Dear Curiosity Journal,

Our free grazing experiment has come to a seasonal end due to snow cover, poop accumulation around the homestead, and breeding season. During the first few days of being restricted to the barn and back pasture, they loitered at the gate, baahing and waiting impatiently to be released. After a week, they’ve eased off the exit a bit and have come around to eating hay and lounging in the manger. Even the sheep seem to have accepted winter’s decrescendo of movement orchestrated by light, temperature, and farmers. Organic barley treats have been reinstated a few days a week and elicit immediate assembly. At the rustle of the bag, they snap to me like magnets. I notice the uptick of frenzy with the twins among the fray and wonder what this routine might look like next winter if we double our flock. Yesterday, Rufus and I worked on building out a pen for the lambs so that we can separate them from the ram as they are too young to breed. We put up a barrier, created a side entrance, and brought in more bedding as the sheep bustled around us. We have a few more minor improvements to make, but should be able to pick up the ram in the next couple of days. I don’t know if he has a name, but I’ve been calling him “Rameo” , the sheep version of Romeo, as the purpose of his visit is to make love. 

~Joy