Greener Pastures

I've wrote about this before...Penne is a pushy gal. She is all about food and the pursuit of it. Don't forget to lock, not just close, the feed shed door or Penne will be right in there knocking everything over to get to the grain. She can open the latch with her finger-like lips. This makes it very time consuming to feed the animals. I tried locking her in with the goats but that doesn't make Penne happy...and when Penne's not happy ain't nobody happy. She slams herself into the fences and gates to get closer to the feed shed. All of my fencing is now slightly bowed outward. She hums and fusses until I break down and let her out where she makes a beeline for the feed shed. She has worried the chicken coop door almost off it's hinges just to get into their feeder.
Now Koo, the other llama, likes food just fine he just isn't obsessed with it. They are the classic nursery rhyme of Jack Sprat would eat no fat, his wife would eat no lean.
I thought that in order to keep Penne here I would have to get an electric fence to restore my sanity. It really doesn't help that we have had no rain in months and my pasture is burnt to a crisp. The llamas have eaten everything and are starting on the thistles and the nettles...which is a good thing but I have also had to break into my winter supply of hay to feed Penne's habit.
Penne also has this darling way of knocking over all the water buckets. It is really very cute if it's not 100 degrees and you haven't just changed every ones water. If she can't knock over the bucket she will step in it. The goats don't like to drink water that had Penne's foot in it.
So when my aunt called the other day and inquired about goats and llamas for her farm to help keep the pastures down I jumped at the chance of sending Penne off to greener pastures. You see my aunt has a beautiful horse farm without any horses-10 acres, a 4 stall barn and a heavy duty water trough. Since she is not fenced for goats I discouraged her from getting them but horse fencing is perfect for llamas. She has seven acres of pasture she needs to keep down. Now that may be a bit much for Penne but she will be in heaven giving it a good go. She will also have a box stall when the weather gets bad. Penne fit all their requirements, safe around children and loves to eat.
Now don't go feeling sorry for Koo...he doesn't care one bit about Penne, nor her for him. They can live happily apart...like some couples. He has his goats and she will be getting some once they fence for it.
So this morning Penne went to go live in the shadow of Mt. Rainer, on a beautiful farm with a proper barn and all the grass she could possibly eat. I am happy for her and relieved for me.
sorry frugalmom, it had to be