MELODY, OUR GUARD LLAMA

I realized that I have yet to write about Melody, our guard llama. Allow me to correct this slight. She deserves it.

This morning, while I was making my daily walk down the drive to retrieve the newspaper, I heard Melody give her alarm call. Whenever I hear her call out like that, I of course try to identify the danger she perceives, but I also try to let her know that I hear her and will respond. She gets a little put out if I ignore her and don't do my job as the flock shepherd, so I've learned to at least gaze in the same direction she is looking, and look real tough. If I have the chance I'll stand beside her and stare down the danger (even if I can't see it). We make a formidable pair! This morning she was staring something down in our neighbor's woods. That certainly made me a bit nervous since we're so close to lambing. I followed her line of sight to a beam of morning sunrise that was snaking through the woods to a freshly cut round from a felled tree. This was just about the only thing in the woods that was illuminated by the morning sun and the circle of growth rings certainly looked threatening, like a giant eye. Melody had every right to be alarmed, especially since this newly felled tree was a new element in her environment. She already had the flock gathered up and was ready to lead them back to the barn. As she watched, and continued her alarm calls, I walked through the woods to the fallen tree. Once I reached it, she must have realized that it did not present any danger and she released the flock back to their graze.

I've noticed, that as we get closer to lambing, the ewes move about the pasture a bit more deliberately and seem to defer to Melody more than usual. I'm certain that they recognize the security she provides. The Jacob ewes prefer to lamb in the pasture and will remove themselves from the flock to be alone at this special time. I don't try to interfere at this point but I do like to eventually move the ewe and her newborn lamb(s) into a lambing jug for a couple of days. The problem is to recognize that one of the girls has sneaked off by herself. However, it usually turns out that she won't be alone. I can usually scan the pasture and if I spot that long neck of Melody's I can bet that there will be a ewe in labor at her feet.

Though the ewes are settling down for their big day, last years lambs are not pregnant, and still like to play. Normally Melody puts up with this juvenile boisterous behavior, and at times even joins in. Lately however, she's quick to correct the young ones and settles them down. Its almost as if she knows that the ewes need some predictable stress-free flock behavior right now.

Melody joined our farm as a guard animal and she has more than filled that role. I often find her sleeping in the open doorway of the barn while the rest of the flock is settled in for the night well inside the barn. She's the flock mistress and I've come to the realization that our farm will be best served if I simply follow her lead. What's both maddening and rewarding at the same time is that she knows that I know that she is the boss.

Melody's humble assistant, Jeff