Lauren, at the Vet’s Clinic, handed me the package.
Merry Christmas, Grinch!, she said. Who told you I was the Grinch? I said. She just laughed. Poo, I said as I left. She laughed some more.
Mama (policeman sheep) is suddenly limping badly and has a cough. So first I will worm her. Sheep crop the grass very low to the ground so they collect parasites. This is where Organically Grown differs from Certified Organic. If the garlic and vinegar are not working, I will use chemicals. I have no intention of losing this sheep or letting her suffer. I do grow the animals organically. But my breeding girls sometimes need a little more help. So I will treat them if they are sick. And if she has a foot problem she needs all the help she can get.
And the limp? Mama did the exact same thing at this stage in her pregnancy last season. Same hoof too. It is not hot and smells fine. Smell is a very important tool in farming especially when the animals are in the barn. I was like “Hold her still John, I have to smell her foot!” -he does not even bat an eyelid now.
I cleaned her hooves and trimmed them again. I will treat the gap between the two claws of the hoof with a topical application of an antibiotic, (a jab will not reach a hoof, not enough blood going into that area)to combat any infection and I recommend bed rest. Mia is in the hospital wing with her or she will pine. Sheep do not like to be alone.
Hairy McLairy has gone in with Daisy. They shuffle along well together. Both being big fat brutes! I will take you to visit Mama tomorrow, she will be allowed visitors by then.
This is The Kitchens Garden sustainable Christmas Tree. It is a holly. But you knew that. It is not pretty, has thorns (Grinch-like) and the berries. Kind of self-decorating. (Another Grinch feature) To get berries you need a male and a female Holly. Or one that has been grafted and has both. For the record this is a girl tree! Who knew.. Well, I guess now we both know. We will plant it out in the garden in the spring. Then get a boy Holly to go with it for next years Sustainable Christmas Tree!
John is in charge of the Christmas decorations. He will hang them tomorrow. And I should warn you right now, that all his decorations are Star Trek models. I do not interfere. It is best not to, I have learnt. One year I lazily added stars. Well you should have seen the commotion. I thought it was In Keeping! Stars – Star Trek! But no, Our John is in charge of decorations. Not The Grinch. This is the rule. A strict rule.
Bet you thought I was Not Going to have a Tree didn’t you!! (laughter!).
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
78 responses to “The Sustainable Christmas Tree: Who Let the Grinch OUT!”
Smell really cannot be underrated in working with animals. It is as important a diagnostic tool with some illnesses as sight.
I agree completely, I can walk into the barn and immediately, if I trust my sense of smell, I will know something has changed.. trusting that sense of smell is vital, now I pay attention.. c
Chuckle. Love the idea of Star Trek decs.
I wonder if holly has a fragrance. Our family has used a sheoak (like a fir tree) since I was a child so that is the smell of Christmas for me – delicate and fresh and reminding me of their wild whisperings and spongy carpet beneath my feet.
I hope Mama recovers quickly. I don’t like the man-made ‘chemical’ medicines either but sometimes we must grit our teeth and administer them if they are more efficacious.
I know. And with sheep you have to get in fast, they can go down very quickly! At this stage the holly has no fragrance, and I do remember the scent of the sheoak.. gorgeous. Aren’t they wonderful in a forest! c
ROFL! I hope Mama sheep feels better soon 😉
I do hope we’ll be seeing the decorations…
She is standing up in the hospital wing as of now, 8.10 pm, so that is a good sign.. c
A man after my own heart! Star Trek Christmas decorations! Live long and prosper, John!
Merry Christmas, my Grinchy friend! Having found you is a true Christmas present to me.. 🙂 xxx
Celia you are a darling girl, I am so happy to be having christmas with you, I have posted your latest garden page on my new Facebook page. The potato idea needs sharing if we are to get gardens going in small backyards.. c
Heh, heh, heh. Same sustainable Christmas decorations as around here. Last year since I’d been told I was supposed to get rid of the holly that our house’s previous owner had planted too close to the house, I cut all of the branches off it except for a few main twigs I left on the trunk so I could keep the main structure (dead) as a trellis for this year’s morning glories (worked great for that!). I took all of the branches inside and built a “Christmas tree” out of them in a 5-gallon paint bucket and strung it with lights and a handful of little, shiny red dollar-store plastic Texas stars. This year it’s a big bargain poinsettia and a flat of better-bargain white cyclamens that will go in the garden, come spring.
those shiny red texas stars must be perfect, and cyclamens, I love them, I shall do that next year ! I bet your branch tree is gorgeous! c
Star Trek decorations? Love it!
Also love any sustainable Christmas tree, what shape it comes in.
It is so much easier to have a live tree in Aussie, here it is a bit of a task to keep them alive indoors for the rest of the winter, but the Holly should be alright i think,, c
LOL I love the smell of animal feet….well maybe not. 🙂
ha ha ha .. but i am sure you would love the smell of daisy’s feet!,, c
The company that built our home placed 2 holly plants in the front yard. Then we planted one in the backyard and we had holly love:) I did not know holly plants were male and female – amazing what you learn along the way. Thanks for sharing!
Does the Holly have a scent when it is flowering? c
The breath of a newborn calf, sweet and milky like melted ice cream
The breath of a nursing baby — similar and just as fragrant
But keep the burp rag handy and don’t let down your guard in either case.
The scent of a horse just in from a ride — the exuding neatsfoot on the tack in the rack
And of course the aroma of the silage being fed — the sweet feed in the bin — the alfalfa overhead.
Farming has it’s own olfactory pleasures .. and unmentionable miasmas.
But that’s life and that’s sweet and short and to the point and hits you heavily in the heart and head on a daily basis. I Undeniable. And far better than the aroma of any city.
And isn’t that what it’s all about ?
(and yes, I’ve sniffed a hoof or two but not of sheep)
Smells are so important and something we forget sometimes until we hit a bad one. I have the smell of wet dog waiting to go back out at my feet right now!! Thank you Jim, your comments are glorious! c
Well who knew that about Holly?!! And poor Mama sheep – I agree, you get to know your animals and can tell by instinct/smell/look when something isn´t right, Hope she rests up…tell her it´s Doctor´s orders! Our tree is two branches of a neigbours pine tree with cones still attached…in a bucket and looking like it could do with a few “hair extensions” in its bald patches!
Pine cones attached are a decorating bonus!! and i keep trying to tell John that the bald spot is not unattractive!! c
The holly is beautiful! I hope Mama is cooperative in her treatment and feels much better soon!
I do hope she gets over it soon, I hate to coop up an animal like that! Thanks saffron.. c
The holly tree looks bright and merry. Last winter solstice I searched Auckland for a holly but couldn’t find one with berries on. Your sheep are getting such good attention! Here in NZ my granddaughter, who is 3, has requested a flax Christmas tree – so who knows what we will come up with.
I stopped by the Organic Growers on my way out to the bach today and found that there is indeed a bill – Food Security Bill – that could make famers’ markets illegal. It’s not the idea of our gvt, but a consequence of joining the world trade organisation. I’m about to sign a petition and alert others. Thanks for the heads-up.
That bill is nonsense. Farmers markets are huge in NZ, We have been selling like that for years and years. It quite simply cannot happen. And thank you for the extra info, keep it coming! If it is an international consequence then who else in in the WTO and what has happened to their local growers! I need to do some digging! thank you Jean. Oh and a flax tree sounds gorgeous, you can curl and weave it the ends to hold your decorations!! c
NZ and the US have been in the WTO since 1995, farmers markets are a growth industry here, so ask that guy whether they are re-negotiating? I shall continue digging. c
Star trek? I heart john.
I know, what do you do!! You trekkies! c
Great holly pics. A baby holly arrived all by itself right up against the wall of the house had been re-planted at the bottom of the garden, and is doing well, but too small to be part of the decor yet. I hope the sheep’s foot continues to improve. As for smells: in my horsy childhood, I had to be forced to wash my hands and change my clothes, so much did I love the stable smells!
That is lovely,I must say horsey smells are delicious! Like dairy cows, that is a heady scent.. c
I really don’t believe you are a Grinch, holly would make ia beautiful an there is nothing wrong in bucking a trend ;0) particularly with those decorations. If my hubby knew he would want them too but I am a bit pedantic with my colour coordination on my tree, must be all those years suffering paper chains, thin gcotton to Roses chocolates and painted pine cones and ancient cheep bling
Oh I remember that ancient cheap bling, it must have been international!!.. ha ha painted pine cones! c