We've kept you waiting long enough, it's time to say hello to our first homestead livestock!

The Road Trip

The farm we purchased Smokey and Bandit from was about 2.5 hours away. My 4 year old son and I made a roadtrip of it and took the scenic route down the mountains into the low country.

At the Farm

It was a hot day... literally 100 (F) degrees in the shade! We arrived at the farm and did all the paperwork and payment first, to make the transition short for the sheep and to keep from stressing them too much or keeping them waiting in the DIY Sheep Hauler.

The Ride Home

Thankfully, the sheep did great on their first ride in a vehicle. They didn't thrash or jump about, and seemed to enjoy the wind in their wool as we drove home! We ran into a pretty severe rain storm on the way home and I was really glad I put the metal roofing on the hauler. The sheep were well protected and seemed to handle it at a stride.

Home Sweet Home

We have three gates into the sheep yard, but only one is accessible to back a vehicle directly up to. I wanted to make sure the sheep knew where their water and barn was, so I parked the truck as close as possible, then bear-hugged them and carried them one at a time.

I showed them their water trough and put them into the barn. However, they quickly ran to higher ground and as far away from us as possible. Understandable... we're new, and they were in a new place and still likely scared from the drive.

While they were in the upper field, we took the time to spread the straw in their barn and setup their mineral feed bowl.

A Few Days Later

Today marks their 5th full day at our home. Smokey & Bandit are starting to think about warming up to us, but are still a long way away from being pets. We like to tempt them with apples, of which only Bandit seems to be brave enough to contemplate it... he's not eaten from our hands yet. Smokey is the more shy of the two, even though he is a few weeks older.

They have been exploring the area a little more, and we were thrilled to find them in the front yard one evening; happily eating way at the "good stuff". They seem to like Queen Anne's Lace flowers.