've got a little tale that might just make you chuckle or, at the very least, shake your head at my sheepish oversight. So, buckle up, and let's dive into this barnyard adventure!
For those of you who are newer to our flock of friends, here's the scoop: Every three months, our farm welcomes a new batch of lambs. Sometimes, our ewes have more than two lambs, and since they're only equipped with two "fuel pumps" (if you catch my drift), not all the little ones can get their fair share directly from mom. It's a bit tough on the ewes and challenging for the extra lambs. That's why we step in to help out these "bottle babies" by giving them a special mix of milk that's just like what their moms would offer—warm, nutritious, and always on tap, thanks to a nifty machine we've set up.
Now, onto the tale that had me counting sheep in my sleep. The other afternoon, during my routine check on our bottle lamb pen, I discovered a certain mischievous barn kittyvhad fancied herself a sip of milk and accidentally punctured a hole in the milk dispenser's nipple. After turning off the machine to halt the milk waterfall and replacing the nipple, I casually remarked to Lily, "Come on, let's go feed the sheep," completely forgetting to turn the machine back on.
Fast forward to the next morning, as I'm over at the other end of the shed gathering fresh straw—well within earshot of our lambs but not quite in sight—I'm greeted by an orchestra of baa's unlike any symphony I've ever heard. Puzzled, I thought, "What on earth could have ruffled their wool?" After finishing up with the straw, curiosity (and a bit of a farmer's instinct) nudged me to check on the source of the commotion. As I approached, the lambs were doing laps, baaing up a storm, as if trying to tell me something. And then it hit me—no milk was coming out of the feeder. Oh, dear! In my haste the day before, I'd forgotten to turn the machine back on.
So, it turns out, our bottle lambs weren't just naturally quiet; they were simply too content to make a peep! Until, of course, their 24/7 café unexpectedly closed. Talk about a "baa-d" day at the office, right? Well, I flipped the switch, the milk flowed once again, and peace was restored in the pen.
Hope this little mishap gave you a chuckle. It just goes to show, even in the quietest corners of the farm, there’s always room for a surprise—or in my case, a reminder to check twice and feed once. Here’s to more laughs and less early morning lamb marathons!
Regards from the farm,
Your Farmer, Rod