We love hearing from you, so here is your chance. Introduce yourself and tell us what makes you selfsufficient 'ish'. Go on don't be shy, we welcome one and all. You can also tell us how you heard about us if you like.
So you are the kind of "b***y tourist" who stops the car in impossible places and prevents the likes of us to get back to work! No, I'm sure you'd be more responsible than that...
I did have a case like that last year, though. I was "farm sitting" for a friend, had a sick lamb at home, just discovered another sickie on her farm, was desperately trying to rush between one place and the other because I needed antibiotics immediately, and one of those sightseers was doing about 20 mph along the glen road... Single track, of course. And the driver no idea that the done thing would have been to pull over at a passing place to let the working population pass. Grrr! Well, it's a very picturesque road.
We don't have any lambs outside as yet. The fields are water logged; we'll keep them in for as long as we possible have room for. Won't be long, anyway - they (the lambs) are coming thick and fast now!
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
Heh - I can imagine that must be very annoying. No, I don't stop in the way - I'm not that bad.
Sounds like you (and your friend) are very good to their sheepies. I like that. I seemed to spend the Winter looking after very ill sheep.
One day my dog jumped into the farmer's field and started digging in the snow - then appeared a sheep's leg. I assumed the sheep was dead and put the dog back in the house but the leg was moving. I went and dug its head out and it was definitely still alive. I dug it out and phoned the farmer - thinking he might come and shoot it or something to put it out of its misery - apparently they don' do that. He took the sheep away - no idea what happened to it.
We had several sheep who seemed to be dying of pneumonia - I kept phoning the farmer - he probably thought I was a right pain in the bum but I was saddened to see them suffering and just being left to suffer.
Don't they put them down if they are very ill or shoot them?
I ended up going out daily to give one sheep some water as it hadn't moved for days. I didn't know whether that was the righ thing to do or if I was prolonging its misery.
Would be glad to know what you think - is it me being too sensitive or do other farmers look after their sheep better?
Unfortunately there are farmers who see sheep (or other livestock) as commodities... And when you count up the cost of bothering about sick sheep, it certainly doesn't pay. But I simply can't be that callous; I know each sheep has to die in the end, but I want them to have a good life before then, and not suffer more than is absolutely necessary.
Our shepherd here thinks the same as me, and I know a few others, too, who'd go out of their way to "rescue" farm animals. I've just had a little lamb in my bedroom overnight (and at times even in my bed!), because it could only drink minute quantities at any one time and needed feeding repeatedly; the farm manager hadn't thought it worth it to try and save it, but the shepherd did, and then gave it to me to look after. Well, it's still tiny, but quite lively and improving rapidly! Problem is, it'll get so used to me it will probably follow me about all it's life!
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
You'd be welcome to have one - I've got three of the little blighters in a box tonight! Two white girls, and one black boy... At least they keep each other company, and they have a hot-water bottle and a towel to keep them warm... And all the thanks I get from them is that they s.h.i.t.e on my arms whenever I feed them!
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
You haven't smelled the stink yet! I just had to stick my jeans into the machine again - they were clean less than 20 hours ago...
Nevermind, they are dear little animals. And in a year's time they are dear and rather large and heavy animals. I work with some that I lambed last year, and they have absolutely no respect (or fear) of me. Makes it quite difficult, they sometimes almost get me down when I try to feed them! 36 of them in one pen, all 40 - 50 kg, against me - I'm no lightweight either, but I'm just one person and have only two legs, they have four each! I'm well used to bruises, anyway. They have horns...
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
... and they want to push them up your arse. Hard. Just to show they love and accept you.
Ina, you're a down to earth sort and I work as a white(ish) collar type in a rural area. Tell me, is there a polite way to tell someone in a shop that they have pigshit all down their jumper?
hedgewizard wrote:Tell me, is there a polite way to tell someone in a shop that they have pigshit all down their jumper?
You are a pharmacist, aren't you? Do you work in a "normal" chemist's shop? Then the shop should stock heavy-duty washing powder or liquids... And you could recommend to these "stinkers" this phantastic new stuff, brilliant results even with very difficult to clean work clothes...
Otherwise, I agree with MMM.
I at least try not to wear my dirtiest things when I go shopping. There should always be time to change into a different jumper and jeans; and I don't like driving with wellies anyway. Mind you, a few days ago when I went to the local shop, I saw a guy in boilersuit and wellies come out and get on the tractor that was parked outside... Imagine that at the T***o superstore!
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
I work in a range or normal pharmacies, but we're fairly rural here. I was trying to give advice to this chap but my eyes kept drifting downwards to this lovely brown streak that was almost like a tie. A freshly-painted, aromatic, brown tie.
Not that I'm not presently covered in chickenshit, of course - the chooks do so love to have beak rings fitted - it's all a matter of context!
Maybe you should just keep a pocket size air freshener handy, and apply it when necessary?
Chickens can be a bloody nuisance, too... My friend had some that always slept right above the door to one of the sheds, and ALWAYS shat on the door handle... And guess who equally always forgot they did this!
Ina
I'm a size 10, really; I wear a 20 for comfort. (Gina Yashere)
hedgewizard wrote:Ina, you're a down to earth sort and I work as a white(ish) collar type in a rural area. Tell me, is there a polite way to tell someone in a shop that they have pigshit all down their jumper?
Well, I was going to introduce myself first but how could I resist? I keep pigs (and know Ina from elsewhere - she is a good sort) and have been in the pigshit situation many a time, invariably with an overlay of disinfectant, oil, poultry manure and well-rotted seaweed. Lovely.
Most memorably, I wandered into the local shop and was standing in the queue, quietly stinking away. Most of the other customers beat a hasty retreat, but an old chap tapped me on the shoulder and loudly pronounced:
ina wrote:I at least try not to wear my dirtiest things when I go shopping. There should always be time to change into a different jumper and jeans; and I don't like driving with wellies anyway. Mind you, a few days ago when I went to the local shop, I saw a guy in boilersuit and wellies come out and get on the tractor that was parked outside... Imagine that at the T***o superstore!
Different jumper and jeans? Such class! 8)
I on the other hand have one pair of jeans, two boiler suits and three once cream sweaters (choose between grotty, filthy and insect habitat). Mind you, I'm occasionally tempted to wander into the local shop in my steel-toed wellies, ancient kilt, special T-shirt with separate collar and Akubra (big hat to the uninformed).
I suspect the locals are so used to me now they wouldn't even blink.
We have a couple of farmers who pick up their messages from the shop in their tractors. I've even seen one hang his plastic shopping bags on his bale spike...
Stonehead wrote:[ Mind you, I'm occasionally tempted to wander into the local shop in my steel-toed wellies, ancient kilt, special T-shirt with separate collar and Akubra (big hat to the uninformed).
Surely that attire should be worn for special occasions such as the opening of that god awful place... T***o at Huntly
So you are the kind of "b***y tourist" who stops the car in impossible places and prevents the likes of us to get back to work! No, I'm sure you'd be more responsible than that... 
Imagine that at the T***o superstore!
