Herd/Pack Mentality

It feels amazing to begin a interval whereby things are stable and functional. As you know well, I’m always striving to find stability on the farm. Between attrition issues, fencing maintenance, chores, and the general upkeep of animals (and the property), I always seem to be at an impasse between management of activities and damage-control. In other words, I move towards farm nirvana on a daily basis, always reaching for it. Having secured a landing point, of which to perch and rest on, it feels good. Here is where I am.

Recently, we have completed more house and property renovations. We go through waves, and this was one of house painting, new decking, and fence painting and maintenance. Also included in this wave is the flagstone porch and 2 palettes of sod to place on the bald areas in the immediate yard. We have completed this wave, and now are ready to sit on it all awhile. This was all around the same time we were settling the pastures and animals. Now contentment sets in, and it's time to enjoy it the fruits of the seeds we have been planting and sowing.

One thing I've begun to form a habit of doing (esp during this last reno) is to give things back to the earth. This concept was new to me when first moved to acreage. Previously, there was a trash and recycle container. Still is. The difference is now, my goal is to not fill them up, but find uses and disposal methods for the rubbish I have. It seemed like a hard task the first year living here. My old habits were firmly refined from years of living in neighborhoods where restrictions kept people from making free choices. So, I went along with city living in the country, unknowingly. But after awhile, I noticed I could make other choices. Better choices. Now, I'm in full swing. I have three official burn pile locations. Small, medium and large areas. My small and medium burn areas are for convenient burning of household things, boxes, trash, and anything that fits nicely in those spaces. The large area is for furniture, wood, extra lumber, and larger cardboard boxes. One time, a whole bedroom furniture set. It's just that easy to discard it. I've gotten to know when NOT to burn (wind), and how to start my fire without gasoline, as I like my hair and eyebrows. One of my favorite things to burn is the straw from mucking the sheep stall. Gone, just like that. I do reuse the straw sometimes for various reasons. To cover wet, muddy areas or place conveniently in a windy area where it will speed itself back to the earth, at its own pace and rate. There's many variables that go into discarding used straw, trash, and all rubbish. We still use the trash and recycle bins. Just far less that before. It feels good to be able to rid myself of trash without having others do it. We are certainly not 100% trash independent, but I'm going to continue to use the privilege of making burn decisions, and work towards placing things back to the earth, when possible and within reason.

Speaking of trash, I've learned that goats will chew and nibble on most anything. I must be mindful of what they can get to, and is it dangerous or poisonous? I have recently placed baking soda and mineral blocks at their free-choice discretion. Goats, like sheep, have delicate rumens that require a consistence balance of forage and if needed, grain. Goats need cooper, whereby cooper can be toxic to sheep. As many ways that sheep and goats are alike, they are very different. They have the same amount of 'stomachs' (4), but the minerals they need are different. I have a salt lick for the sheep, and a mineral lick for the goats. I'm still learning what is best for each of them. The one thing that is similar is the gestational time - both around 5 months. In a previous blog, I mentioned the 5th, and newest-to-us goat, Sprinkles, was rehomed to us by an acquaintance at a local feed store. Kind of like, here, want this goat? Well, either Sprinkles is eating a lot of pasture yum-yums and is gaining weight, or she, like Nona, came to us pregnant. I certainly can't say for sure yet, but I have my eye on her. What I have found is our sweet little goats are quiet, curious and observant. They watch everything I do, and want to follow me around, if possible. I could see how there's such potential in regards to maximizing my relationship with the goats. Yeah, I bought them so the guard pups could have their own herd to guard, but I really like the goats. They are not just ornaments out there in the pasture, they are my herd, too. Despite my original thoughts about goats in general, I will continue to nurture my relationship with them. How can I not? They are open to my love, nurturing and touch - as if they could be like a dog. Fascinating to me.

Speaking of herd animals, there's a good chance you might have heard of the new book, Wolfpack. I've not read (all of it) yet, but I do follow the author, Abby Wamback on InstaGram. Abby is the soccer phemon who is an Olympian, and now adds Author to her acheivements. She's taken what she learned in life, and placed it on paper. It's an interesting take on her 'Wolfpack' rules that she outlines in her book. It's a book for women to connect us to our strength and power of our pack. New Rules, she calls them. Lead From The Bench spoke to me, as we all live the life of not being the one playing on the field. But leading from the bench is something we all can do. We can support each other and be for each other. We can Point and Rush to each other when we score in life. Pointing to those who helped make it all happen, supported and cheered for us, and rushing to hug and thank them. We can Be For Each Other. She encourages celebrating the successes of each other, and that's what I find most important. These are all basics things we may or may not already do - but I love the way she reminds me of these things, and how important they are. Having several herd/pack animals on the farm, I see it in action every day. The sheep are always for each other. The goats are always for each other, and the donkeys are a strong herd that never leaves the other one out. I see examples of these herd/pack qualities every day, and translating those qualities to my own life has been a new way of thinking for me. It changes everything. My herd, my pack, my family, my friends, my coworkers, but really - it's all of us as one big pack. Rushing to each other, being for each other, and grateful for what we all have is her focus, and she shares and reminds me with this new book. Abby takes it one level deeper by saying, The Wolf is not only grateful for what she has AND insists on what she deserves. The Wolf makes failure her fuel. The Wolf demands the effing ball. The Wolf knows her Power.
You were never Little Red Riding Hood -- You were always the Wolf.

Wait, I'm not Little Red Riding Hood? I'm the Wolf? Oh, I am the Wolf! I am the Wolf.

My perspective just shifted. Thank you, Abby Wamback, for taking time in your life to remind me of my power and strength, and reminding me to ask for what I deserve. Abby has teamed up my my most favorite author, Brene Brown, and the two of them together make all women stronger and more resilient. They are my examples of presenting the qualities in life that I can focus on, improve upon and learn that we were never Little Red Riding Hood. We were always the Wolf.

To my Pack of women and men - I am most grateful for you. You, who read my words. Listens to my heart ebb and flow in life. You, who is on this life journey with me. Our own Wolfpack.

I am rushing and pointing to you right now,

Cyndi