Welcome Home, Archie!

In Livestock by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

Our low-key, relax-and-recover Sunday got out of hand real fast.

We had planned to go to the weekend’s auction – however when Isai and I caught a head cold and ultimately gave it to Aaron too – we were all down for the count. Luck would have it that Brian was at the sale again and kindly offered to bid for us if something came up.

Well, a donkey came up.

Brian scored us what is only noted as “AR Donkey Gelding #069” for a shocking $210. We watched similar (likely younger) donkeys sell for more than double that only two weeks earlier. Our much-loved discount donkey was paid for, picked up and brought home later in the evening.

Archibald “Archie” Crossley was brought to farm with the hopes that he would roam the Goat Trails with our herd to keep everyone safe. Flying by the seat of our pants, we loaded the entire herd onto the trailer with Archie and hauled them to the entrance of the goat trails together.

The goats were the first to unload and were quick to follow us into the wood line toward their Goat House. Archie, however, wasn’t so trusting of the side-by-side. He lingered near the gate and waited for what would happen next.

About this time, my brother Chris and sister-in-law Taylor showed up with their three boys. They were planning to pick up their side-by-side and trailer from our barn – and were completely unaware of the chaos they were going to get roped into.

As Archie began to make himself at home and looked as though the goats were going to be comfy in their new digs – one of the tiniest goats took a step outside of the electric fence.

Nothing happened.

Then, another stepped out.

Suddenly, half of our goats were standing outside of their pen, Archie was weighing the options for his own escape and Aaron and Chris were scrambling to figure out where the fence was grounding out.

In that moment, I looked across the pasture. “Aaron. Aaron – we have a thousand cows. Aaron, there are a thousand cows over there.”

From the neighboring wood line, giant cattle were pouring into our pasture. And, Archie could see them. None of us could have anticipated the chaos that would take place next.