Category Archives: Sheep

Setter Farm Trip

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A friend of mine, who is here in Shetland for Wool Week, won a Facebook Like-And-Share “raffle” for a tour of Setter Farm.  She asked if anyone would like to accompany her (this was a few months’ back) and I thought that it sounded very interesting and said yes, please (pick me, pick me!)

There are only two dairy farms in Shetland and Setter Farm is situated in Tingwall (about 5 minutes out of Lerwick). It is the UK’s most northerly dairy farm – dairying has been done at Setter for over 100 years.  As well as cows and calves, they also keep sheep.

So first up, we saw the sheep – these were the Cheviots who, I think, will be going to the sheep sales later this year.

I was fascinated by their expressions and social interactions.

The “hill” Shetlands were in another pen and very mad, alternating between huddling and scattering if they saw anyone.

There was definitely a look of Edna is some of them.  *** sniff ***  Pretty little sheeps.  I wanted to take them all home.

Then we went to look at “the plant”.  Yes please to everything. The folk at Setter Farm also work as agricultural contractors around the islands.

And then we stood to the side of the track and watched the dairy cows come home, which was lovely.

The calves were kept in calf stalls where they had regular buckets of milk and are then weaned onto water and hay.

The cows were munching silage before going back out again for a little while before the evening milking.

I watched them for a long while.  I am very fond of dairy cows. I remember them from my childhood as my step-mother had a dairy farm and my job was to get the stragglers and strays to keep up when we were moving the herd to a different field. Obviously, I was always on horseback and, possibly stupidly, fearless!

I enjoyed my afternoon. Something completely different for me while being totally recognisable and full of childhood memories.

The Many Faces of Want

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Everyone always wants something.  Everywhere I go.  Want, want, want.

Monster ⬇️ – he wanted my last night’s pre-supper snack (mini cheesey biccies) accompanying my zero alcohol lager while I waited for supper to finish cooking.

Plan B. The Attack – basically endless amounts of indignant shouting alternating between promising to be my friend.

Apparently my BFF ⬇️.  This is “cupboard love” at it’s very worst.

Pepper just did sulking resentfully.  Those eyes make it impossible not to feel guilty.

And then there is Lambie’s helpful, yet silly, face.  I had scattered Animal Crackers on the ground and the sheep had just about finished them.

“You have more biscuits, you say?”

Bert’s has a gorgeous begging face.  Again, it is hard to resist.  I would give (feed) him the world if he wanted.

Lambie’s tactic is to get out his best Winning Smile, Longing Look and wave a front foot at me.  The front foot waving means Lambie really, really, wants whatever I have of calorific nature and then I dig into my pocketses and give him a secret biccie, if I have one.  I didn’t.  There is probably a special place in Hell waiting for me now. I have to live with myself.

Sheep, Sheep and More Sheep

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After their breakfast, I put all the sheep out into their field for the day.  It was a nice bright start and so Bert went straight to “his” shed.

Yes, that’s right, it’s Bert’s shed now.  Move over Fivla and Vitamin (they’ve left the field anyway), Bert’s in da house!

Lambie thought he might like a go in the shed too.

But Bert was having none of it.  His shed, dontcha know (there’s probably a Law somewhere).

Ster was miles away.

He wasn’t interested in sheep-shed politics.

Maggie and Barrel were not shed folk either.

Ditto Gussie and Dahlia.  It’s funny how the boys still stay with their mothers (or is it the other way around?)

Madge was on her way out to the hill to join all the bloody hill sheep that can now get in thanks to Kolka’s attempts at show-jumping last week.

Anyway, back to Bert and Lambie.

I don’t actually think Lambie minded very much.

He gave me one of his Winning Smiles and I decided not to get involved.

I spent the rest of my day making sheep. One in the morning and one in the afternoon because a) my stock is low now, b) Wool Week is looming and c) I have a tiny social life and will have to miss a few afternoons stabbing due to other commitments.

I went back outside at teatime and found Bert back in his shed (I do hope he made the most of the day and actually left for a few hours).

And this time Lambie had snuck in too (and apparently Ster, I found out later).  To be fair it was raining and the sheep told me they were only in there only because they would melt otherwise. Who knew?

Quirky Sheepies

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Another quiet day in my life, which is perfect.  Drama and me don’t mix.

So here are some quirky photos of the sheep.  All of them except for Dahlia, who wouldn’t come home, preferring to spend her evening/night with Fivla and Vitamin, my two ancient Shetland ponies.

First there is Harrel the Barrel, who has grown up into a big boy.  Equal thug and charmer when he wants something.  He always wants something.

‘Ster, who is quite aged now – around 11 years old.  He likes a quiet life, enjoys his extra breakfast and doesn’t want hassle.

Madge (you remember, Edna’s daughter) – I am still determined to tame down.  One of these days she will talk to me but that day has not occurred yet and Hell has not frozen over.  I remain the optimist.

My beloved ‘Bert. Another old gentleman.  One of the original three with ‘Ster and Lambie.  He is a dear boy and an old soul.

Gussie has also grown up into a solid chap.  He is my right hand man, quite literally, if he is around he is always next to my hand so I know he’s there. I like that.

Dear little Maggie, Harrel’s mother and such a sweetie.  She is always torn between being Dahlia’s best friend or Gussie’s girlfriend.  She likes attention and food, in that order.

And lastly, of course, there is a very long-in-the-tooth Lambie who has teeth like a pirate nowadays.   But he is old and I forgive him everything.  Much as I would love to say he is always next to me, he mostly isn’t as I threaten to hug him a lot.

And whose your favourite? ❤️

Kolka Update

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Kolka seems a lot more like her strong 32 year old self today.

She is alert, interested and eating better, although still stiff when she walks but there is more range of movement in her hind legs.

She remains on twice daily painkillers, an injection of antibiotics (which she is very good about – it’s a big one with a large needle), probiotics and is mostly living outside with her waterproof rug on.

Her eating is more enthusiastic too, which is encouraging.

Fivla and Vitamin are close by shouting for their herd but they have to stay where they are as the grass around the house is too rich for them, especially this time of year.

However, the sheep are very unimpressed with this new set-up.

I have barred the entrance to their shed so they can still come and go if they want with no horses inside.

And opposite, the horses can do the same if they want shelter.   There is food and water there too.

So, turn left if you’re a horse and right if you’re a sheep.

As I write, absolutely no one has worked out my marvellous piece of shed management.

But I think the long rich grass, the pottering about with her friends is what Kolka needs to keep her mind and her guts active.

So, keep thinking and praying for Kolka as I keep forgetting she is 32 years old. Yesterday’s drama was not something an old lady should have to go through.  I thank the Gods we got to her when we did.