Tuesday 28 June 2016

Gathering of information about LGD



I have been slowly sorting through all my blogs to try and make an overview. I am not done yest but here is a start of general topics and the links to the blogs I have written regarding the LGD.

Blog Articles, sorted according to Subject

Feeding 




Comparison between GP and Sar




Packs of dogs, meet and greet



Fence crawlers/Yokes/Fences



Training the young LGD





Dogs Working





Lambing Time and the dogs



Other Guardian animals



Anecdotes, dealing with predation



Shars and Cows



Why LGD fail





Anecdotes about our dogs ( individual dogs)/ Funny stories




Chantal, Our first Sarplaninac





Sarplaninac Breed

 Breeding



 Musings/thoughts and training






New Years/Photo





Macedonia





In the media



Other LGD






Coyotes/wildlife/critter cam



Socializing the baby pups with sheep



Our ranch




Research






As, I wade through all the blogs,  I will post updates to this list with the newly added blogs.









Gathering of information about LGD



I have been slowly sorting through all my blogs to try and make an overview. I am not done yest but here is a start of general topics and the links to the blogs I have written regarding the LGD.
Blog Articles, sorted according to Subject


Feeding 




Comparison between GP and Sar





Packs of dogs, meet and greet





Fence crawlers/Yokes/Fences





Training the young LGD




Dogs Working




Lambing Time and the dogs





Other Guardian animals





Anecdotes, dealing with predation




Shars and Cows







Why LGD fail




Anecdotes about our dogs ( individual dogs)/ Funny stories






Chantal, Our first Sarplaninac







Sarplaninac Breed





 Breeding





 Musings/thoughts and training






New Years/Photo







Macedonia




In the media





Other LGD






Coyotes/wildlife/critter cam






Socializing the baby pups with sheep




Our ranch






Research







As, I wade through all the blogs,  I will post updates to this list with the newly added blogs.









Sunday 26 June 2016

Roy's First Demolition Derby



One of the projects Roy did this year within 4-H was the building of a demolition derby truck.
He, along with 6 other members helped build, paint and prepare a truck for the demolition derby held every year at the Pioneer Threshermans Association annual event.
Our neighbors, Roeby and Martin, ran the project and did a fantastic job of getting the truck ready to go.
As Roy was the olderst (15), he got to drive the truck.

He was very nervous the first day, knowing full and well when you play with the big boys, things can get rough.
He got loads of advice and plenty of tips from us armchair quarterbacks.


The pit crew:



The days started good with them winning the Best Dressed Demo Derby vehicle.
The competition was tough with all the beat up trucks and vehicles.


and, the checkered flag goes to the Coyote Acres 4-h team!


Last minute advice from dad to son, before he enters the pit.


A few rounds of 6 and 8 cylinder vehicles started the derby.
Roy was in the first heat of the trucks.



He got a few big hits, but the truck held up well.



Unfortunately, it was soon over for Roy, as his battery stopped working and he could not get the truck running in the designated time. 

So, back at the "base" a new battery was put in, some body work was hammered in and the truck, and Roy,  were ready for a new day. 


Heading to the pit for day 2 rounds.
This was a buy back round, so another shot of getting into the finals.


Ready, set and go


This round went way better for Roy, being the youngest and most inexperienced driver ( he has only has his learners license a few weeks),
 he gave a few good hits, and received a few big ones back.


Roy was more aggressive and had more strategy this time round.


"Ouch"


"go get him, Roy"




"Give her", Roy


" Go hard, or go home" was the motto today.




Once again, he had to quit again, this time due to a seat belt malfunction.
His belt came undone, and he could not continue, the chance of injuries would be too high if he got flung out of the truck or parts of his body got outside the vehicle.
Safety first, so he broke his stick and had to sit it out until this round was done.


He, and the 4-H crew had a great time building this truck and putting a few dents into the truck.
The plans are big for next year,
this truck will be outfitted again and they will build a second vehicle for the derby.

This two day event was great fun, the kids had a blast, we got sunburnt, we had an eventful dance, where Eric was security, we came home tired, and Roy made some memories.

Saturday 18 June 2016

Catch up


When spring rolls around the time to blog drops dramatically.
the days are longer and that means more to do outside.
The pastures need fence checking, and this year we need to build an entire fence on  some pastures.

The weather has gone from one extreme to the other. With a very dry and high fire risk, to torrential rains and even snow a few weeks back.
The dry weather caused very much concern, and now the rain has slowed all the fencing down, and we cannot get the cows moved to pasture due to the road ways being so muddy.

The spring time also means the wrap up of the 4-H year for the kids, so their achievement day shows and awards nights all needed wrapping up.

The kids did well at achievement day, Roy won with his steer the club and District Rate of Gain, and Sr District Showmanship, Jess did well with her heifer. Roy rocked his flock and ewe classes, and Jess rocked her ewe lamb, grooming and showmanship classes.




The kids are now preparing for their Summer Synergy week coming up in July.
This year, they had to make a marketing video project for Summer Synergy.

You can see their videos here, their videos had to be about Rural lifestyle, quality food production and or Farm Safety.






As for ranch  news,
the March/April lambs were weaned today and the ewes turned out on grass.
We culled heavily in the flock after lambing time, we got selected out all the original ewes we started with when we moved to Canada. These are good solid old ewes, and have been with us since the beginning. I can't help but feel a little sad to see them go, however they start to battle getting through the winter when they get older, so it is time for them to go.

Some more news, we have two new sarplaninac male pups here on the ranch.
One, Kushi, was gifted to us by a good shepherd friend in Macedonia.
When we visited Macedonia last year, we saw the sire and the dam in with their stock.
These are true, old line sheep dogs. I am excited to see how Kushi will grow out.

The other male ( who has no name yet), comes from a totally different line.
I have know this breeder for some time as I have a dog from one of his males already.
I was given the opportunity to take the only male from this litter.

They had a long journey here, first by road from Montenegro and the other from Macedonia, to Serbia and then on to Czech Republic, before boarding a flight to Calgary.
I did an up and down trip to go and collect the two boys.

A very big thank you to a long term friend Stepanka, for helping facilitate the import, transport, papers, flights and great care for the two pups before they arrived here.

So, a quick meet and greet of the two pups:


We wasted no time in letting them meet their future charges.




Other sarplaninac news is that we think and hope we are getting a litter from our Beli and Mali.
Beli will be 10  this fall, so we decided it was probably a now or never situation if we still wanted a litter of pup from him.
This will be Mali's first litter.
More news of this litter and all the details will follow soon.
Mali leading the way for the sheep during a down pour.
So, despite the lack of blogs, a lot of things have been happening here.
Come winter, I will have plenty of stories to share again.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...