And then you said, “So what’cha up to today, Rod?”
Well, funny you should ask. Busy as usual.
Those darn online classifieds got me again.
Yesterday, I came across a listing—someone just half an hour away was getting tired of bottle-feeding seven little lambs. And, well… you can probably guess what happened next.
We’ve been looking to grow the flock, and there are a couple of ways to do that. One way is the slow and steady approach—buy more ewes, breed them, and wait five months for lambs to arrive. But another, much faster way? Scoop up some extra bottle lambs from a neighbor who’s ready to pass the job along! The price was right, they could join the bottle lambs we already have, and best of all, they were practically next door. A few years ago, I drove three hours one way for an opportunity like this—so really, how could I say no?
Now, I did think about bringing some totes or something to put the lambs in for the ride home, but I knew better. They’d just try to climb out. Then, I spotted an old quilt in the shop. Yeah, that should work. I threw it on the floor of the back seat in the truck and off I went.
When I arrived, I was met in the driveway by the family, each of them carrying a few lambs. As I opened the back door of the truck, I could tell they expected some kind of proper containment. But nope. I just said, “They’re fine—just set them in, and I’ll close the door.”
Luckily, the center console was just high enough that I didn’t have any visitors in the front seat on the way home, but there was plenty of talk from the backseat. Lots of movement, too. And the smell? Well, let’s just say if you’ve never experienced the distinct aroma of seven nervous lambs in an enclosed space, it’s an unforgettable mix of warm wool, barnyard, and the occasional digestive emergency. By the time I pulled into the driveway, my truck had officially been broken in as a lamb taxi.
Once home, I introduced the new kids to my older bottle lambs, and things went well. They were a bit cliquey at first, but the older ones eventually decided the new kids could have the heat lamp. I was proud of them—they were very polite.
So, new lambs all tucked in, I’m thinking… what’s going on? Just yesterday, I was running numbers, looking into things, trying to figure out what’s next—but somehow, the universe dropped this growth opportunity right in front of me with a no-brainer decision.
Maybe I’m overthinking things like I always do. Maybe no big plans are needed. Just carry on, and let things grow as they wish.
Farmer Rod
