure what kind of thistles they are. They seem to bloom later than the musk thistles and have a much smaller seed head.

Mullein Gone to Seed

There are many weeds and the wild flowers abound. The sheep will eat many of these things and enjoy them, so I don't worry so much about the 'weeds taking over'. I do look for the dreaded 'beggar-lice', also called 'stick-tights', as they can trash a fleece pretty quick. I found a few bunches that I pulled up and disposed of. Evidently I didn't get them all, as I noticed several of the sheep had them around their neck tonight. Hopefully that will be it--as long as they don't get it into the body of the fleece it usually works out okay, although it isn't pretty to look at.

As usual I had plenty of 'help' as I inspected the pasture and chopped thistles. The dogs enjoyed sniffing about and checking out the field. Boone waded in the muddy pond (of course since he just got a bath!). I think I picked up a few chiggers, even though I sprayed before hand. At least with the weather moderated, even chopping thistles has a certain satisfaction and peacefulness to it.

Ariel all tuckered out after her field inspection.

(But look how clean and shiny she is!! :-)

Boone stops to smell the roses, um, wildflowers