It all started with lots and lots of rain, so unusual for the Piedmont of North Carolina in the fall. Then came freakishly warm weather in December, so warm that the pastures greened up as if it was April, so warm that most of the sheep had to be drenched for worms, a very disturbing occurrence. In the 15+ years that I have been raising sheep, I have never had to worry about worms after mid-October. More rain came and a couple of what were (in retrospect) minor floods, but then, with the ground already super saturated from 10" over
our usual rainfall amount, it didn't take long for this to happen with the next rain:
a flood as big as the one we got in 1996 with Hurricane Fran.
a flood as big as the one we got in 1996 with Hurricane Fran.
Water went where it doesn't normally go.
There was damage to some of the fence lines, unfortunately some of which were just put in last spring.
There was damage to some of the fence lines, unfortunately some of which were just put in last spring.
It was astounding to see the force of the water and how wide the creek was. The water just washed away some of the fence and the rest was pushed down by the force of the debris and the water.
People ask me how much work is involved in raising sheep. I tell them usually just about an hour a day, but then there are things like floods...Six solid days of work cutting wire, pulling fence staples out, using the tractor to help in pulling out the destroyed fencing.
Thank goodness for metal posts that drive in easily with the heavy post driver. And thank goodness for stock panels which make for fast fencing.
The sheep didn't seem to mind being shut up in the small pasture near the barn. Normally they would mostly be eating hay this time of year; it is only the freakishly warm weather that has made the grass out in the big pasture so alluring.
Holden, however, seemed decidedly grumpy about being shut out of his larger territory. He was happy when the fencing was finally repaired.
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