M any years ago, Decatur Island was the location of a couple large farms…one raising beef cattle and the other sheep. The area that was the sheep farm became Decatur Northwest and now a flock of feral sheep share the approximate 600 acres with the residents of that development. Once a year, on the first Saturday in May, the sheep are rounded up by shepherds and their wonderful dogs, to be shorn and inoculated. In August the lambs are taken off the island to market and the 120 ewes plus a couple of rams remain on the island for the winter.
This year, there seems to be a defector….a loan ram that I’ve named Studley, who has decided to leave the herd and visit the south end of the island. He particularly seems to like my property…maybe because of the three ewes that live here or maybe my apple orchard…I’m not really sure.
Living out here brings me very close to nature every day. I can tell it’s spring by the mating calls of the eagles and the almost deafening chorus of the frogs at dusk. Rabbits frolic and chase each other in and out of the brush and challenge me to continually fortify my garden fences. Sometimes, I look out my window and see my horses grazing in their pasture along with three or four momma does and their babies, the sheep and countless bunnies and I can’t help but think this is how it’s supposed to be.
