Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Baymule]

We have Texas Bull Nettle. Evil stuff. There are less of them on our property than when we moved here. But we still have some. I hate them.

 

[Ridgetop]

Yesterday we brought out the rams for trimming. DS1 and DS2 set up our movable 5’ metal panels to make a chute from the ram pen to the permanent chute. It worked well and they were able to drive them into the funnel as they moved toward the screaming ewe pen. It was surprisingly easy to run them through the chute into the load up for the squeeze!
The first boy in the tilt table was Axtell. He lay quietly as I tried to cut his hooves with my new heavy duty trimmer. No luck! I couldn’t cut through the hoof. DS2 was operating the tilt table so he took the clipper and started on the back hooves. Even he was having a heavy go of it. Strange, since the ewes hooves were easy and we have had a lot of rain. I took the trimmer I had used yesterday and tried it on the front hooves. Cut like butter. DS2 switched to a lighter weight clipper and no problem. We decided we didn’t like that heavy duty clipper that I bought specifically for the rams’ hooves. We worked tandem, me on the front and him on the back. Then he rasped them smooth. After we trimmed Axtell’s hooves, DS2 swung him upright for his CDT. Yes, we shut the bottom! Out of the squeeze and into a halter and easily led back to the Field of Celibacy. He is not being used on ewes this time.

The next boy into the squeeze was Lewis. He acted the same. quietly laying as DS2 and I cut hooves in tandem, swung him upright and gave him his CDT. Then since Lewis is the one being used on the ewes now (Yes, I finally made up my mind which ram to use) DS1 decided to put him into his harness while he was in the squeeze stating they would then flip him again and snap I the crayon. I thought that since Lewis is fairly docile we could have done this more easily by putting on his halter and then doing it out of the squeeze, but boys will be boys. As DS1 and DS2 released the squeeze to allow them room to bring the straps up between the ram and the bars, poor Lewis kept losing his footing. He is a big boy, and the squeeze is narrow. DS1 triumphantly removed the spring loaded bars from the side and handed them to me to hold. Then he and DS2 tried to dress Lewis in his “courtin’ clothes”.

As poor Lewis scrambled to keep his footing, DS1 made a strategic error. Struggling in the confines of the squeeze to reach the far strap DS1 reached under Lewis just as the ram lost his footing and went down trapping DS1's arm under him. Yelling in pain DS1 attempted to lift the 230 lb. ram off his arm with his other hand. Between us DS2 and I managed to lift Lewis enough so DS1 could drag his arm from underneath the struggling ram. As DS1 cursed and massaged his injured arm, screams of pain suddenly emanated from DS2. In his attempt to keep his balance poor Lewis had fallen against the other side of the squeeze this time crushing DS2’s arm. DS1 and I pulled Lewis upright to free DS2. More cursing and waving of arms followed. I suggested that they halter and remove Lewis from the squeeze to finish putting on his harness and crayon. However, the light of battle was in their eyes and they ignored me. This time they were able to snap on the harness without any further injuries. As DS2 tightened the squeeze again and tilted Lewis over DS1 triumphantly snapped in the crayon. Success! The squeeze was opened, and Lewis hesitantly came out to freedom. We did not halter him, instead he was turned out onto the Field of Love. He ambled over to the corral where the ladies were standing watching the proceedings to tell them of his brave sufferings.

The next ram was Moy, our gentle boy who likes to come up for petting. We have had him since he was a 3 months old ram lamb. My grandson tamed him as a lamb by sitting in his stall and petting him for hours. He is a very sweet, docile boy. Moy was persuaded into the squeeze and as the jaws closed on him suddenly went berserk! As he was tilted over the entire contraption shook from the power of his struggles! He tried to throw himself from side to side, only succeeding in hitting his head on the bars. Kicking wildly, he refused to calm down. DS2 finally grabbed a hoof and started trimming. He had to pause frequently when the kicks and struggles got too strong even for him. DS1 was at Moy’s head trying to calm him and hold him still. Moy, like a child in a tantrum, continued to beat his head on the bars and kick. I grabbed my clipper and started trimming too. This needed to be done fast. Luckily his feet were in excellent condition and only needed a little trimming. We quickly stood him upright and I gave him his CDT. DS1 put on the halter and Moy leaped out of the squeeze. As Moy wobbled off to his pen, DS1 and DS2 joked that he probably had a concussion. Noting that Moy’s head was bleeding slightly, DS1 decided that next time he goes to Lowes he will pick up some foam pipe insulation tubes to fit around the bars to prevent injuries in future.

With the 2 rams not needed for breeding now back their pen, I went around to let the ewes out to see their gentleman caller. No ram standing lovesick by his ladies’ door! Instead Lewis was back at the old pen gabbing with his buddies!!! No doubt bragging about the delights in store for him.

I told DS1, DS2, and DH that I should have put him in with the ewes for the rest of the day before letting him out on the field tomorrow. However, we figured when the girls all go into their pen tonight for their grain feed, Lewis will go with them. Nope, DS1 had to chase him in.

I liked Lewis’ lamb so well that I decided to use him this year on these ewes. He is 4 years old so might as well use him and use the younger rams later. I also want to let their ewe lambs grow out a bit to see how they develop, and which sire’s get I like better. At this point Moy’s lambs seem to grow faster, but 3 of his lambs are out of second season lambing ewes which makes a big difference. Next year’s lamb crop will be the big tell.

DH went down, looked at the posts, and said he thinks he will be able to use most of the metal posts for another fence, but needs to cut back a couple of trees that have come up next to them. After moving the rams around DS1 came in and said that he will need to get another roll of woven wire to put up the lower fence so they have both apparently decided independently to put up the fence on the old posts. Yay! I need another pen.

So this morning we were awakened early by the phone. I got to it in time to hear DS1 tell his brother that he would come get him. Turned out that DS2, who has been working 24 hour shifts, had fallen asleep and crashed his little Focus into one of the ginormous pepper trees lining the narrow road! DS1 and I went down to the road below our private road and saw his car completely totaled, gas leaking from it, and the fire department there. Even the driver's side rear window was broken. Luckily there are a lot of speed bumps, and tree roots on that narrow road so no one goes fast. DS2 was standing outside the car with the firemen checking him over. DS1 and I unloaded all the tools etc. from his car. The fire department said he was not badly injured and an ambulance would take longer than driving him there ourselves. DS2 was clutching his lower chest and stomach, obviously in a lot of pain. His wrist was also super painful and there were some cuts on his face from the deployment of the air bag. DS2 first said he was ok and didn't want to go to the hospital but mommy insisted. DS1 said he would drive DS2 to the hospital. By now the police had arrived and the FD had left. While the police officer and Carl completed the accident report, I called up to the house and told DH and FDIL that we needed the insurance cards from DS2's desk so DS1 could take him to the hospital. The police officer said he would complete his other reports while DH called the insurance to arrange for a tow truck since the car was blocking the road. DS1 decided he would drive us up to the house, collect FDIL and the insurance card and drive DS2 to the hospital. By now DS2 was in so much pain that he thought a hospital visit was a good idea.

DS1 dropped me off and drove them to the hospital.
DH called for a tow truck and drove down to wait for them.
I went out to feed. No ewes were marked yet.

Luckily the wrist was sprained and he was just heavily bruised. DS2 was told to stay home from work for 2 days. On the way home DS1 told him since he had a couple days off, he could help put up the new fencing.
DS2 said .

All is well that ends well. We are just grateful it did not happen on the freeway home, or that he did not hit anything or anyone else.

 

[Ridgetop]

I guess I was more rattled than I thought about DS2. Forgot to post the pix from yesterday. Here they are. So much fun to be working with my boys again.
DS2 trimming rear feet with heavy duty shears. The shears cost a lot, but I wanted a good heavy duty hoof trimmer for the rams. We have decided it is worthless. The light weight ones are better.
Putting on the marking harness.
The fatal moment as DS1 reaches under Lewis for the strap . . . .
After the injuries, the final adjustments before Lewis is liberated to seek feminine company. DS1 on the left, DS2 on the right. Both experienced sheep handlers.
Lewis on the far side of the ewe pen - "Helloooo Ladies!"
Chilling with the boys "It's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it."

 

[thistlebloom]

Glad your son wasn't injured seriously. Sorry his car was totaled though.
My Kid#1 fell asleep and drove off the road after working night shift. Fortunately he ran his truck over a small pine tree on our property and it woke him up. I always worried about him doing that on the 2 lane highway.

 

[farmerjan]

So thankful for you and your son. I have done it, my son has done it, and it was serious injuries for me in 1989. Son's were not as bad but he has totaled several vehicles that way. Can't work all those hours and not expect it to happen sooner or later. Luckily for us, and for your son, we are all alive to tell of it and basically still able to function.

 

[Ridgetop]

Absolutely grateful to God for all of us that have survived accidents. DH has been telling him he needs to get more sleep instead of coming home and playing video games, reading and watching TV. Here is the car after DS2 woke up!
And here is the tree! Poor thing!

Like you all said, he was lucky it happened here instead of on the freeway. He travels 50 miles to work and his hours constantly change. That night he had worked a 2 24 hour shifts, 4 night shifts, 2 day shifts, several back to back. He worked Friday night until 7 am., had Saturday and Sunday off, and back to work Monday at 5 am for another 24 hour shift. Since he is in the apprentice program for another year and a half, the terms of apprenticeship prevent him from refusing shifts or dragging up and going to another company.

DS2 is the son who was in Afghanistan and stepped on a mine on his birthday. The detonator went off but the mine didn't or he would have been dead. I think he was born to hang, as the old saying goes. God bless him. He is the one getting married in October.

 

[Baymule]

My son fell asleep, rolled his truck and broke his neck. He crawled away from the wreckage, covered in blood, then walked 3 miles to a friends house because he couldn't find his cell phone.

Any wreck that you survive is a good day (or night).

 

[farmerjan]

My son also rolled his truck, crawled out and all he could think about was he needed to get home. Walked about 2-3 miles home, and I heard him as he called for me out on the lawn..... night I never want to relive. Has had several accidents since and has been very lucky. Me too, although the one I had, in 1989, from falling asleep, put me in the hosp with a C-2 fracture (broken neck) fractured skull, other injuries, and hosp for nearly 4 weeks and out of work for 6 months. So yes, any accident that you have "walked away from", is something to be very thankful for.

 

[Bruce]

On the way home DS1 told him since he had a couple days off, he could help put up the new fencing.

Loads of sympathy there!

Your DS2's work shifts are ridiculous and I would consider them cruel and unusual punishment. That should be illegal. Pretty much guarantees someone will fall asleep at inopportune times. I'm glad he was not hurt too badly but he best watch for other injuries that weren't apparent at the ER. And yes, glad he didn't have the accident elsewhere in conditions that might have injured or killed others.

 

[thistlebloom]

My #2 brother was in a terrible accident when he fell asleep and hit a tree. He was on his way home late, on a narrow dark road, driving a small car to save money on gas because work was scarece and his truck was a gas hog. Two truckers coming down the two lane highway saw flames from his car and dragged him out or he would have died. He was a big guy, and they had to really work to get his legs out of the narrow drivers seat. He was unconscious for 3 or 4 days and broke both ankles, knees, arms, ribs, and collar bone.
Took a year to recover enough to go back to work, but his body was never the same.
We lost him a year ago to a stroke.