Monday, October 24, 2011

Monday Morning

Here it is. Another five day work week. Very cold out there. Definitely wool weather this morning. Got my cargo trailer cleaned out yesterday. I found several pounds of fiber I am keeping for myself, including the lovely Pacifica which sold out last year. There are just some color runs that are so pretty and I know I can't repeat them. My van is almost empty. Should help the gas mileage without carrying my booth around with me. I had a visit from an irate, bow-hunting, Downstate, absentee-land-owner who is very unhappy about my sheep going on his land. I know it's the goats. They love to roam. Guess who is in lock-down now - bad girls. The whole flock will stay in the barnyard until I come home from work and watch them graze. I have plenty of grass and brush for them to eat but the grass is always greener. He told me about a dog who spent the night in his field and we went to take a look. Very sweet female - a bloodhound/beagle mix I think. She winced and rolled over when I tried to stroke her back. A drop off maybe. He was going back to the city and did not seem willing to take responsibility for her. She's not interested in going anywhere and only wants to lie on the sofa. Matt took a picture to print out at work and hang around locally. No collar or ID of any kind. She's nice to the cats and doesn't snarl back at Tanner who is NOT being very nice to the poor, lost doggie. Hope I can find where she comes from - the Inn is full here.

6 comments:

woolies said...

awww, poor lost doggie. I hope you find a home for her..
Your picture above is so spectacular. Wow do I miss autumn.

Fellow Farmer said...

Hello, this is that irrate bow hunter, Mid-Hudson Valley, law abiding, tax paying, responsible, more than absentee-landowner here. Maggie, are you sure you did not mischaracterize our encounter? I recall being a responsible good neighbor/farmer and approaching you and Matt and making it perfectly clear that I would expect you to act as a responsible farmer and respect the rights of other property owners. When asked, by you, if I was from New Jersey, I replied that I was from the Hudson Valley. As a teacher, I would expect you to know that the Hudson Valley is NOT part of the city. After our discussion, and your husband Matt telling me you could not afford a fence (sell a few of those sheep) I proceeded to tell you of a dog that was lying in my field. I did not see her until that morning, milling around my trailer. A beautiful little dog as I told you. Such a beautiful face. Do you recall? I asked if it may be yours. You told me you would come take a look, but did not think so. You had lost a lab mix earlier and thought the bones had been found. Do you recall? When you took the little dog away, you began ranting something about deer and said I had a Brooklyn accent, do you recall? Nothing could be further from the truth. You should try to stay focused and explain an encounter as accurately as possible. Do you think it is o.k. and responsible to allow your property to encroach on others? Please keep your goats and sheep off of my property and away from my crops. Thank you and unlike the absentee-landowner that you portrayed me to be, see you soon.

Maggie's Farm said...

So sorry you are that sensitive about being "from the City." I was born in the city and spent my early years there before my NYPD father came home to the project and told us he was moving us to New Jersey. I know "City" when I hear it. You didn't introduce yourself so at the end of our encounter I asked you what your name is and you just said "Bunt." Or is that Bundt like the cake? I don't know your first name, but, Mr. Bunt, I will have some fence up ASAP. I can't imagine what damage my sheep and goats have done to your land since you are not growing anything over there and all your hay has been cut by your neighbor, but I don't want anything to happen to them and will watch them carefully. Your neighbor, Will, once told me he was happy to get their fertilizer on his lawn, but then he is "real country" and knows the value of good poop. So sorry to cause you so much trouble. You were talking so fast and furious and your threats to call the police and "do what you have to do" were rather distressing at the time, so my recollection of the exact words of our "conversation" are a bit fuzzy. Did that mean you were going to shoot my sheep and goats with your bows and arrows? Too bad we had to meet under such tense circumstances.

Dan said...

Hi Maggie, Hi Mr Bundt:
I hope you don't mind a third opinion but I enjoyed both parts of this conversation. You both seem like good people who have an honest difference of opinion that I am sure that you will resolve amicably. I am a true City Slicker, and the idea of goats getting loose into a neighbor's property brings me back to Little House on the Prairie or Bonanza. I am actually a bit jealous as we dodge gangs, drug dealers and various other types of scammers and crooks. I would love a neighbor whose major vice was roaming sheep - I would also love a neighbor whose major vice was complaining about my roaming sheep. You both may not realize it but you are very lucky to have civil problems and relatively civil communication as you try to get by these issues. While my allegiance is to Maggie, I would love having either of you as my neighbors. I wish you both well.

Dan

Anonymous said...

Maggie -

I know that "irrate" hunter and I find it hard to believe that he threatened to call the police. Maybe he was reminding you of the others who have dropped the dime on you. He's a very caring and giving individual who usually suffers from giving everyone the benefit of the doubt to his own detriment. I also find it very hard to believe that you can't seem to get past the "city" issue. You both have something fundamental in common: a deep respect for a beautiful area. Not sure why you are so opposed to an individual simply wanting their own land for their own use, particuarly someone who pays land taxes and therefore contributes to the support of the town and county. Regardless, hay is a crop and he should have the right to exclusive use of his land. Looks like fiber isn't the only thing you're good at spinning! By the way, beautiful pictures!

Anonymous said...

Maggie,

Please read your words from your previous post very carefully:


"You were talking so fast and furious and your threats to call the police and "do what you have to do" were rather distressing at the time, so my recollection of the exact words of our "conversation" are a bit fuzzy. Did that mean you were going to shoot my sheep and goats with your bows and arrows? Too bad we had to meet under such tense circumstances.


This is total fabrication. I can understand that you may want to keep the blog full of drama/theatrics. However, please do not continue to make this situation tense. I never said I would contact the police but did say I would rather NOT like to go that route as several others have. Do we need to publish the police records now? You need to work on the "Fuzzy" memory of yours. How you can come up with the statement of me shooting goats and sheep with bows and arrows is beyond me. Be very careful as to your characterization of others. I hope you are genuine when you say you will put up a fence ASAP!

Dan, No problem with a third party entering a discussion. Thanks for your insight.

Sincerely,
As I introduced myself to Matt and you, with a handshake (Do you recall)?

Jay Bunt