RescEwe

We have been referred to as a Petting Zoo by some, and it would not be too far an assumption based on the types of services we see offered by many other farm animal sanctuaries and rescues. However, that is not what we are. We do not go to birthday parties (we have been asked). We do not do goat yoga classes (no goats). We definitely do not offer sheep cuddling sessions, although some of the shepherds have to spend a lot of time giving out scratches to some very demanding sheep.

Our sheep are sheep, and we do everything we can to give them full and rewarding lives as sheep. Part of that life is to bond to a couple of shepherds that they know well, and learn to trust. This is a natural and healthy relationship for sheep. Occasionally, some visitors want to feed the sheep treats. We allow that, but all interactions are based on the comfort level of the sheep. Honestly, there are a few that will come forward to a stranger with treats, if their shepherd is there, but many will hang back unsure of a stranger. Sheep instinctively understand that their relationship with humans in general is… well… Complicated.

We have had day outings, where a couple select sheep are able to meet the public in public parks, or at informational events like the Boise Pet Extravaganza. The sheep are selected for their comfort around strangers, and the ability to handle new and strange places. We work them into these things slowly. New places, sounds, and people can be stressful for sheep, and natural confidence has to be a deciding factor in who can participate in these type of events. There are other considerations that have to be met as well. How many shepherds are there going to be? We have found 3 is the minimum for events. How about the dogs on and off leash in the area. It has taken a bit of trial and error, but we have developed a good idea of what goes into a successful low stress outing.

So how much does it cost to come out to watch, learn about or work with the sheep? The answer is simple… Nothing. We are a public charity, and a major part of our mission is education. The public has paid for this by giving us, and our donors a tax break. Our benefactors have been generous to us as well, sharing their blessings with us. Combined with this, our volunteers receive no pay for their work. They do it for the joy of being a part of our mission, the love of sheep, and the experience they receive. Put all this together, and we do not have to charge for serving the public.

Some people have noticed that we do not actively solicit donations, to the point it may seem we don’t even want them. It has confused quite a few people. Believe me, for almost a year the board has been considering whether or not we should add a “Donate” button to our website and Facebook pages. We are very thankful for the donations we receive, but the truth is, we only want donations that are given freely, and bring joy to the donor. If it has been put into your heart to give, or to volunteer, please do so. Otherwise don’t worry about it. Come out and enjoy the sheep, learn to shepherd, or build holistic pastures with us. We will continue to be here, having faith that our needs will be met. They always have been.

“Let every man give according to the purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7

For the last couple of weeks the sheep have had a new scratching post(?). It is a test of concept, and we are looking at a couple of designs that should fix the shortcomings of this prototype.

At this time, all of the sheep have been observed using the new scratcher. sometimes two at once. The current design uses gravity for pressure. The two pvc pipes are slid over t-posts to allow them to slide up and down to fit both short and tall sheep. The sheep have recommended a second design that they would like; it is closer to the ground so they can scratch their bellies as well (we have found the bar pushed down close to the ground on more than one occasion.) We think the belly scratcher will have to be attached with bungee cords to give upward pressure.

The sheep recommended the original design by making our life hard while we were trying to move their shade cover. When we move their shade cover, we remove the ball bungees that hold the frame to the t-posts, and it will slide to the ground. We then remove the t-posts and move the cover. If the cover hung up at all before it hit the ground, the sheep would run over, and get underneath the frame and scratch away. It made it hard to move the shade, because as soon as one or two were chased out, others would come in behind you and get under the frame. This has not been as much of a problem the last couple of moves.

I think they are pretty happy with the new scratcher.

At RescEwe we believe that healthy and diverse pasture makes for healthy and happier sheep An important part of what we have done, has been serving as a demonstration of how sheep can be an important partner in building a complete pasture. A complete pasture becomes its own ecosystem full of a diverse sampling of living things, and will sustain itself, evolving with changing situations.

A Brief History of the Caldwell Pasture

The Caldwell pasture area was first offered to our angel the Fantasy Farm. Rescewe had no sheep yet because we had no land to put them on yet. This looked like a great way to get things going. The land was originally part of the Boise River riparian zone, which is a very rich and diverse natural community. We found that there is water available fairly close to the surface. However at that time, it had mostly shallow rooted, and short lived pioneer plants like cheat grass and foxtail barley that did not take advantage of the ground water, with a few invasive/noxious perennials thrown into the mix.

So, the fantasy farm submitted a proposal to the owners of the property which was accepted. They moved sheep onto the land, and started the seeding and irrigating. The sheep are the pivot of the whole development. The sheep are the reason for the pasture, and an important part of the transformation. Broadcast seeds are worked into the soil by the grazing sheep and the sheep knock down competing weeds and fertilize the soil. Every year the pasture becomes richer, and the soil richer as well.

We have seeded eight different types of grasses, five legumes, and twelve different herbs and forbs Using Fukuoka’s principle that plants will grow where the are best suited, we just broadcast all of it everywhere. Somethings never came up, or did not thrive, but the ones that did, did very well. It is interesting that some grasses did well in one spot, and 20ft. away others did better. There are a few places where there are stands of one type of grass, and almost none of the others.

The second year, we got some sheep. However, that was the first year of the water drama , and there was not a lot of forward progress. We did however learn that the choice of deep rooting grasses and forbs was a really good decision. They survived without irrigation.

Skip forward another two years, and we now have full irrigation, and things are advancing at a good pace. These pictures were taken over five weeks ago, after 1 grazing cycle, and 2 rounds of water. This week, things look completely different. Because we seed with most rounds of grazing, the last two rounds of seeding have produced lots of new plants coming up in the areas covered in cheat grass and foxtail barley. There should be a lot less of those pioneer grasses next year.

As the pasture has developed, many animals have moved in adding to the few that were making a home there before we started. The vole and mouse populations have seen an increase, as have the number and diversity of pollinating insects. Toads moved in to feast on the insects. last year a feral cat raised a litter of kittens, well fed on the mice and voles. She and her kittens left before winter set in. This spring one of her kittens came back and raised a litter of her own in the pasture.

We also saw the first snakes last year. Three in total; a Terrestrial Garter, a Common Garter, and a North American Racer. This year we have not seen a single snake yet. We are hopeful however. The Red-tail Hawks in the elm tree have once again fledged some chicks. The Male was working the pasture as part of their territory. We are pulling together the parts for a raptor perch. It should make his life a little easier next year, and give him a good spot to watch the pastures.

It is exciting to walk the pastures, and see the changes every week. The flowers, the forage, and even the weeds come and go in cycles. We invite anybody to come on out, and take a look at what we are doing. We can not always explain why things are happening, but we can explain what we are doing that brings about the changes. If you have any recommendations we are open to that as well. This is a learning process for all of us involved.

The weather was the greatest worry for the day. Unseasonably hot and high winds were in the forecast. It was hot, but the wind held off for the two hours we set aside for lunch. It was a great time to share blessings, with those who have been a blessing to us.

It was great that one of the major donors to the fencing project, Jeanna of Sage Woolens, was able to come out for lunch. I knew it had been a long time since she was last out, but I failed to realize that Del was just a lamb the last time. Like so many of us she has a very full life. Too many people see the sheep and their progress as they speed past on highway 19. It was nice to catch up, introduce her to some of the volunteers, watch the sheep, and let her know how her support helps us continue our mission.

It was nice to just hang out with some of the donors, and volunteers. We typically sit down for lunch together, or meet for dinner after project days. It is a great social time for fellowship, and getting to know one another. Due to the recent restrictions, we have not been able to have this kind of interaction, or even work together as a large group. It has all been a little here, and a little there. This has felt a bit odd. Last year we were trying to define ourselves as a group by the statement, “This is what we do, because this is who we are,” and of course the inverse, “We do not do that, because that is not who we are.” From the very beginning, sitting down to break bread, has been an important part of who we are. Thankfully, we will be able to go back to this practice again.

The next major work project… Shearing. Hopefully in two weeks.

To celebrate the beginning of a new regeneration project, the new pasture being fenced (it is now functional), or just because we want to celebrate. We are going to have a picnic at the Caldwell pasture. The Date and time are Saturday May 30th. at 12 noon.

This will be a good time to meet the sheep and shepherds, check out the progress of the original pasture in its transition from weeds to pasture, and ask any questions you may have.

For those who have already availed themselves of the sheep watching during the Covid quarantine, you will have a good idea of how things go. For those of you who have not, bring a camp chair to sit on, and a beach umbrella if you think you will need the shade. We have and will be maintaining reasonable physical distancing. but personal protection is up to the individual.

Please let us know if you will be attending by email, or on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you there.

Today we made a lot of progress. Honestly, the beginning of the week was a bit disappointing. At least from a fencing standpoint. We had to get the irrigation set up and running. So, not much got done.

However, Today we had some real help. Two of the missionaries came out, and as always, were a great help. The sisters made up the parts we need to hang the fence panel. This let the men focus on the post pounding, and boy did they have a job this run.

Most all the posts were driven into rock road bed. More than one had to have holes dug out, there was just no way to pound the posts through the rocks.

When we quit for the day, we only had five panels to hang on the north fence. Next weekend, the fence should be finished, and the sheep can be moved in. The final touches will be drinking water, and hot lines for the moveable fences.

While the fence building was going on, a couple people came out just to watch the sheep. On their way out, one stopped and said she had a good time once again, and they might be back during the week. Never underestimate the power of sheep to soothe the soul.

It is so exciting, after two years of waiting, the fence is going up. Even with the restrictions on social interactions due to the coronavirus, progress is still being made. We hope the perimeter fence will be done by May 9th.

Did I tell you we are building the fence…

We have the south fence hung except for where the southeast gate is. When we are satisfied with the way the panels are set, we will make the final attachment to the t-posts. We started putting in the first posts along the east side cable fence, but had some drama about whether we should put it on the east side of the cable fence (into the road), or inside the cable fence. I personally do not think it is in any way possible to pound t-posts into an engineered roadbed, but some think otherwise. While we have waited for others to come to their senses, we laid out the irrigation pipe on the existing pasture, and put the fence around the horse chestnut tree. This week we started putting up the fence on the west side. It seems that things are sorted out about the cable fencing now, and next week we should be putting in the blue line fences. Whew

If you want to join us, we will be here pounding posts, and wiring up panels. Lots of sun and fun for all… Or you could just come out and watch the sheep.

And did not really tell anybody about it.

If we did not get any pictures to post on social media, did it really happen?

Those of you who have been to the Caldwell pasture will have recognized it in the last post, and realized that we moved. We had a good day for it, and as seems to be typical, were rushing against the weather. This year it was wind and hail. We did have a lot of helpers though. And this is a story unto itself.

One of our long time volunteers was getting a burger in Parma, when she struck up a conversation with a couple missionaries. To make a long story short, the missionaries volunteered to help move the sheep. First, there were two; then the next week there were four; and then when we were rooing a couple rams two weeks later, there were six. Some of them had never been on a farm (they were city folk, and I mean big cities), and never worked with sheep. However, a couple had experience working in their families’ sheep operations, and our ways were not what they were used to. But all of them threw themselves fully into the jobs at hand. It was a joy to work with young people who were so driven to be helpful. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Enough that they kept coming back. We really enjoyed having them with us, enough that they have an invitation to come back at any time.

Some ended their mission early due to the hardships caused by the coronavirus, and the rest have new restrictions governing their ability to volunteer. We have remained in contact with them, and hopefully the restrictions will be lifted before their missions end so we can see them again. Some have asked if they can remain in contact after they are gone. Of course! It is always great to make new friends, especially those who love sheep.

Now that the governor has shut down non-essential services in the state, many people are unable to get out of the house. Parks are shut down. Gyms are shut down, Malls are shut down. Even fishing is shut down.

However, animal welfare is exempt.

At RescEwe we are practicing social distancing, and safe practices, but sheep still need food, water, shearing, and all the other shepherding that needs to get done. Time waits for no virus.

Our first purpose is to serve the needs of sheep, but not as well known is our second purpose, which is to educate the public in better shepherding practices. This is not just a shepherd lecturing, this most often includes dirty hand on experiences in actual shepherding. If you want to know about shearing, come out and help shear.

If you need to get out of the house, come down, pull up a bucket, and watch the sheep. Pack a picnic lunch and sit down in the pasture if you want. Many people find it very relaxing to just watch sheep being sheep. This could be the best therapy in these uncertain times.

Just after the first of the year, we received a card with a sizeable check from Sage Woolens inside it.

Last year Sage Woolens told us that they wanted the next donation to go to our fencing of the new pasture. But little did anybody know, we were going to have to go through more drama concerning the new pasture before we could get started. A full year’s worth of drama. When they contacted us about sending this donation, we were overjoyed. They told us that it had been a good year, had been very busy, and the donation was later than they had planned. We had to tell them we were weeks away from buying the t-posts and panels for the fence. It could not have been a better time to receive this donation. In fact it was the perfect time.

It is not hard to maintain an abundance mindset when our needs are met in such a timely fashion, and we are so thoroughly blessed.

We are riding a whirlwind right now. We are behind, and have a few more posts to get out. Expect more very soon.