The new year comes.

Our first full year on the farm is drawing to a close.

We have had successes, failures, and learned much.

The rabbits were a lesson in ongoing maintenance requirements. The sheep and birds are much lower maintenance, especially with fencing in place to keep the sheep controlled.

Predators are a problem, but vigilance, planning and judicious hunting can reduce predation a lot. Angry geese help a lot as well, and are tough and capable enough to send a coyote packing. Raccoons are tough targets, but after several hunts, they are causing less trouble.

On the whole power tools mean less than intelligent tool use. On our scale, at the pace we work and with the plans we lay, power tools are more hassle and expense than they are usually worth.

If we want something done properly, it is up to us to do it. We cannot rely on others for things which really matter. The best example of this was the fencing.

An ounce of planning is worth a pound of sweat. Obviously, this is true in many walks of life, but when the pound of sweat is literal, it is driven home so much more clearly.

Best purchases

Some time ago there was a posting on the topic of which tools were the most desirable. Now there has been a year or so to review this.

A knife is definitely required. Even if all one is doing is opening bags of feed and bales of hay, it's a good friend to have.

A hat. A broad brimmed, comfortable hat. It keeps off the sun and the rain, the hail and the snow.

A truck. There are way too many heavy and inconvenient things to carry around on a farm to ignore the utility of a truck.

Boots. Light shoes are all right for a lot of work, but when the snow is deep, the mud is slick and there are hours worth of work to be done, boots come into their own.

Gloves. Farms are full of hard, rough, sharp things as well as animals that don't want to be manhandled. Latex or similar gloves for butchering, thick leather for hard labour, but gloves are a big help.

Everything else is fairly contingent on the nature of the farm, but some kind of weapon for dealing with pests is probably a good idea as well, since there is no farm which cannot be ruined by pest animals.

Freedom

Slightly decided today that he wanted a change of diet, to include fresh bird. To this end he scaled an apple tree, but his appetites were frustrated by the vigilance of the birds. His agility appears to be largely unaffected by his congenitally defective hind leg, and he was stalking down the tree limb with no difficulty.

The recent rains have not affected us in terms of floods, because of judicious land choice. The creek is running strongly, but that is well below the farm and poses no risk. The farm itself slopes little enough that landslides are no risk.

Our escape artiste ewe managed to get out of the northwestern bit of paddock to the eastern extent, which distressed her greatly once she discovered that she didn't know how to get back at feeding time. We drove her back into the southwestern bit with Bolivar and the larger flock, aiming to at least get her with the rest. We shall have to tell the sire of her lamb or lambs by gestation period and dates.

Prisoner at the Bar

Yesterday and today we have had a ewe take advantage of the rainy weather to push up the tent pegs used to hold down loose fencing in spots where the workmen did a poor job. She never goes far, but nonetheless these escapades are bad for business and an embarrassment to the firm; besides, her poor example may yet lead others to follow in her sinful wake.

To this end when this morning's feeding proved not only that she was out again but that she was malingering nearby in the hopes of a few stolen mouthfuls from the wheelbarrow, it was decided that this could no longer be permitted. With the aid of our gallant barn kitty Tink, whose curiosity and friendliness towards we farmer-constables knows no bound, the ewe with her own curiosity and unnatural appetites was lured within reach of the shepherd's crook. Tink provided ably with diversion sufficient that the ewe failed to notice the ominous and gradual rise of the crook into position; until it was far too late, the ewe was nabbed, and despite her ignominious struggles, the farmer-constable had her up in arms and over the fence - back in jug, only this time a more secure jug, having been constructed to hold that rebel Mitey and his harem.

The only difficulty then was in identifying her so that she as a former bride of Bolivar could be - and her lambs - identified for who the father of her future children might be. All welfare relief for little lambs must be attributed to the proper parentage; so sayeth the farm bureaucracy, and so sayeth those who hold the annals and records of such deeds and lineages. Thus a mug shot was prepared and is thus provided, and a portion of her number glimpsed - but only glimpsed - and is believed to involve 304, which would mark her as being Isabelle.

She is very much annoyed by Mitey's would-be attentions, and has been sulking even when a farmer shows up to provide sheep with (literally) bread and water; the former as a treat, the latter a matter of refilling and refreshing troughs. She has, however, less outlet for escape in this pasture, and we may hopefully attend to the weak points this weekend with means of security more viable in this wet and windy season than the tent pegs. Thus sayeth the farmer; thus sayeth the prison guard.

As a note to further witness in chance of future escapes (or escapades), Isabelle is notable within her new flocklet for her dark horns and particoloured face. No other ewe in that paddock has that combination, only one other ewe having similarly dark horns but having an unmarked dark face to match. Isabelle has lighter streaks of 'rouge' on either cheek; she is, clearly, a very fast young lady.

The snow has gone and left rain and fog in its wake, for a somewhat gothic appearance to the landscape. The ducks and geese are absolutely fine with this, although the barn cats would like it to be a trifle dryer, please.

We presently have six ducks remaining, although a raccoon was shot at recently. The coyotes have not been back since we arranged some of the portable mesh fencing around the pond, since the ducks insist on sleeping there at night. It's rather annoying; during the day they will be on the porch or even on the roof of the porch, but at night they insist on being in what is very nearly the most exposed spot available to them.

Last night the truck began overheating, necessitating a tow truck. The mechanic has made mixed noises; there is some damage to be fixed, specifically a new waterpump, but overall it is likely to be only a few hundred dollars. While this is not as wonderful as 'just a busted hose and you're good to go', it is much better than 'you'll need your engine rebuilt', so we're taking it as a win.