Jock - The Border Collie: A Wonderful Life. A Wonderful Experience.

Jock at two soon after we first adopted him -2004

Its been six weeks.

I knew I had to write this blog, but it always seemed too soon.

I know how many fans Jock had, and he was the last part of On the Pond Farm that we had with us. I saw the immediate reaction from a Facebook post, and that just made things harder.

I posted the night he died when the whole thing hadn't hit me yet, and I think I said it then best, so I think I'll just paste that post here.

Almost a dozen years ago we acquired a hand me down pure bred Border Collie, knowing nothing about working dogs except they needed a lot of exercise.

Well tomorrow, we don't know how we will get our exercise, as our best training partner died from what appears to be a seizure or stroke, possibly from a brain tumor.

Our favorite park near our Connecticut home - October 2014

Jock took a long walk as usual this morning and still looked amazing for a 13 1/2 year old dog.

We learned so much with Jock, and he was my companion and work mate at the farm and at home, always quiet and watchful.

The sadness hasn't set in yet. We expected a couple more good years, even though he was slowing down in his "retirement". I know he made many friends with you my friends, so I hate to pass on this news, but there it is. I hope you enjoy the album of his pictures over the years.

Sylvester and Jock learning to get along in the early days

Snickers with her buddy.

Dressed for the Ando Walk to raise money for the K-9 program

The "retirement" years in Connecticut.

Teaching Jacob how to walk Jock

Jock being gentle taking his bone

In the woods at River Bend

Missing The Little Things

We have left the farm, but the farm has not left us. We cannot have a day where a conversation won't end with, "Too bad we don't have some goats for that,", or "The chickens would clean this up".

FIL Francis feeding fries to the hens last summer

Yep - throwing perfectly good scraps into the compost seems such a shame. Watching the chickens waddle over to tear the latest contributions apart was part of the fun, but knowing we were recycling and feeding them at the same time felt good. You've seen the chickens. Healthiest bunch for miles, or at least fattest. Best eggs ever! I miss those too.


Weeding and Weaning - 2011 -Sweet Pants babysitting

We hate having to mow this little lawn. A couple of goats could take perfect care of it, and then knock back some of the brush. Sigh!

We also really miss the bats in the barn (really cool!) AND...AND - the barn swallows.

Now a year ago, I don't think I would have included the barn swallows. By now the barn is full of their mud nests and they are dropping nesting scraps and their droppings everywhere. We had to be careful where water buckets and food sat. Anything of value was covered with feed bags or plastic. But the one thing the barn swallows and bats were good for - BUGS! They ate lots of them.

Mosquitoes. They love me. I can honestly say that in a mere week, maybe even a day (its been wet lately), I get more bites on my body then I did in ten YEARS at the farm. True. True. True.

Never EVER complain about bats, no matter how much guano is in your attic. Luckily for us, it was all in the barn, and yes, I hated them when I first got the spanking new John Deere. Covered it with plastic for months. Then I just finally figured out where there were the least bat homes, and flipped my seat forward and parked there. It is a tractor!

Boots and Brianna May 2012

One of the things I can luckily do, is follow the farm with the help of the new owners, and you can too. Here is the link to Rush Around Farm. They have already expanded and are having new adventures. I'm jealous, but...I'm glad they have taken on the farm as they have. I think you will appreciate what they are doing also.

http://www.rusharoundfarm.com/blog/

Christmas Tree Recycling - Rite of Winter at On the Pond Farm

After a warm start and not much snow, winter arrived the day after Christmas with a pretty messy snow storm. Late that morning, we actually got on the road to visit the new grand baby, and didn't even make it beyond the township limits before we realized our mistake. So we turned around, only to see snow plows going the other way, and for a few minutes the snow even stopped pounding down.

Do we keep going?

No. What's the rush.

There wasn't one, aside from getting back to our favorite new boy.

The next day was a better experience.

So when we got back home, Christmas trees were starting to pile up, and phone calls and emails were coming in asking if we needed trees again. I love our friends and neighbors for this. Not only does this keep the goats happy, it also cuts down on feed costs. I'm sure even the citiest city folk have heard about the price of corn and grains. Wasn't it just last week that I read about huge round bales of hay being stolen. Crazy!

Until the last couple of days of warmer temperatures, we had a field of snow and ice. Of course, now we have boot sucking mud. Where is the middle ground? I think we can hope for that three days in May if we're lucky!

Goats On Pasture

I know that the goats on pasture is nothing new here, but after the ten dismal days of Sandy, it felt new.

Smiling Speckles

This past week, their personalities are starting to show through again with their cozying and curiosity, when I spend time in the field with them.

Post Sandy gloom and rain had them hunkered in the sheds way too much, and hay was becoming a larger staple in the evening meal.

Brianna at six months old

Now with the newest rotation, they would likely burst with more hay.

As a matter of fact, I had one close call on Election Day with a bit of bloat, but a couple hours of attention with baking soda "shots"(oral), and the crisis passed.

Twee

I think Vinegar, here in the background of her first daughter Twee, got into something the third day they were in the corral. She came into the barn looking five months pregnant(that's full term for those new here), but luckily was not foaming at the mouth. After that day, the girls ended their corral clean up.

Adeline

 VIDEO of the goats at breakfast

Today I took a walk in the lower field, partly to inspect the fences, and partly to get the girls to the far end of the field.

When all else fails, I am the leader and they easily follow. They'd still be by the barn, had I not led them today. Its an important job, being the Herd Queen!

And here they have two acres of pasture, but four of them have to try and eat from the same square foot.  Herd mentality.

Sunshine and Shadow

 

As you can see, I can't get out of my own shadow's way. And so the shadow pictures started.



No gloves. No hat.
Okay, a hoodie and vest, but the sun is out and the sky is blue, and I can see my shadow.