I was told by the animal caretaker when I have left over food I'm not going to eat I can toss it over the fence and when they are out in the field they will come eat it up. Sometimes they will be in the field right by my back porch and I'll hand feed them through the fence, but most of the time they are not in that section of the field or are confined to the around the barn section.
Today I saw they were in the around the barn section, but had some stale bread to toss into the field. As I was tossing the bread a gust of wind picked up and the plastic bag went over the fence. I wasn't prepared to go into the field as I was in my lazy day clothes of a tank top, yoga pants and flip flops. I couldn't just leave the bag and contemplated going back in to change when I noticed the gate to the filed was open. I didn't want to chance the goat, sheep and llama coming around and eating the bag, so off I went... flip flops and all.
Let me tell you if you haven't walked in a field in flip flops consider yourself lucky. In order to get to where I tossed the food over the fence I had to walk all the way around to the outside gate and then through the filed of stickers, goat heads (aka bull heads) and goat, sheep and llama poop. I did my best to walk around or over, but there were some areas it was unavoidable. Gross!
I finally get over to the bag and pick it up. I figured I'd hand feed the goat, sheep and llama what was left in the bag when I got back over to the around the barn section. What I didn't expect was for the wind to again pick up and blow the bread out of my hands. I walked to the gate and all of a sudden was surrounded by the goat and sheep. The llama is timid and I'm thankful because she freaks me out. She's not only taller than I am, but I imagine her strength is greater than mine as well and I really don't want to know what it would be like to wrestle with a llama. I know this could be an irrational fear of mine, but it's what goes through my mind every time she comes near. So, here I am surrounded by the sheep and goat and she's getting closer to get a snack. I try to move, but the goat is refusing to let me move. Finally I swoosh my arms and the sheep are startled and move from behind me and I'm able to get around the goat.
I'm headed to the gate to go back to my apartment when I realized I now have the entire herd right behind me and I'm not sure I can get out the gate without one of them getting loose. Remember I'm in flip flops and not willing to chase after a goat or sheep. I then get the brilliant idea to try and outsmart them. I'll walk into the field and then turn and leave hoping they won't follow. Well, they outsmarted me by now nuzzling me as I walk and moving closer to me. I'm out of bread and I don't know how to shake the goat, sheep and llama. I then remembered the food I had originally tossed into the field. So I head back to that spot. I'm now leading the goat, sheep and llama through the field. I felt like shepherd leading the flock - when in reality I'm just trying to outsmart these animals to get back inside so I'm no longer outside in a field in flip flops and lazy day clothes.
We finally reach the food and the goat, sheep and llama go for the food and I'm able to make my escape. When I came back to my porch the goat and llama followed me along the fence hoping for more food. All the while I'm now talking with my newly bonded animal friends that I'll have more next week. Hopefully it won't be a windy day.
My new friend - even though she's still timid to come around
and I'm irrationally afraid of her.
