Other End of Year News
On 14 December I eventually sold the wool for $347 (shearing cost $106, plus crutching).
With all the rain we have been having the grass is very high and very dense, so there's plenty of food for the animals. This has meant that the driveway is also very wet. I managed to get bogged in the alternate driveway around the back of the house, thinking this was a better option. I have also had to park the car for days at a time at the front of the house, avoiding the driveway altogether. I guess the driveway will be needing an upgrade soon.
Before Christmas Dad also made me a little trailer to pull behind the ride-on to carry tools and heavy things around the farm. I haven't really had a specific use for it as yet but I'm sure it will come in handy.
With the family here at Christmas we managed to get the sheep into the yards again. This time we used the netting in a different configuration and it worked well. I separated the youngest lambs, some of which are Rambo's granddaughters, and some ewes into a small group of ten to stay in the dam paddock. I then took Bobby, Rambo and 11 ewes to the top eastern paddock. This was just so Rambo didn't mate with his granddaughters. I am hoping that the 11 ewes with Rambo could get pregnant one more time before I sell or give away Rambo. (We now have a new ram, but that's another story.)

Nova to the Butchers
On Monday 6 December Nova was taken to the next town and then on his way to the abattoir and then to the butchers. Steven and Lucy visited on the Sunday to help get him into the yards. He was in there overnight with Star to keep him company. I collected him all packaged up on Friday 17 December. The sausages, mince and corned beef weren't ready, so I had to come back on the next Monday.
When I had the cows in the yards to single out Nova, I also separated the cows from the heifers and calves in an attempt to wean them. This wasn't very successful, with Sandy jumping three fences to get into the back paddock where her two young ones were. I eventually got her two calves down with the other calves, so now I have five young ones in the front paddocks and the cows, plus Star's calf, Twinkle (who also jumped two fences), in the back paddock. I visited them the other day and with the exception of Star they have all gained a lot more padding.
The next thing I plan to do is sell Star and Twinkle, my fence jumpers. With that money I aim to buy a head bail and with that get the cows and heifers AI'd. I don't think I'm quite ready to handle a bull.