(This was originally posted to stega’s FB page, but since it’s a continuation of the last post, I figured it’s worth adding here.)
Things with the neighbor’s livestock took another turn this morning. A half-dozen of their goats/sheep decided to use a very large mound of manure that sits right next to the fenceline as a jumping platform, and they all landed right onto our land. I texted/called said neighbors to inform them, and then proceeded to walk the fence line, as at the time I thought there might be an opening. There was not.
The neighbors arrived, and I set up a platform using Dumpy (his sides go down) and we baited it with hay. We got one of the lot over that way, but only because I picked it up and dumped it over. There was much faffing about on their part trying to build a structure on their side of the fence so that goats could get down. I really, really wanted to point out that goats can jump down from shit just fine. Instead I just sat and kept the herd together as best as possible.
Finally annoyed by their incompetence, I went in search of rope. The rope I wanted wasn’t where it normally is, so that actually took me a while. When I came back out with the rope, the neighbors were nowhere to be found, but one more sheep was back over the fence. So then I figured, right, well then…I have no help for this, but where can I get help? I went to see if I could coax our neighbor’s cattle dog into helping me. Once I located her at other side of property and had her follow me back to the house, she was totally disinterested in heading out past the main courtyard.
Then the cavalry arrived–our gardener! When Carlos saw me trying to coax Katie while holding the rope and wearing my mucky wellies and gloves, he knew something was up. I explained and he offered to help.
Man, is Carlos good with a rope. In fifteen minutes we had 3 of the 4 remaining sheep back on their side of the fence; the fourth, however, is the alpha and she was having none of it. She took off through our south pasture and was last seen headed up the road back around to where she belongs.
Needless to say, I put two bottles of beer in the front seat of Carlos’ truck. I didn’t tell him they’re there, so hopefully they were a nice surprise thank-you gift.