I Never Knew...
by Darlene on 08/29/11
...How much work is involved in laying out the infrastructure to setting up a farm.
Fencing, watering facilities, shelters, rotational grazing, etc.
I think being naieve isn't always a bad thing (lol) because if I had known when I first bought this farm all that I would someday have, and all that I would someday have to do to set things up right, I probably wouldn't have bought a place that wasn't set up already lol.
I have been fencing for 10 months now. Last year the fencing was a priority but when I brought the Misty Acres Kangals to the farm it became a critical priority and I ended up fencing through last winter, this spring and summer. Yesterday I finally completed the last of the critical phase of fencing and there's a part of me that can't believe it's finally done. I moved Dawn and Warrior up there and put the sheep with the lambs (they were in different pastures up to this point) and everyone seemed to love their new home. Warrior ran the perimeter over and over again while Dawn stayed close to the sheep. At one point one of the sheep went over to Dawn and touched noses with her...it was beautiful to see the bond that they have with her, somehow knowing she can be trusted and that she'll help keep them safe. This morning when I went to take my daughter to school Dawn and Warrior raced me as I drove down the driveway and it was easy to see how happy they were in their new home.
As for me, my hands hurt, I have cuts and scratches all over from traipsing through the woods running lines of high tensile. Like a dummy and because it's still summer I braved those areas in flip flops because boots are too hot to wear right now and paid the price of that bright idea lol.
It seems like it's been forever under construction...when people would come to visit the farm I would point to these different 'works in process' and explain how I was in the middle of 'building this or doing that'. Now, finally, it's done and I won't have to explain a thing...it speaks for itself.
There might be some who, when they read this wonder why I'm even taking the time to write about this in a blog. There will definitely be some however, who have embarked on the same journey of having to set the infrastructure up on a farm who will over understand how I feel right now.
Late yesterday afternoon after I had moved the dogs and sheep to the new pasture I found myself walking the fence line just watching and observing the animals. It really wasn't anything too exciting...the sheep ate grass and the dogs ran around but the gratitude I felt in my heart was genuine as I thanked Him that the fencing was done. I still remember trying to set posts in the winter in soggy ground (that didn't work at all). I remember discovering M10 and that becoming my new best fencing friend (it will make posts tight in the ground regardless of the conditions of the earth). I remember freezing outside, hating every moment I was out there, having no choice but to get things set up as quickly as I could, vowing that I would never do that type of work during the winter months again. I remember all those things...the stresses and pressures and people thinking I was crazy for working so hard. That's why, now that it's done, my appreciation and gratitude is real.
I don't ever want to have to do this again...lol
Last week a friend stopped by and was looking at all the work that had been accomplished. He commented that the fencing was the nicest fencing he had seen in a long, long time and asked if he could bring others who would be facing the need to get fencing done, over to the farm so that they could see how I had set mine up. He feels it is a good representation of how someone can set up their farm with their various animals and have it not only look nice, but work well too.
That was a compliment that I didn't expect.
Today is a good day. I'm not feeling "I gotta, I gotta, I gotta do this and that". I'm sitting here looking out the glass doors on the front of the house watching Hediye laying up on the hill, scanning the property and once in a while looking at the doors to see if she can catch a glimpse of me.
I love that girl with a depth that I can't put into words. When I brought her back up to the house yesterday my daughter walked out with a huge smile on her face...she's thrilled to have Hediye up at the house once again. I'll be bringing Canan back up here too, seperating them in the two small pastures I have in front of the house as they wait their time to give birth to a new generation of precious Kangal puppies.
Hediye and Canan...aunt and neice...carrying on the incredible line of Kangal Dogs from Turkey that go back many, many, many years...long before I even knew this breed exhisted. I've actually missed having puppies around with their bright and happy personalities, making us laugh and falling in love with them over and over again.
:)
