Today The Farmer and J. went to pick pumpkins from a nearby farmer's field. The pumpkin season has peaked (does anyone want to buy a pumpkin after Halloween?) and those left out in the field will just be plowed under and wasted. So he allows us to come and pick as many as we want.
What do we want with all these pumpkins? We feed them to the sheep. Some of the sheep seem to like them better than others. But there seems to be something about pumpkin seeds that naturally gets rid of any little critters in their digestive tracts. S. would encourage me to use the proper biological name: parasites. Yes, sheep on pasture tend to get worms over the summer, depending on how quickly we move them from pasture to pasture. So we feed pumpkins in the fall to help with this problem before we take them into the barn for the winter.
Feeding pumpkins is fun. You have to throw them up in the air as high as you can, so that they smash open nicely. Otherwise it's hard for the sheep to break them open to start eating. Has anyone got a pumpkin launcher we can borrow?
What do we want with all these pumpkins? We feed them to the sheep. Some of the sheep seem to like them better than others. But there seems to be something about pumpkin seeds that naturally gets rid of any little critters in their digestive tracts. S. would encourage me to use the proper biological name: parasites. Yes, sheep on pasture tend to get worms over the summer, depending on how quickly we move them from pasture to pasture. So we feed pumpkins in the fall to help with this problem before we take them into the barn for the winter.
Feeding pumpkins is fun. You have to throw them up in the air as high as you can, so that they smash open nicely. Otherwise it's hard for the sheep to break them open to start eating. Has anyone got a pumpkin launcher we can borrow?
Great blog Lona. It's interesting to read. I never imagined that you would be a blogger.
ReplyDeleteNow, when I want to relax and go to the country I can do so via your blog.
Dave Roberts
What a fun activity for boys!! I have several small people who would love to come be pumpkin launchers. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Lona. Am enjoying your photos,you are very talented!
ReplyDeleteKaren
What fun! I could send you three joyful pumpkin launchers, but you would have to homeschool them for me..... ;)
ReplyDelete