You know how only YESTERDAY Daisy promised not to head butt Hairy in 2012? Well it was still 2011 yesterday. We were working in the barn unearthing the 1953 Dodge. It will be my asparagus truck for the spring, I am going to park it at the end of the track and sell my fresh asparagus from it. As you can see it needs a wee clean up and well, getting it running would be useful too, so this is Winter Work for Our John. So off to the workshop it goes. 
There was a muck around with pens, we had to open the big doors and get the truck out, this resulted in the calves (Queenie and Baby Bobby) being momentarily stored in the pen where Daisy and Hairy hang out. They got into a tussle, there was confusion and the next thing you know Hairy Maclairy had bright red blood pouring down his face.
So I went in with the broom (I must get myself a shepherds crook, sticks are so useful for directing animals around, a stick with a Hook would be fantastic) Queenie and Baby Bobby were shooed back into the back pen. I narrowed my eyes at Daisy who just looked innocent and with a flick of my yellow broom dispatched Hairy into the corridor pen. Then sent Daisy to her room to Think about What She had Done! 
Within seconds we could see that the entire horn was gone. Broken off at skull level. Thank Goodness the bleeding had stopped as fast as it has started. We sprayed the site with iodine. He is such a good ram. He munched away on hay quietly for a few hours, seemed no worse for wear and then I put him back in with Mama. Where he proceeded to finish off her hay as well.
This horn, pictured below has always been a bother. He had his horns removed as a young animal but this one grew back. Though it grew as slowly as a glacier, at least twice a year John had to hold his head while I hacksawed it down a bit to keep it out of his eye. Never too much because we did not want it to bleed. It is dicey for a sheep to have the horn amputated when they are older, without using heat, as there are blood vessels in the actual horn. However very luckily he seems to have survived his surprise surgery without harm.
The other reason that we are taking the truck out is that it was stored where the two new pens are going to be built. The Winter Work list is rather long. In fact I am only revealing it to Our John in stages, so as not to risk a mutiny.
The Pig Pen will be built inside where it is dark and cool for sleeping and they will have a corridor to their outside yard where the paddling pool and their food and toilet will be. Then another larger pen for larger animals. 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
81 responses to “Blood in The Barn! Hairy can no longer Toot his own Horn!”
God, I love that truck – a truck of dreams. Filled with asparagus it becomes a vehicle of the Gods.
Really this farm life is never dull is it? But you always seem to just go with the flow..I so admire you!!
I kind of go with the flow, but sometimes I have to grab the broom and move the buggers along!! hahaha.. c
Poor Hairy MacLairy! Glad to hear he’s okay, but still. I hope Daisy has an easier time with her resolutions going forward. I’ve been meaning to ask you: Was Hairy Maclairy named after the floppy little dog in the children’s book series? My children LOVE those books and think it’s hilarious that your sheep has his same name. Your sheep tends to get into a bit less trouble, though 😉 Happy New Year, C!
Yes and I frequently call him Hairy MacLairy from Donaldsons dairy, he is a lot like a big shaggy dog is our Hairy.. I used to read those books years ago too,, love them! That is a NZ author but I guess you knew that!! c
Happy New Year Celi …. and all the best for 2012.
Thank you Frank.. all the best for you and yours .. c
In Daisy´s defence, I´m sure she mentioned to me that one of her New Year´s resolutions which you forgot to note was to be super kind to Hairy and give him a Spa treament Hornicure for a present. Their barn antics sound rather like the dramas here on New Year´s Eve involving hospital (for my father) and a sick dog after last week´s incident of being run over by the Fish Man. More of that though in another post as all seems to be well now!
Poor Hairy. I like the 1953 dodge (especially the colour) and look forward to seeing some images of it all loaded up with asparagus later in the year.
I hope Hairy will be OK. 🙂
Oh what drama for the farmer! I hope the horn wound heals well.
So far so good, winter is a good time to get a wound if you are going to get one.. no flies! c
Man, what a fracas! Such a to-do for the start of the year. Lots of monkeying around, considering there are no monkeys in the bunch. Yet! So glad the episode seems to have a happy ending in sum. And yes, that beautiful truck, plus a posh piggy-pad, are well worth the dust-up. What a hoot!
Hmm.. I am fairly sure there are not monkeys out there! I do wonder sometimes!..c
Celi, I think you have a much stronger stomach than me. Even when cutting my cats claws I end up a mess if we cut to close to her paw and it bleeds a bit. But that 1953 Dodge is to die for! I hope you’ll post up a pic once you’ve got the asparagus growing in it? Very cool idea.
I am going to sell bunches of asparagus from it. I have 500 plants growing down the back. We will park it on the roadside. Though I would be risking my life to plant things in the bed of the truck, it is indeed a pretty cool idea.. have fun.. c
That had to hurt. Wait a minute, aren’t rams the ones who are known for head-butting? You know, if my dog was taller he’d be a dead ringer for Hairy (now that he’s minus the horn).
Yes, rams back up and run into the opponent with their head down, the cows seem to tangle, or swipe from the side, more than bash, Unless of course they are bulls. But they certainly tangled/butted one way or the other.. Your dog must be a hairy beast indeed! c
Can you believe that cow? Wow! And I love that 1953 FREE green asparagus truck. What happens if someone wants to pass on the asparagus and buy the truck? Whatcha gonna do?
John gave that truck the FREE number plate because its previous owner said to him (after he had admired it.) If you take that truck away today you can have it for nothing, needless to say john was back with a trailer within hours! c
I really admire you for the way you write your blogs, they have such a life and feeling. I suppose with all of the work involved on the farm you can never really have a day exactly like another. The dodge looks fantastic and I am sure it will make an awesome backdrop for you to sell your asparagus. As for Hairy, Ouch!
Thank you JD. As you say every day is different and I really do not have to look far for some incident to write for you.. c
Rebellion in the ranks eh?
The truck is gorgeous. Never thought of myself as a truck girl but there you go!
That is a sweet vehicle though! i don’t blame you for admiring her.. c
Oh, no, Daisy! I can’t believe this. Seems that they made you busy again… Your photographs are so nice as always dear Cecilia… Thank you, Happy New Year, I wish you much more calm days in your lovely farm… 🙂 with my love, nia
Thank you nia, we do have calm days as you know. You have been visiting for SIX months now! Wow.. c