Herding Pigs. I mean the PIGS were doing the herding!

As I was admiring the flowers in my garden. 

I noticed Mama laying about in the sun, but not looking quite right. On closer inspection she has a lesion above her hoof. 

I needed to bring her into the barn for some attention.  So after the milking I led them all in. It is easier to move the whole group. They followed me into the barn, I shut the gate, then they discovered a gate at the other end of the pen that I had not latched properly (what kind of farmeress am I) and out into another field they popped like a flock of cuckoos.  Oops. 

This little field was the one adjacent to the pig sty and there were two dear sweet darling little fat piggies lolling about taking in the sun.  I sighed as you do when you do something dumb and calling Ton, went out after the sheep to bring them back in.

I wish I had brought the camera out with me. TonTon is not much of a sheep dog as you know. He is very good at moving forward and going down, then left or right and going down. But unfortunately Mama takes no notice of his efforts to be a good sheep dog and just glares at him and stamps her foot or simply walks across the top of him.  Our objective was to get the sheep to turn and go back through the door into the barn. Ton and I had them in a group and standing still.  Soon we were at a stand OFF.  We had collected them into a tight group. Mama was glaring, the others were milling. Then I realised that Mama and her flock were slowly backing up quite nicely.  Weird they never went anywhere nicely.  And how had we got them into a tight group so quickly. They will follow but they will not be herded.

I had been working on the sheep aware that the pigs were following me. Looking down I saw that two pigs were in fact on either side of me (they like me to be the tofu in their sandwich) and  I realised that as I moved the dog about and moved myself forward they were moving up with us.  And they were unusually focussed on the flock of sheep. Sheila’s head tipped up and sideways, trying to flick her ears out of her eyes like a teenage girl.

There is a farm dog called an eye dog. He will make eye contact with the animals he is herding. Did I have an eye pig?  Or was she merely waiting for an opportunity to snuffle at them in case they were dinner.

So I began to slowly work the sheep moving the pigs up with me.  It sounded like this: Ton Walk up. Down. Come on Shush. Here Sheila. Wait. (Sheila will stand still if you scratch behind her ears)  Ton Go round, Go round.  Down. Come on Sheila.  Come on Charlotte.

Mama is a bolter she needs to think it is her idea to go through the gap or she will leap in the opposite direction taking the rest with her.   The pigs  like to have me close and were moving forward slowly too, but grunting  softly like pigs. Well I mean they are pigs so it stands to reason doesn’t it.  But it actually sounds like a low yap.  More of a ruff, ruff, ruff. We all paused.  Charlotte ruffed. Sheila froze watching Mama. Everyone stood quite still watching Mama the lead sheep. The dog and the pigs and I had created a perfect half circle. Walk up, I called and Ton walked forward a step then crouched down.  Sheila, Charlotte and I took another step, the pigs leaning into my legs on either side.  Scratch behind the ears. Ruff Ruff. Another pause. Then Mama, with a disgusted toss of her head,  turned her flock and without further ado marched stompily back into the barn. 

Good piggies, I said. Well done, TonTon and I ran to shut the gate. The pigs grunted with satisfaction and went back to their sunny corner.

After I had applied some wound spray to her leg they were sent out the other side to have a chat with poor Hairy. They will stay in the yards for a few days until her wound is dry. Open wounds when there are flies around make me feel most unwell. 

Oh and by the way – I ordered Hairy’s breeding harness which cost $16.50 yesterday and within an hour the bank was calling me asking me if I had just donated $2000  to a charity  called Soul to Soul with my visa card. Um No.  No, I most certainly did not and thank you very much for asking. The card was cancelled and the bank got a big tick in the security column.  I am fairly sure that I will have to reorder the harness with its pretty chalk.  Maybe I will call them on the phone!  There really is a lot to be said for cheques. Hairy MacLairy on receipt of the news  that his harness was possibly delayed was less than impressed.

Good morning. It is almost dawn and a chilly morning again. Have my warm mornings gone? Just like that? Not even a good bye?  I am sitting here writing to you in my big winter dressing gown.  Time to get dressed, find my clown suit and go out into the dark morning to begin my day.

You all have a lovely day too. Now that I have the cooking oil car back I might have to go and get some supplies.  Well maybe not. I might make a list for a few days, I do hate to have to shop!

celi

What were we doing on this day a year ago? I wrote a story.  About a pioneer woman making sourdough. I have always been fascinated by the women who travelled with enormous courage across this vast land.