Someone is putting on weight. At this time of year and for at least another 6 weeks, if not longer, I have to keep the animals out of the fields for two reasons 1) so that the grass can grow. Daisy does not understand this. 2) So that large animals do not pug the moist spring ground up. Daisy is classed as a large animal. She is not impressed with this ruling either! 
I let the sheep into the Rat House Paddock for a few hours this afternoon for a run and to attempt to separate Hairy MacLairy the gate breaker back out. But I lost heart. 
He stuck to Mama like glue. 
When they did separate, he was on top of the root cellar.
But not for long.
I would have sent the sheep-dog in but, well, you see the problem! So I called them back into the sacrifice paddock. Sheep also must wait for the grass to grow. He can stay for a wee while with Mama in her field but not for too long. He eats all their special pregnant ewe feed.
The chickens came out for a dust bath. 
It was a Martha Stewart day. Well lit but too much beige.
Good morning. Looking out my lightening loft window this morning I see that we have a cloudy day ahead today. And it should be warm (low 50’s – fingers crossed). It may even rain tonight. We might see a little green in the fields in a few days, but for the real eight inches of growth I need warm soil and time. And I am still short of hay. About two weeks short. So I shall continue my search for feed today.
I have been invited to write our farmy story for the Old World Garden Farms blog (I think it will be published this Sunday I shall let you know) and I found this photo for the page I am writing. Look at Daisy in all that grass. We will be fencing inside Pats Paddock this year so it can be grazed more intensively. You will remember that last year was its first year of growth. Look at that forage!
Good Morning!
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
69 responses to “Hairy MacLairy gets his Own Way.”
I dig the happy dog smile…it made me smile. I can almost smell the damp field when you speak of rain. Hope the feed is found ~
I hope I can find more hay too, my usual guy sold my lot by mistake! however I can always feed them, we will get inventive!
c
Wonderful expression. ‘It was a Marhta Stewart day. Well lit but too much beige.’
I learn more about farming with each post, and my vicarious pleasure increases in proportion. This is true armchair farming.
awsome idea, I am going to drag an old chair into the paddock and do some armchair farming too! c
Poor Daisy!
Morning Mad! c
Something tells me the whole farmy would look quite different in configuration and operations if Miss Daisy had her druthers!
pug pug pug pug,, all mud! c
Good luck on separating Hairy! It is amazing how tenacious they can be when they set their minds to something. (I think Ton needs to have his job descriptions explained to him again! 🙂 )
Yes Ted, TonTon is a very confused sheep dog! c
So excited about you writing a farmy story in the Old World Garden Farms blog Celi. Can’t wait to read it! I just love Ton Ton!!! He looks like a friend to all the farm animals….with exception of the Guineas. 🙂 Guess what?! it will be in the 70s two days this week!!! Wild, wonderful and warm!!! xo
wow, you are getting really warm down there, your plants must be out full time now! c
Love the Martha Stewart phrase! Can’t wait to see your article.
Morning Mouse! The essay will fill in a few gaps .. c
Love the Martha Stewart shot!! And, your sheep dog doing his part! It’s way past morning for me, but I so do enjoy your mornings!!
Nigh night (laughter!) c
Love the picture of Hairy on top of the root cellar! I will spare my border collie the grief of seeing TonTon in the middle of the sheep like that…she would die!
Yes, TonTon has some identity issues and two big problems, the sheep are not afraid of him and secondly there being only three sheep (one of whom is a ram) that whole flocking thing does not really happen. If I had ten more sheep who had not grown up with the dog, we may do a bit better. He can work the cows! but not the sheep! They won’t listen to him.. They Luff him! c
Can’t express how much I love ALL of your photos. Your animals are adorable. I just love Daisy. Top of the morning to you as well! x
Thank you again for taking me on a brief trip to the farmy. I needed the fresh air, sunshine and open space today!
Ronnie
I think they are all just happy the weather is better.. that they don’t want to be inside at all lol. And look at my girl Daisy.. she just knows she’s ready for her summer appearance 🙂
Look at TonTon in the thick of things!
as usual… c
Congratulations on the invitation from Old World Garden Farms.