Bucky is an older guy who lives in the village, about a mile away. We’ve been on waving relations since we moved here in 1990. He’s the local handyman, and we pass his house on our way to town. At different times, he’s had horses, chickens, and dogs, and it was normal for the chickens and the dogs to be in the middle of the very unbusy road.
When we had to start traveling so much for business, he would come up and take care of the sheep for us. He’s such a sweetheart to them, and even when we are home, he comes up to check on them, make sure they are being spoiled enough. He often brings up stuff from his garden, weeds, old produce, etc. We pay him twice what he asks when he sheep sits, which isn’t enough. We try to bring him back whiskey or something fun from wherever we go.
Sometimes, if only one of us is home, and we have a break-out or something, he is just a quick call away and will come up and help. We all got pretty tired of chasing wet lambs that first year. Man did we need better fencing.
Still, it must not be too bad, or he was really impressed by their browsing capabilities and cuteness, because he asked if he could take a few home with him to clean up his very overgrown backyard. He collects all sort of crap from the dump or wherever, and much of it was covered in weeds and grass.
We sent all the boys to spend the summer with him, and they did a fine, fine job. We went up and moved them around using electronet for him. Those boys were so well fed that summer that they had zero interest in cookies or treats or grain that we’d offer them when we visited. Whatever. I’m full, Mom.
We left them there until it was time to breed the girls.
Last summer, with Valerie here minding the farm, she tried to do the same thing. Unfortunately, neither she nor Bucky understood how to ground the fencing properly, and we weren’t here to show them and we didn’t really understand what the problem was. But the boys got out constantly, and ate a few gardens in the village. They tried everything they could to get them to stay in the fence, but just couldn’t get it all working right, and they boys became obnoxious about getting out instantly. It was just unworkable, and they were becoming a nuisance to the neighbors, so they had to come back home.
I wonder what we’ll do this year. He also has a nice hayfield behind him that someone hays for him. I wonder if we could figure out a way for us to use it instead? Or maybe his yard has just grown up enough in the year off that it could hold a couple of sheepies again. We taught Valerie how to ground properly — surely we can show Bucky. Plus, I’ll be here to help mind them.
I hope they didn’t burn that bridge! I’ll have to get Bucky back up to see the new lambs in May. Lambs are awfully hard to resist!