Stopping Traffic -- A Mini Sheep Drive

Today we worked with the sheep. We sorted off the larger lambs and put them into their own group. If they haven't already been weaned by their mothers, they will be weaned now. 

Here The Farmer and one of his side-kicks are pulling out a few of the largest lambs, already big enough for freezer camp. 

The plan was to move the lambs across the road to a recently-cut hayfield. We've never put sheep on the south side of the road, mostly because we don't have any fence there (other than the little pasture right by the big red barn). But we also haven't done it because we haven't needed to.

This year it's different. We haven't had rain, and it's dry here. The pastures are in definite hold pattern--not growing at all. Moving the lambs across the road is a decision we made partly out of desperation.

We set up temporary fence from the sheep barn, were we sorted the sheep, across the road to the big red barn and the small pasture. The lambs will spend the night there. Here is the first attempt at getting them to cross the road.

Almost there! It was going good. But because not all of them came out of the barn together, these brave adventurous lambs decided to go back with their other friends. It's at this point that we had to lay the fences down and let a car ride over them to get through.

The second attempt had everyone out of the barn.

The Farmer quickly shut the door and both he and our daughter followed close behind, driving the lambs slowly.

It never pays to be in a hurry with sheep.

Maybe this time...

And we made it!

We will let them settle down in this small pasture for the night. It's very hot, and they can enjoy some shade by the barn for the evening.

We will move them to new pasture tomorrow. Today was enough work for all of us.