Market forces

This photograph was taken early on the morning after the final night of the sheep flocks stay in their nearby summer home. It didn't seem appropriate to disturb them by venturing nearer for a better photograph.

The sheep had been walked as usual through the neighbouring farmlands clearing weed and fertilizing the land as they moved across it; those thousands of tiny feet lightly tilling the top soil as they walk as grazing animals do so well. Constant movement prevents overgrazing and allows grass fields and native crops to re-grow.

Throughout the night the sheep circled constantly treading their straw bedding into the ground; and huddling together for protection against any predators, able to negotiate the electric fence that surrounded them. When morning came they happily walked away over the familiar territory unaware that today they were heading for market.

Life Cycling

Autumn has arrived; its arrival is marked as usual by seasonal tints forming in the leaves on the trees and the ripening of their seeds, nuts and berries. A season bringing with it cool evenings but those bright sunshine days remain. 

Rainfall was abundant across Spain last week, when the south of the peninsular received over 137 litres per square meter, which fell in less than 40 minutes. Here as ever, clouds promised thunder storms but they were chased away by the, seemingly ever present, stronger afternoon winds blowing down from the mountains tops. The higher peaks have received their first snowfall and Ski resorts report 12” of snow on the slopes. The fields around us have been ploughed, enriched with farmyard manure which was in turn mixed into the rocky soil by the returning plough.

 Autumn in the northern hemisphere is the time for harvest, and industrious African boys are labouring in the orchards picking the fruit for which this region is famous. Likewise, the shepherds have now completed their years work and the flock has gone to slaughter. The sight of 500 sheep or Xai (as they are called locally) grazing our Finca never fails to impress visitors. The flock owned by Francisco, has in recent times been managed by Ubacca another African man and his three dogs. They led or guided the sheep across many kilometres of land each day grazing on grasses and fine weeds.

 

Who ordered lamb!

With the 'pincheon' removed it is safe for the sheep to cut the grass for us. Some days we get two flocks grazing the land one on a morning and the second in the evening, each flock consists of five hundred head of sheep.

They have developed a taste for my seedlings and even climbed onto the patio to polish off my ginger lilies, and I now have little or nothing left to grow! A varied Mediterranean diet if ever there was one. Should make for some tasty lamb though!