Of sheep and shrubs
Home » Blog » Judy Sutherland » Of sheep and shrubsJudy welcomes her first livestock to the hill.
At about the time I had my forces inside painting our little flat there were also external events occurring. We called in a professional fencer to secure our boundary—didn’t want those piles of rust finding their way onto our property! And we had (hopefully) fixed internal fences sufficiently to keep a few lambs enclosed.
So now we were ready to welcome our first livestock onto the hill. Seven 2-tooths (last years’ lambs) arrive on the trailer. As they are unloaded they are crutched and/or docked (generally cleaned up in the rear) ready to be put to their new pasture.
Five white, one brown and one black heavily-wool-laden lambs are escorted into the big paddock. The grass is abundant and they are in sheep heaven … for a few days …
There is ample lush green grass in the pasture, the paddock is large, there is an easily-accessible water supply but sheep will be sheep, as we have discovered. And sheep seem to be born with the precept that the grass is always greener in the next paddock. It turns out that our hastily-repaired fences are not satisfactory for our wander-lust sheep. Can they smell freshly-planted saplings? Or maybe they are missing their brothers, sisters and playmates? Whatever the reason, when we arrive at our new abode one afternoon and open the gate at the road end of the driveway (a precaution against wandering stock) we are greeted by five white, one brown, and one black rather bemused sheep.
“Shoo! Shoo! You naughty animals!” I chase these woolly creatures back up the driveway while Jim sits on the horn. They are unsure which way to go but an open gate allows them to return to the nearest paddock.
I continue to the shed and glance at my newly-planted garden … “Oh, those naughty sheep! They’ve eaten all the plants!”
A look around the fences and we think we can see the escape route—through one of the previous owner’s fences! Out come the gloves, wire grips, pliers and whatever else one may need to tighten some wire. Jim & I do a sterling job and rest in the knowledge that we have beaten those creatures …
…until next time … and the next time … oh dear, one day we will get it right!
In the meantime I persist with planting. I have learned that sheep love rhododendrons, decorative grasses, various flaxes, cabbage trees and most shrubs. If they don’t eat begonias they will certainly trample them to death! Just about the only plant I found they haven’t developed a taste for is the yukka of which I have a few lining the top part of my driveway—but I can’t imagine a garden solely comprising these spiked leaves!
Now we may be first-time farmers but I was quite conscious of the fact that we had very little in way of shelter for our stock. We needed to plant some trees in the various paddocks. Some suggestions were received and soon we had purchased ten evergreen magnolias for one paddock, 19 olives to line a vehicle track (also used for grazing) and 22 titokis to line the driveway. Knowing our sheep had an affinity to any flora as an alternative to grass I instructed the builder-cum-farmer-cum-handyman to build wire surrounds as we planted our new acquisitions. The titokis didn’t need the surrounds as they are in the driveway and the sheep don’t go there.
I am sad to report that, two years on, out of ten magnolias, three are sporting a few leaves; out of 19 olive trees, nine still have leaves but only three seem to be enjoying their lives on our land, and all the titokis have been pruned many times (they must be delicious!).
Those original sheep all found their way into various freezers but the substitutes were worse offenders. They had an inclination to jump the ha-ha (wall that defines our house site from the farm) to dine upon my choice vegetation. But a lesson has been learned—sheep that have lambed are less adventurous. We took care of this in the customary manner and now my garden flora is safe from prying mouths (until the next flock of lambs arrive)!
