Funny story to share with you, as reported to us by recent farmstay guests at the Cottage here at Struan Farm. They spent some time in the Wool Shed watching Farmer John shear the ewes. It's been wet and hot, perfect conditions for sheep to get fly blown, and shearing helps protect against that.
It seems that Farmer John always shears former pet lamb ewe Rosie first. She's the Queen Bee around the place and everyone knows it, even Farmer John. He removes her red, now somewhat faded, collar to do so. This time apparently he forgot to put it back on her until she was in the yard with several other sheep. So he confessed to the guests that he had to go out and try to identify her. We assume she didn't exactly help him with the process!
After hearing all this I decided I'd better check to make sure that the ewe wearing the faded red collar was indeed our Queen Bee Rosie. She still comes to the house paddock for her cut apple treats, in competition with former pet lamb Ruby (the huge ewe with the brown face and ears). I picked an apple off a tree in the orchard and cut it up, calling out for Rosie. I heard baas coming down from under the macrocarpas at the bottom of the bowl.
I went out and kept calling. Ruby started barrelling up the hill but Rosie ran faster. She knew apples were at stake.
So yes, this is the Rosie we know and love. Not an impostor!
It may be time for a new red collar.
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