Friday 19 June 2009

When your world suddenly shrinks

Sheep shorn, they are moved into the orchard to graze down the long grass. The llama isn't allowed in as he can kill a fruit tree at twenty paces; not by spitting but by mercilessly peeling off the bark with his buck teeth. So he gets left in the field that now needs topping to remove the sharp tall growth unfit for haymaking, and that can cut the soft part between the toes of the sheep as they walk through it.
The tractor goes round and round as Humphrey mews in distrust. He sits right in the centre, watching his patch of long, semi-camouflaging grasses get smaller and smaller. He decides that the tractor is boss and then swiftly stands and steps sideways into the topped area, peering over the gate to check all his ovine friends are close by. Satisfied, he starts to nibble the cut stems.

6 comments:

Lindsay said...

Poor lonely Humphrey - I feel sorry for him. He is a handsome beast!

Scriptor Senex said...

It's posts like that which remind one how complex a business farming is. I just hope it is sometimes as much fun for you as you make it sound for us.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Mmmmmmm... I have heard that llama meat is delicious especially when barbecued. Here Humphrey! Come to daddy!

James Higham said...

Poor Humphrey.

Mopsa said...

Lindsay, he's a wuss!

SS - I'm learning all the time, and I'm not a proper (full-time) farmer!

YP - keep your hungry hands OFF!

James - I'm sure it's reciprocated.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Great shot of Humphrey.