10/11/2026
I know I haven’t posted much on our farm page lately, and there’s a reason for that. Between being a full-time college student, working nights at the hospital as a nurse, and running a full-time farm, there are only so many full-times in me. 😂 Somebody please tell me where to find a few extra hours in the day!
We’ve also had a rough stretch lately with coyotes and bobcats attacking our sheep. With the hot weather, our livestock guardian dogs haven’t been venturing as far out over the hills with the flock during the day. The predators have figured out that the dogs are out there at night but aren’t always with the sheep during the hottest part of the day. And they have been absolutely wearing us out.
I have the ewe pictured below fighting for her life right now. So far, she’s the only one who has survived these attacks. Please keep her in your thoughts because we’re doing everything we can for her.
After this week, I’ll be ordering NoFence collars for our LGDs to help keep them where they need to be, out with the livestock. I’ve also learned another valuable lesson from Texas A&M Livestock about feeding guardian dogs out on pasture where the livestock stay.
I’ve been feeding our dogs in the barn and center pasture, so they’ve gotten into the habit of coming back there every day and hanging around waiting for dinner. They do their jobs well at night and have killed all sorts of critters that have wandered into our pastures. But during the day, they tend to retreat to the barns and sleep.
Well, barn time is fixing to become a thing of the past for these dogs! 😂 Having this many livestock guardian dogs doesn’t make much sense if they aren’t out doing their jobs around the clock. We have some changes to make, and we’re going to make them. Farming is a continuous learning process. Just when you think you have things figured out SUPRISE!!
On another note, I still have plenty of pigs available for sale and a Highland bull looking for a new herd. I’ve temporarily taken the emu listing down for now. I truly do not want to sell anything but fact of the matter is my plate is just too full and it's finally taking its toll on me.
And if I’m being completely honest, I’ve been overwhelmed. Lately, I’ve had moments when I’ve seriously considered throwing in the towel, selling the farm, and starting over with a life focused solely on nursing. Between school, work, farm responsibilities, and everything else life throws at you, sometimes it feels like too much.
But who am I kidding? 😂 This animal stuff is apparently embedded in my DNA. I don’t think I could quit it if I wanted to! There’s something about these animals and this life that just gets into your soul, even on the days when they make you question every decision you’ve ever made.
Cinnamon, my sweet Jersey cow, my FIRST cow, leaves for her new home tomorrow. Glory and her calf are scheduled to leave next week. And let me tell you, trying to catch a month-old calf in the rain and mud, in the pitch-black darkness, is an adventure nobody asked for. 🤦♀️😂 We’re giving it a few days before we try again so we can get that little stinker caught and loaded up. Thankfully, they’re heading to a new farm with good friends just up the road, so I know they’ll be well cared for.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll continue posting some of our animals as we make a few changes around here. I still have several dogs looking for their perfect homes, along with some beautiful barn cats who are already spayed or neutered.
I’m currently on fall break from school, which is MUCH needed. Of course, because I apparently don’t know how to sit still, I’m picking up extra shifts at the hospital. So much for resting! 😂
Life has been a little chaotic around here, but we’re taking things one day at a time, making adjustments where we need to, and figuring out what works best for our family, our farm, and our animals.
Thank you to everyone who continues to follow along, support our farm, and check in on us. Even when I’m quiet on this page, there’s always something happening behind the scenes at Faithful Shepherd Farm. ❤️🐑🐄🐖
